If you’ve ever lost weight only to find yourself back at square one, you know how disheartening it can be. You’ve put in the hard work, counted calories, pushed through the workouts, and celebrated the numbers dropping on the scale—only to find that over time, those numbers start creeping back up. Gaining weight after weight loss feels like running on a never-ending hamster wheel: exhausting, frustrating, and downright demoralising.
Let me tell you, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and so have countless others. That familiar cycle of losing weight and gaining it back is more common than you might think, and it’s not just about willpower or discipline. There’s a lot more going on under the surface than most people realise.
The Frustration of Gaining Weight After Weight Loss
You might already know that for years I was a yo yo dieting master. I remember when I first hit my target weight after months of strict dieting. I felt on top of the world—like I’d finally cracked the code. But as time went on, I noticed my old habits creeping back in. The occasional treat became a regular occurrence, workouts became less consistent, and before I knew it, the weight had returned. Worse yet, I felt like a failure. Sound familiar?
The truth is, many of us are stuck in this vicious cycle. You lose weight, you feel great, and then slowly but surely, the scale starts to climb again. It’s an emotional rollercoaster—one minute you’re up, the next you’re down. And it’s not just about the weight; it’s about the confidence you lose, the clothes that start feeling tight again, and the nagging self-doubt that follows.
The Real Problem: Why We Keep Gaining Weight After Weight Loss
Let’s get real for a moment. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “Why can’t I just keep the weight off?” you’re not alone. Most of us blame ourselves—our willpower, our motivation, our ability to stick to a plan. But here’s the kicker: it’s not entirely your fault. Your body has a few tricks up its sleeve that make maintaining weight loss much harder than losing it in the first place.
You see, when you lose weight, your body doesn’t just pat you on the back and let you go about your merry way. Instead, it goes into what can only be described as “panic mode.” Your metabolism slows down, hunger hormones ramp up, and your body desperately tries to claw back the weight you’ve lost. This is known as adaptive metabolism—your body’s survival mechanism that kicks in when it senses weight loss, making gaining weight after weight loss almost inevitable.
The Science of Weight Regain: Why Your Body Fights You
To understand why this happens, let’s dive into the science. When you lose weight, your body’s metabolism—the rate at which you burn calories—starts to slow down. This is your body’s way of conserving energy, preparing for what it perceives as a period of starvation. This phenomenon, often referred to as metabolic adaptation, makes it harder to keep the weight off.
- Adaptive Metabolism and Homeostasis: Your body’s primary goal is to maintain balance, or homeostasis. When you lose weight, your body sees it as a threat to this balance. Studies have shown that after weight loss, your resting metabolic rate decreases more than expected based on your new body size (Rosenbaum & Leibel, 2010). This means you burn fewer calories than someone who naturally weighs the same.
- Hormonal Changes: Weight loss also triggers hormonal changes that increase appetite. Levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, rise, while levels of leptin, the hormone that tells you you’re full, decrease (Sumithran et al., 2011). This hormonal shift makes you hungrier and more likely to overeat.
- Psychological Factors: Let’s not forget the psychological battle. Weight loss often involves strict rules and restrictions that can be mentally exhausting. Once you hit your goal, it’s easy to relax those rules, which can quickly lead back to old habits.
The Role of Leptin, Stress, and the HPA Axis in Gaining Weight After Weight Loss
It’s not just about metabolism and calories; your body’s complex hormonal and stress response systems also play a significant role in weight regain.
- Leptin: The Satiety Hormone That Works Against You
Leptin is often called the “satiety hormone” because it helps regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger. When you lose weight, leptin levels drop, which sends signals to your brain that you’re starving, even when you’re not. This leptin resistance can persist long after the weight is lost, making it hard to keep hunger in check (Friedman & Halaas, 1998).
When leptin levels are low, your brain tells you to eat more and store energy as fat, which can significantly contribute to regaining weight after weight loss. The persistence of low leptin levels means you feel hungry more often, making maintaining weight loss an uphill battle.
- Stress and the HPA Axis: The Hidden Culprits
If you noticed that you eat everything in sight when you’re steessed or tired, it’s not your fault. Chronic stress is another factor that can sabotage your efforts. Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a complex set of interactions between your brain and adrenal glands. This activation increases cortisol production, a hormone associated with fat storage, particularly around the abdomen (Epel et al., 2000).
High cortisol levels are linked to increased appetite, cravings for high-calorie foods, and a higher propensity to gain fat—especially after dieting. Moreover, the stress response can also interfere with leptin’s signals, making it even harder for your body to regulate hunger and metabolism.
- Stress and the HPT Axis: The Hidden Culprits
Common Mistakes That Lead to Gaining Weight After Weight Loss
Most people who gain weight after weight loss fall into some common traps—mistakes that are often made with the best intentions but end up backfiring in the long run.
- Over-Reliance on Dieting Alone: Dieting is often seen as the primary tool for weight loss, but it’s rarely sustainable in the long term. When the diet ends, so does the structure that helped you lose the weight in the first place.
