Why is it Harder to Lose Weight After a Relapse?

When we start a diet, we usually do it with enthusiasm and conviction, but as the days go by, it can be harder to fulfill it and we gain weight again. After that, it will be more difficult for us to lose weight again.
Why is it Harder to Lose Weight After a Relapse?

Last update: 09 November, 2019

Losing weight is an objective that not only benefits us aesthetically but also keeps us healthy. It requires a high level of commitment and willpower. Nonetheless, it’s normal to have relapses and afterward, it becomes more difficult to achieve the objective. In this post, we’ll explain why it’s harder to lose weight after a relapse. Keep reading!

There are different reasons to lose weight: the desire to look more stylish, have an improvement in health, lead a healthier life, and more. To lose weight, we follow certain steps, such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, and changing some habits.

When we make that decision and start to make those changes in our diets and daily routines, our brain tries to assimilate everything in the best way possible. However, at any moment, you are likely to “get off the diet” or “cheat”, which makes it even harder to lose weight afterward We’ll tell you why this happens.

It’s not the right diet

Most people working to lose weight expect to get results quickly. For this reason, they often choose diets that are quite restrictive without realizing that they can be harmful to their health. 

It's important to analyze your diet plan.

When a person in the habit of eating large quantities of any type of food undergoes a strict diet, this sudden change produces a hormonal alteration while losing weight quickly.

The significant cut of calories in the new diet affects the levels of ghrelin and leptin—hormones responsible for regulating the feeling of hunger and satiety. So, not only does it become difficult to lose weight after a relapse, but it’s hormonally counterproductive. Therefore, the most advisable option is to choose a diet in which these hormones can collaborate and not harm.

Willpower

This is an indispensable requirement when trying to lose weight: willpower. The new things you must do to lose weight should be consistent. That is to say, each step must be safe, with conviction, and both eyes on the goal. 

If you’re going to be constantly thinking about everything you ate before, chances are you’ll start tempting yourself. Moreover, if you don’t have much willpower, you will end up yielding to temptation. Sometimes giving in to “eating a treat” after so much abstinence can be worse than not having restrained yourself in the first place.

You must have willpower to avoid a relapse.

Let’s review this with an example. Suppose you have several days wanting to eat chocolate and you pass by a pastry shop where the smell of cakes, brownies, and cookies is quite remarkable. Finally, you end up going in and eating all kinds of sweets. In this example, you can see how you can end up eating twice as much from a single moment of giving in to the pressure.

These things happen, the problem is that there are times when the fall is so great that you ruin everything you’ve been working for. This, in effect, makes it harder for you to lose weight after the relapse because you enter a vicious circle of ups and downs.

Lifestyle

Losing weight isn’t simply decreasing the number on the scale. Weight loss implies a change in your lifestyle, habits, and priorities. There are people who don’t assimilate that correctly; that is, they follow a diet and manage to lose weight, but after a while, they gain weight again.

This is a result of not changing their habits, so there’s no real impact in regards to being healthy. Therefore, they aren’t able to maintain the proper weight. It’s essential to understand that out of all the things you do in the process to lose weight, your lifestyle is the thing that must be permanent. 

Losing weight is more than an aesthetic achievement, it’s a personal accomplishment that will improve your health. Good nutrition and exercise consolidate the steps toward a long and full life, both physically and mentally. So, don’t wait any longer, change your bad habits and be capable of showing the world your potential.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.