Why Diets Fail and What Actually Works: (Part 2)- What Diets Really Do to Your Body

Send us a text

Tired of feeling like your body betrays you every time you try to lose weight? You're not alone, and it's not your fault.

The second installment of our "Why Diets Fail" series dives deep into the biological reality behind weight loss struggles. When you drastically cut calories, your body doesn't celebrate – it compensates. This isn't a lack of willpower; it's survival physiology at work.

We examine eye-opening research, including how Biggest Loser contestants still had metabolisms suppressed by 500 calories daily six years after the show ended. The science reveals why up to 35% of diet-induced weight loss can come from muscle rather than fat, creating the perfect storm for weight regain. Your hormones undergo profound changes too – leptin drops, ghrelin rises, cortisol spikes, and thyroid function decreases – all conspiring to make you hungrier, more tired, and primed to store fat.

This explains why over 80% of dieters regain their weight within two years, but there's a better way forward. I share the evidence-based strategies we use with our THI Rebuild clients: modest deficits that don't trigger survival mode, strength training to preserve muscle, adequate protein, strategic diet breaks, and lifestyle support. The 2017 MATADOR study confirms this approach works better than continuous restriction.

Ready to stop fighting your body and start working with it? Join us next episode as we explore sustainable habits for long-term success, or visit transformhealthcoach.com to apply for our elite coaching program that's helping people in their 40s and 50s transform their health for good.

Show Study References:

1. Fothergill, E., Guo, J., Howard, L., et al. (2016). Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after “The Biggest Loser” competition. Obesity, 24(8), 1612–1619.
   
   
   
2. Weinheimer, E. M., Sands, L. P., & Campbell, W. W. (2010). A systematic review of the separate and combined effects of energy restriction and exercise on fat-free mass in middle-aged and older adults. Nutrition Reviews, 68(7), 375–388.
   
   
   
3. Leibel, R. L., Rosenbaum, M., & Hirsch, J. (1995). Changes in energy expenditure resulting from altered body weight. New England Journal of Medicine, 332(10), 621–628.
   
   
   
4. MacLean, P. S., et al. (2015). Biological control of appetite: a daunting complexity. Obesity, 23(3), 490–497.
   
   
   
5. Byrne, N. M., et al. (2017). Intermittent energy restriction improves weight loss efficiency in obese men: the MATADOR study. International Journal of Obesity, 41(12), 1672–1679.

6. Mann, T., Tomiyama, A. J., Westling, E., et al. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer. American Psychologist, 62(3), 220–233.

https://www.facebook.com/coachadamkelley/

Instagram: @coachadamkelley

www.transformedhealthcoach.com