The search for weight loss has gained more and more followers and, to achieve it, magic formulas and fad diets are not lacking. But these same miraculous promises and aesthetic goals that are not aimed at health are responsible for the opposite of the desired result: the comings and goings of weight, that is, the rebound effect.
According to nutritionist and health coach, Rachel Oliveira, the rebound effect or accordion effect is the recovery or weight gain, after rapid weight loss, usually from restrictive diets without monitoring and inadequate consumption of nutrients. All this directly interferes with the quality of life because, normally, the rebound effects are generated by desperate attitudes to lose weight at any cost, without quality and without concern for health. “Quality of life involves a good diet, daily physical activity, quality sleep, stress control, emotional control, hormonal balance, good relationships, which can be well balanced according to the individual needs of each one and thus generate a healthy weight loss.”, notes Rachel.
The rebound effect on the body
The return of the old weight has direct effects on the body. Rachel explains that when you lose weight, the body tries to defend itself against fat loss, which for it represents a risk to its survival, a situation of food shortage. Therefore, in the rebound effect, when there is no adequate weight stability, with the famous fattening and losing weight occurring, there may be a drop in immunity or the emergence of chronic diseases.
In addition, to preserve its fat stores, the body reduces metabolism in an attempt to save energy, which favors weight gain and muscle mass decrease, common in weight loss processes. Another important point is the hormonal part, since, with the reduction of energy reserves, there is an increase in ghrelin, the hunger hormone, while the sensitivity to leptin, the satiety hormone, decreases, that is, after losing weight, your body will make you want to eat more. “In the weight loss process, we don’t just eliminate fat, the muscles also decrease, especially if the diet is not associated with the adequate distribution of nutrients and the practice of physical activity, and this reduction of muscles makes the body spend calories more slowly, facilitating the weight gain.”, adds the nutritionist.
Reasons that cause the rebound effect
The rebound effect occurs for several causes, one of them being the practice of very restrictive and nutritionally unbalanced diets because they do not promote weight loss with quality, since habits are not changed, favoring the return of the kilos in the medium and long term, generating the accordion effect. “Diets are associated with some kind of suffering and restriction, usually not being able to be maintained for a long time generating the rebound effect, because the main focus is aesthetics. Food reeducation, on the other hand, is a change that happens from the inside out and the person learns the importance of balanced eating and together with other new habits becomes a lifestyle, where the main focus becomes prevention and health promotion.”, he reinforces.
The use of medicines without medical indication is also directly related to weight regain, especially if they have the objective/promise of generating weight loss and can cause, in addition to rebound, other effects that compromise health. “ There are countless losses from formulas and medicines that promise weight loss for health, in addition to causing dependence, generating anxiety, compulsion, constipation, they can cause irritability, insomnia, tremors, depression, increased blood pressure and heart rate. As for benefits, there is no evidence beyond rapid weight loss without quality and with compromised health.”, alert the professional.
Losing weight the healthy way
When it comes to weight loss, there is no magic formula and the math is always the same: healthy eating and living habits. The nutritionist advises that a balanced diet, with the proper distribution of nutrients, is essential to avoid the rebound effect, as each person has individual needs according to the goals, quantity, and food quality. These pillars are important to generate effective weight reduction along with lifestyle change.
And to remain with the results acquired, Rachel emphasizes that it is necessary to think of health as a priority and create a routine of good habits with planning and organization to educate the biological system to work in favor of the body. “I always ask my patients, how do you want to be in 5, 10, 15 years, and I try to make them understand what needs to be done today for the best to happen. None of us are free from aging and some of its consequences, but aging means how long you’ve lived, just know-how. The bill may take a while, but it arrives!”, alert.
The professional adds that the secret is to review habits and create habits so as not to return to the previous weight and that one of the most important secrets for lasting weight loss is the awareness that things need to change, with the main objective of preventing and promoting weight loss. health. For this, patience, constancy, and a set of actions are needed: good eating habits, physical activity, sleep quality, hydration, bowel functionality, and anxiety control are necessary pillars in the search for results because nothing in isolation will bring effectiveness. “Doing restrictive diets in the search for the perfect body can be expensive in the medium and long term, especially with the help of medication. To really lose weight and regain health, you have to give up bad habits for good, making better choices every day in all areas of life. You have to fall in love with the process and believe it!”, inspires the professional.
