You'd think we'd be dieting pros by now.
With so many diet experts - nutritionists pushing ads on every social media platform telling you they know the secret to getting slim by eating this or avoiding that. Then there's the age-old "calories in versus calories out" equation that seems so simple at the surface but is much more complicated when put into practice.
There is a concept called set-point weight at the heart of the "weight loss" goal you have set for yourself. Stephan Guyenet, PhD, author of The Hungry Brain, elaborates that the brain regulates body weight. "If you don't know that, you're going to be surprised when your brain and body start fighting back against weight loss," he says in his book.
Whenever your weight changes too much, your brain will intervene to push it back to what it thinks is the correct weight for you. And you might not prefer the same weight your brain desires. Many of us don't.
Hence, if weight loss is your goal, it is essential to understand what happens to your brain as you embark on your diet journey.
What happens to your brain when you go on a diet?
Our bodies have a fantastic hormone called Leptin. Very simply, it measures the level of body fat and reports back to the brain.
It is secreted into your bloodstream in proportion to the amount of fat you carry. Higher levels of Leptin in your bloodstream mean more fat in your body. Leptin is also referred to as a "hunger" hormone. Leptin decreases your hunger.
Everyone has a certain level of body fat where their bodies are happiest. "Your brain will defend this amount just like it defends your body temperature," explains Guyenet. As you lose weight, the amount of Leptin in your bloodstream drops — and that's where the trouble starts. Sirens sound, Leptin signals your brain and indicates that it needs help to bring the same level of fat back. Understandably, you're looking for the exact opposite effect.
But it's hard to beat out biology.
Guyenet calls this a classic starvation response. Your brain responds by upping your hunger levels, making the soggy, chocolate drenched donuts at the corner bakery irresistible and ensuring cravings are impossible to ignore. We've all felt this craving sensation, right?
Physiologically, your metabolic rate slows, so you can conserve energy and send it right back into building up fat stores.
Cheating on your diet
It's hard to lose weight — and even harder to maintain that weight loss. You can do it for a time, but eventually, your brain will win out, and you'll stand in your kitchen eating ice cream straight out of the container.
Coming back to the "set point weight" we discussed at the start: When you're below your set point, you end up eating more to maintain the same hunger level as you did before. That's why it's possible to maintain a healthy diet and still gain the weight back.
That's where the "binging" comes in.
In the past, you might never have considered polishing off half a dozen donuts in one sitting. Still, now your body feels it's necessary.
And so, it turns out dieting is one of the best ways to gain weight.
Cheat on your diets, my friends. Just kidding, but not entirely.
Our Hormone Reset plan is not a diet.
Now that's out of the way: over 21 days, the HRP will take seven metabolic hormones into focus - attempting to reset each hormone receptor and pathway.
We provide you with a long, wholesome food list - of which you are free to eat as much as you like - no starving allowed here. We provide detailed instructions on what needs to happen at exactly which time and for how long - and personally guide you through the process for the entire 21 days.
We track your measurements - metrics that will be stated when you sign up - and provide you with detailed analysis evåery week on how you are doing, what more you need to and how we can get there.
Think of this as a sustainable way to not just lose weight, but come out of it as a different, better, re-energized version of YOU.
Interested? Check out our post about the HRP here or email us at hello@barressential.com to get on the waitlist!
References
NBC News: What happens to your brain when you go on a diet
Stephan Guyenet, PhD, author of The Hungry Brain
Sandra Aamodt, PhD, the author of Why Diets Make Us Fat.
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