For many thousands of years, our ancestors’ biggest challenge was getting enough to eat while avoiding becoming dinner for some wild animal.  Over the years, human bodies learned to store up fat efficiently during times of plenty to ensure survival in lean times.
This idea has become widely accepted as the “thrifty gene theory.” Fortunately, we don’t have to worry too much about wild animals and generally we don’t have to worry about not getting enough to eat daily. In fact, most experts say we live in an environment where we are surrounded by excess calories and we don’t stand a chance in the battle to maintain a healthy weight unless something changes.
     New research presented last week at the International Congress of Obesity reinforces this idea that our bodies do not like to let go of stored body fat even when we have too much. The study involved obese subjects who were put on a calorie controlled eating plan and had supervised exercise five days a week. In the first eight weeks of the study, they lost an average of seven pounds, but over the next four weeks they lost only an additional one and one-half pounds.
     Anyone who has dieted for more than a couple of months has probably had the same frustrating experience as the subjects in this study. After losing weight steadily for several weeks, they hit a weight loss plateau. Even though the dieter is still eating fewer calories than they are burning up, the weight loss slows to a crawl. Their bodies are working to protect them from losing too much fat, even if they are still overweight.
     What can you do? Some dieters will try cutting their calorie intake even lower. This may actually work against them. The body knows when the calorie intake is too low and it will slow down the dieter’s metabolism in response. This is another good example of the way our bodies work to protect us if we don’t have enough food.
     Many exercise experts recommend increasing the total weekly exercise time and changing the type of exercise to bump people off the weight loss plateau. Sometimes changing from walking to biking or swimming does the trick. Try adding some weight training to your routine. If you are exercising 3 or 4 days a week, try 5 days a week.
     Remember to eat breakfast daily. When the body goes all night without food, it triggers the same slow-down in metabolism if we don’t “break the fast” in the morning.
Breakfast seems to be a key ingredient for weight loss success.
     Most importantly, set realistic weight loss goals. No one really loses forty pounds in two weeks before that high school reunion no matter what you may see in those weight loss advertisements. Losing about a pound or two a week is reasonable and more sustainable. Don’t give up if you hit a plateau. Expect them to happen and then work through them. Be patient. Your body is only trying to protect you.