FC/SLGJ - Tip of the Day #43 (and FINAL weigh-in reminder)

[Airfix]

It's time for the final weigh in.  I have had some results so far and they are brilliant reading!  So jump on the scales and let me know how you've done.

Of course, I realise that, for many, the end of FC/SLGJ will be the end of their programme but I hope that, for those who haven't yet achieved their goals, you will continue and let me know how you get on.

Now for my final tip.  As I mentioned yesterday, it's probably the most important one of all and is, alas, quite long, I apologise for that:

Exit strategy

You've come a long way and you've lost weight.  Doubtless you feel extremely good about yourself and rightly so, you've done a marvellous job!

One of the major pitfalls of any sustained weight loss programme, however, is what happens immediately after you stop dieting.

When you eat normally, your body does not use all the benefits of the food you ingest.  Rather, it will take a measured amount of it and convert it to energy, which it will use to sustain itself throughout the day.  Some of this energy, if not used throughout the day properly, will be converted to fat - nature's method of storing energy for future use.  The remainder of the intake is unused and disposed of.  When you deny intake, however, your body fights back by using 100% of the energy from the ingested food.  If you have dieted properly - using whichever method best served your needs - the body's use of 100% of the food taken in was still not enough, so it began to burn fat too, in order to gain the required energy to get itself through the day.

All of this means that, if you end your programme and go straight back to eating as you did before you started, the body will continue to take 100% of the energy ingested until it realises that its "crisis" is over and return to more normal levels of energy use.  Unfortunately, the time it takes to do this can be very long and, for many dieters who go straight back to normal eating, they find that they put on weight again quickly.  This leads to a yo-yo effect, where the dieter loses weight, achieves their ideal weight, goes back to "normal" eating and puts on weight again before going back on a diet.  These people tend to spend an inordinate amount of their time on a diet and most will eventually give up, stating that "diets never work for them."

Another extremely valid point to make is that your brain will contain information on what it considers to be it its "ideal weight".  Most of us tend to stay fairly static, give or take a few pounds either way and this is because of the body's own internal regulation.  If you yo-yo, not only is your weight likely to rebound to its previous level but you could even find that you end up heavier than you started.  Once you eventually stabilise, your brain will then take this new weight as its "ideal" and you will then be static but at a higher weight than you started!

All of this means that you must spend a goodly amount of "post diet" time, stabilising yourself.  You need to get your body used to its new ideal weight and allow your brain to reset its memory.  You also need to allow the energy gained from the food you eat to normalise, back below the 100% level.

In the post-diet period, then, you need to reintroduce foods that you have denied yourself slowly.  By all means allow yourself more treats but don't overdo things and you will find yourself stabilised nicely.  A good rule of thumb is to allow a period of stabilisation equivalent to five days for every pound lost (when I did my diet, the stabilisation period was a whole year!).  Only once your body is used to its new weight can you truly consider your work done and you can continue to live your (longer) life sure in the knowledge that you have discovered a healthier you.

Well done!   :yay: :clap_hands: 065.gif 077.gif 049:gif

[Kell]

Thanks for organising it Airfix. Lost weight so I am happy, Setting a new target now.

[F(f)CUK]

Agreed. Thank you Airfix. I always intended to lose weight, but this competition gave me an extra push.

I actually intend to lose another 8lbs or so. So for me this is not the end.

[Airfix]

 :dft001:

Bump anyway. Still time for the stragglers to get their results in!

[Burt]

Well done Mr Airfix for running this... No easy undertaking.

[Nick the Swede]

Yes, well done Chris! Mr. Finn is most certainly very proud of you!


-"Oh when the Whites!"