Why Do You Feel Lost, Not Knowing What to Eat or How to Eat after Losing a Lot of Weight?
After years of dieting and losing a significant amount of weight through restrictive strategies, the fear of eating has become overwhelming. The thought of eating freely triggers anxiety, as you're afraid of losing control and regaining all the weight you worked so hard to shed.
Restrictive dieting has given you a sense of control—counting every calorie, weighing every morsel, and adhering to a strict eating schedule. But in the process, you've never learned how to eat normally, in tune with your body's natural needs. Now, the realization has hit: you can't maintain a calorie deficit forever, yet the fear of eating "non-diet" foods feels paralyzing.
How Yo-Yo Dieting is Destroying Your Digestion & Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts?
One of the most significant consequences of yo-yo dieting is the body's adaptation to perceived starvation. When calories are restricted for extended periods, the body interprets this as a threat to survival. In response, it shifts into what can be termed "starvation stress mode," a state where metabolic processes slow down to conserve energy.
During this mode, the body becomes highly efficient at storing fat, making future weight loss even more challenging. Moreover, the stress hormone cortisol rises, further contributing to weight gain, especially around the midsection. This hormonal imbalance not only affects weight but also has a profound impact on digestion.
Why Do You Feel Deprived When Eating Healthy?
A common misconception is that eating fewer calories will directly lead to weight loss. While a calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, excessively low-calorie diets can backfire. The body perceives this drastic reduction as a threat, slowing down the metabolism to conserve energy. This survival mechanism can stall weight loss and even lead to weight gain once normal eating patterns resume.