- Ignoring the Role of Exercise: Many people see exercise as optional or use it as a way to “earn” their calories. But physical activity is crucial, not just for burning calories but for maintaining muscle mass and boosting metabolism.
- Lack of Sustainable Habits: Quick fixes and crash diets can get you results fast, but they don’t teach you how to maintain those results. Without sustainable habits, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns.
- All-or-Nothing Mindset: This mindset can be a killer. You’re either “on” the plan or completely “off.” One bad day spirals into a bad week, and before you know it, you’ve given up entirely.
- Neglecting Mental and Emotional Health: Emotional eating, stress, and negative self-talk are powerful forces that can derail your progress. Addressing these aspects is just as important as managing your diet and exercise.
The Solution: A Deep Health Approach
So how do you break the cycle of gaining weight after weight loss? The answer lies in a holistic approach that goes beyond diet and exercise alone. It’s about addressing all aspects of your well-being—physical, mental, emotional, and even social health. This is what we call Deep Health.
What is Deep Health?
Deep Health is an integrated, comprehensive approach to well-being that looks beyond the scale. It’s not just about what you eat or how much you move; it’s about how you feel, think, and live. Here’s what it involves:
- Physical Health: Yes, nutrition and exercise matter, but it’s about finding what works for you long-term. It’s not about deprivation but learning to enjoy food in a balanced way that nourishes your body.
- Emotional Health: Addressing emotional eating, stress, and self-worth issues is crucial. How we feel about ourselves plays a massive role in our habits and choices.
- Mental Health: Setting realistic goals, breaking down all-or-nothing thinking, and developing a growth mindset can transform your approach to health.
- Social Health: Your environment matters. Surrounding yourself with supportive people, learning to navigate social situations, and building a community that aligns with your goals are key.
- Environmental Health: How you set up your living space, manage your time, and create a routine can make or break your progress.
- Purpose and Meaning: Connecting your health journey to something bigger than just weight loss—like being fit for your family, feeling confident at work, or enjoying life more fully—keeps you motivated and grounded.
Breaking Free From the Cycle of Gaining Weight After Weight Loss
The key to lasting change lies in a shift of mindset and behaviour. Here are some strategies rooted in the Deep Health approach to help you maintain your weight loss and improve overall well-being:
- Focus on Building Habits, Not Following Diets: Instead of jumping from one diet to the next, work on building sustainable habits that you can maintain for life. This means learning to eat in a way that supports your goals without feeling deprived.
- Prioritise Strength Training: Strength training isn’t just about building muscle; it’s crucial for maintaining your metabolism after weight loss. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest, so incorporating resistance training into your routine can help counteract metabolic adaptation.
- Practice Mindful Eating: Learning to eat slowly, recognise hunger and fullness cues, and enjoy your food can prevent overeating. Mindful eating techniques help you build a healthier relationship with food and can significantly reduce emotional eating.
- Embrace Flexibility: Forget perfection; aim for consistency. You don’t need to be “perfect” to maintain your weight. Allow yourself the flexibility to enjoy foods you love in moderation.
- Address Emotional Triggers: Identify what triggers emotional eating and develop healthier coping strategies. This could be through journaling, speaking with a therapist, or even working with a coach who understands the mental aspects of weight management.
- Seek Support: Don’t go it alone. A coach can provide the accountability, guidance, and personalised approach you need to succeed. Whether it’s through a coaching programme, support group, or fitness community, finding people who understand and support your journey can make all the difference.
Ready to Break the Cycle? Let’s Get Started.
If you’re tired of gaining weight after weight loss and want a sustainable, holistic approach to your health, you’re in the right place. My Deep Health coaching programme is designed to help you break free from the yo-yo dieting cycle and build a balanced, sustainable lifestyle that supports long-term weight maintenance.
Take Action Today
- Get Two Weeks Free Coaching: Curious about how Deep Health coaching can help you keep the weight off for good? Get started with two weeks of free coaching. Let’s build a plan that works for your life—not against it.
- Book a Call: Want to talk about your specific challenges? Book a free call with me, and let’s find out if my approach is the right fit for you. Together, we can make gaining weight after weight loss a thing of the past.
This isn’t just about losing weight; it’s about reclaiming your health, your confidence, and your life. It’s time to stop the cycle and start building a foundation for lasting change.
References
- Rosenbaum, M., & Leibel, R. L. (2010). Adaptive thermogenesis in humans. International Journal of Obesity, 34(S1), S47-S55.
- Sumithran, P., Prendergast, L. A., Delbridge, E., Purcell, K., Shulkes, A., Kriketos, A., & Proietto, J. (2011). Long-term persistence of hormonal adaptations to weight loss. New England Journal of Medicine, 365(17), 1597-1604.
- Friedman, J. M., & Halaas, J. L. (1998). Leptin and the regulation of body weight in mammals. Nature, 395(6704), 763-770.
- Epel, E. S., McEwen, B. S., Seeman, T., Matthews, K., Castellazzo, G., Brownell, K. D., Bell, J., & Ickovics, J. R. (2000). Stress and body shape: Stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62(5), 623-632.
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