Categories: Health

Slimmers need to cut 300 calories a day to stay at their new weight

Experts have found that slimmers need to eat less than someone of the same weight who has not dieted to stay at their new weight.

To be precise, they need to eat at least 300 fewer calories a day. This equates to a bag of Maltesers and a Milky Way – the sort of treats they were probably looking forward to enjoying after the pounds had come off.

And over the course of a week, it amounts to 15 cans of cola or 17 slices of buttered toast.

The European Congress on Obesity heard that several quirks of biology combine to create a “perfect storm” that makes it all but impossible to keep lost weight off.

The calorie counts come from Professor Michael Rosenbaum, of New York’s Columbia University, who has monitored dieters for years at a time.

The men and women are taken into hospital and put on a strict diet to shed 10% of their weight.

They then try to stay at that weight. Test carried out before and afterwards have revealed the secrets of their success – or failure.

Experts have found that slimmers need to eat less than someone of the same weight who has not dieted to stay at their new weight

Prof. Michael Rosenbaum said: “The number of calories you are going to have to eat to maintain that weight loss falls by 22%.

“That’s 300 calories or more a day less than someone who looks exactly like they do.”

What is more, his studies suggest that the effect does not wear off, with an ex-dieter having to eat hundreds of fewer calories a day for years to come if they are to stay slim.

The conference in Lyon heard that the phenomenon can largely be blamed on the effect dieting has on muscle.

In slimmers, muscle uses fewer calories to do its work than in someone else of a similar weight who has not dieted.

Changes in hormones, metabolism and appetite also play a role.

Prof. Michael Rosenbaum’s studies also show that after dieting, the areas of the brain that perceive food as rewarding are more active, while those that generate feelings of restraint are less so.

And former dieters have to eat more to feel satisfied, but think they have eaten less.

He said: “You are creating the perfect storm for weight regain – energy expenditure is down and desire to eat is changed in ways that favor regain of lost weight.

“Weight loss is a relatively brief therapeutic intervention, but trying to keep the weight off requires a lifetime of diligent attention.”

 

Kathryn R. Bown

Kathryn - Our health specialist likes to share with the readers the latest news from the field. Nobody understands better than her the relation between healthy mind and healthy body.

Recent Posts

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

9 hours ago

White House 2024: Voter Fraud Claims Flood Social Media

Misleading allegations, rumours and outright lies about voting and fraud are flooding online spaces in…

2 days ago

Spain: At Least 158 Killed In The Country’s Worst Flooding Disaster

At least 158 people have died in Spain's worst flooding disaster in generations. On October…

4 days ago

Russia Fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, Surpassing Global GDP

Google has been fined two undecillion (a two followed by 36 zeroes) roubles by a…

4 days ago

Financing Your Home Remodel: 7 Tips for Success

Embarking on a home remodel is an exciting journey, promising enhanced comfort, increased property value,…

2 weeks ago

Donald Trump Serves Up McDonald’s Fries While Kamala Harris Celebrates 60th Birthday with Church Choir

The US presidential candidates continued to campaign across key swing states on October 20. Footage…

2 weeks ago