Your body perceives calorie restriction and weight loss as threats to survival. In response, hormonal changes happen to stimulate appetite and promote weight regain.
Why is it so hard to keep weight off through diet and lifestyle changes?
First, your brain slows the production of hormones in fat tissue and the GI tract that indicate you’ve eaten enough, including:
leptin
peptide (PYY)
glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1)
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Your body produces more of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, which is normally released by an empty stomach to signal the need for more calories.
With less “you’re full” hormones and more “hunger” hormones, your appetite increases and you feel less satisfied after eating.
These hormonal changes, though most drastic immediately during and after weight loss, may not return to their previous levels for a year or even longer.
ghrelin (hunger)
leptin (fullness)
PYY (fullness)
GLP-1 (fullness)
This may contribute to weight regain and increase the likelihood of yo-yo dieting.
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