Rebound Weight Gain Blamed For Diets Failing

Successful weight loss does not happen by magic, according to weight loss expert Dr. Kent Sasse. Rebound Weight Gain commonly occurs after a diet, and the pounds are put back on faster than they ever came off. And yet, some weight loss programs succeed while others fail.

"Diets don't work because they almost always lead to Rebound Weight Gain," says Dr. Sasse, founder and medical director of the International Metabolic Institute. "The loss of muscle and protein stores during dieting causes powerful biochemical signals that lead to intense hunger and weight gain after the diet comes to an end."

More than 50% of adults are significantly overweight, and many are dieting to lose those extra pounds. Medical weight loss centers like iMetabolic believe Rebound Weight Gain can be avoided with the right weight loss program. They note that diets alone don't work because they don't involve creating the right kind of calorie intake that can result in weight loss, appetite suppression, and maintenance of the muscle or protein mass. Nearly all diets result in depletion of muscle mass to an equal or greater degree than burning of the fat mass. When the diet comes to an end, the Rebound Weight Gain occurs as a result of the hunger and nutrient deprivation experienced by the muscles. Diets fail over time because they feel like deprivation to the dieter, and they require an unrealistic level of motivation to keep cutting calories. This does not last.

To avoid Rebound Weight Gain, medical experts recommend:

-- Cut calories while maintaining protein intake

-- Exercise five times a week during the diet and beyond to maintain muscle mass

-- Take multivitamins and drink plenty of water

-- Plan your transition back to real foods

-- Work with professionals on long-term behavior changes and appetite control

-- Consider a medically-supervised weight loss program, not just a diet

Most of us know that diets alone usually don't work for long because they are not sustainable as eating behaviors beyond a very short term. The right physician-supervised program can cut calories, utilize meal replacements, provide counseling and behavior tools, make use of appetite suppressing medications, and plan the transition to future phases of the program and a maintenance program. "It takes a comprehensive approach to avoid Rebound Weight Gain and succeed in long term weight loss," says Dr. Sasse.