Why do you rebound after losing weight? Does your body remember that you were fat?

Recently, according to the National Health Commission, the weight management year action will continue to be recommended in the future, and the "abnormal weight" problem of the people will be closely monitored.

For a time,

The topic of "weight loss rebound" has become a hot search topic.

Many netizens joked:

Life is so hard! I can't lose any weight.

......

As the temperature rises, the fat on the body can no longer be hidden. Many friends are ready to lose weight. But when they hear that the weight will rebound, they are a little dumbfounded...

What is the reason for "weight loss rebound"? How to avoid rebound? Follow Jiang Jiang and Su Su to find out!

1. Take a test first. Are you overweight or obese?

Obesity is a global public health problem, defined by the World Health Organization as the world's largest chronic disease. It is associated with the incidence of many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. , and is also related to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression .

The "Guidelines for Weight Management (2024 Edition)" released to the public by the National Health Commission pointed out that some studies predict that if not effectively curbed, the overweight and obesity rate among adults in China will reach 70.5% in 2030, and the overweight and obesity rate among children will reach 31.8%.

So what kind of fat is really overweight and obesity? Overweight and obesity are affected by many factors, including genetics, diet, physical activity level, lifestyle habits, and changes in social environment.

Body mass index (BMI) is a standard for measuring how fat or thin a person is.

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)²

The normal BMI range for healthy adults in China is between 18.5 and 24.

A BMI between 24 and 28 is defined as overweight . A BMI of 28 or more is considered obese. Among them, BMI is further divided into mild obesity, moderate obesity, severe obesity and extremely severe obesity.

Test yourself first.

2. Why does weight loss cause “rebound”?

Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows that losing weight is difficult, and maintaining it is even more difficult. Why does weight rebound?

In fact, weight loss rebound is a complex issue, usually involving multiple factors such as physiology, psychology and lifestyle habits. The following are common causes and scientific explanations:

1. Metabolic Adaptation

Reason: Long-term dieting or extremely low-calorie diet will cause a significant decrease in the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The body enters "energy saving mode" and reduces energy consumption to cope with "famine".

Rebound mechanism: When a normal diet is resumed, the metabolic rate cannot recover quickly, and calorie intake suddenly exceeds metabolic needs, causing fat to accumulate again.

Scientific data: Studies have shown that metabolic rate may drop by 20%-30% after extreme dieting, and may even last for several years (such as "The Biggest Loser" study).

2. Muscle loss

Reason: If there is a lack of protein intake and strength training during weight loss, the body will break down muscles for energy.

Rebound mechanism: Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and a reduction in muscle mass will further reduce the basal metabolic rate, making it more difficult to maintain weight.

Solution: Increase resistance training and ensure protein intake (1.6-2.2g/kg body weight/day).

3. Unsustainable eating patterns

Reason: Adopting an extreme diet in the short term (such as complete carbon cutting, extremely low fat) violates daily eating habits.

Rebound mechanism: Once you stop the diet, you are prone to binge eating due to psychological compensation or habit regression.

Key point: Sustainable weight loss requires incorporating healthy eating into your life, not as a “period punishment.”

4. Imbalance in hormone regulation

Hormonal changes:

Leptin: A "satiety signal" secreted by fat cells. Its levels decrease after weight loss, which increases appetite.

Ghrelin: A "hunger hormone" secreted by the stomach. Its concentration increases after weight loss, triggering a tendency to overeat.

Impact: These hormonal changes may persist for more than 1 year after weight loss, increasing the risk of weight rebound (NEJM, 2011).

Image source: soogif

Do Fat Cells “Remember” That You Were Fat?!

5. Psychological and behavioral factors

Stress and emotional eating: Stress causes an increase in cortisol, which triggers cravings for high-sugar and high-fat foods.

The "all or nothing" mentality: After an eating disorder, it is easy to deny yourself and give up control.

Solution: Create mindful eating habits that allow for occasional “flexible eating.”

6. Rapid Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss

Misconception: Rapid weight loss (such as losing 15 pounds in a week) results in more water and muscle loss rather than fat.

Rebound mechanism: The body will compensate by increasing appetite and reducing metabolism to restore weight.

Scientific advice: A healthy rate of fat loss is 0.5%-1% of body weight per week (for example, a 60kg person should lose 0.3-0.6kg per week).

7. Lack of long-term maintenance plan

Research data: About 80% of people who lose weight rebound within 1-2 years (Obesity Reviews, 2018), because most people view weight loss as a "project" rather than a "lifelong habit."

Key strategies:

Monitor body weight regularly (eg, weekly).

During the maintenance period, calories still need to be controlled (increased by about 10%-15% compared to the weight loss period).

Maintain regular exercise (150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise + 2 strength training sessions per week).

3. How to avoid rebound after losing weight?

01. Pay attention to strength training: maintain or increase muscle mass to combat metabolic decline.

02. Avoid extreme dieting: the daily calorie deficit should not exceed 500-750 calories.

03. Adjust your diet gradually: Use the "80/20 rule" (80% healthy meals + 20% free choices) instead of strict restrictions.

04. Manage stress and sleep: Less than 7 hours of sleep will disrupt appetite hormones and increase the risk of rebound.

05. Accept weight fluctuations: Menstrual period, edema, etc. can cause short-term fluctuations, pay attention to long-term trends.

During the weight loss process, the weight should fluctuate, gradually decrease, and finally stabilize at a certain value, rather than drop in a straight line. In the "2024 Edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Adult Obesity" issued by the National Health Commission: The weight loss plateau period is reasonable. In other words, judging from the numbers, it is normal for weight to rebound or remain stable.

Why can't stocks be stable like this?

In short, weight loss rebound is essentially the body's adaptive response to energy imbalance. Successful weight management requires transforming healthy behaviors into a lifestyle .

Hang in there!

Be long-termist + do the right thing.

The rest is up to time.

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