Dieting is the leading cause of weight gain according to the author of the book Why Women Need Fat by William Lassek M.D and Steven Gaulin Ph.D.
I recently read this book and it was eye-opening to me as to why the female body responds differently to that of a male when it comes to weight loss. I have decided to put together a brief summary of some of the key points of the book in an effort to help women understand some of the reasons as to why they gain weight.
- In the 1970’s, one out of seven women were considered obese. Now twice as many fall into that group.
- In the U.S., three out of four women would like to weigh less and most of them have tried to lose weight in the past year.
- Each year in the past decade, almost two-thirds of American Women report having tried to lose weight by dieting. Despite repeated efforts to lose weight, the average dieter has gained 14 pounds over those 10 years and one-third of these women have gained 25 pounds or more.
- Dr. Jules Hirsh (Rockefeller University) says “each of us has a set point for our weight that our brain considers right“. Our weight is pretty much set when we are born according to Dr. Hirsh.
- Women who have dieted the most in the past have gained more weight over time than the women who have dieted less. It appears that the more frequent that we diet the more weight that we gain.
Why does this happen?
- Dieting raises the set point in the hypothalamus telling it to store more fat.
- The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls a women’s appetite and controls the set point for her weight.
- The hypothalamus always worries about whether or not she has enough food to meet the costs of having a baby.
- Every calorie becomes precious and your brain takes steps to make you less active when you drastically cut back on calories. This can cause you to feel depressed all the time.
- Your body will begin to hoard every calorie and your hypothalamus will have a new set point to store more food which in turn will raise your new set point.
- Women who diet more frequently have high levels of certain hormones that increase appetite.
This is opposite to what many women think. In the short term, yes, you can lose weight and you start to feel really good about yourself. However, if you continue to drastically reduce calories or eat high inflammatory foods your body will STORE more fat for the future.
Tips on how to avoid weight gain
- Stop dieting. The best way to achieve weight loss for many women is by making permanent changes to an overall better nutrition plan rather than dieting to lose weight.
- Reduce the consumption of Omega 6’s and increase consumption of Omega 3’s. Examples of Omega 6’s are vegetable oils and processed meats. These foods tend to cause high inflammation in the body and over time can cause weight gain. Omega 3’s, on the other hand, are foods that lower inflammation and can help balance out our set point so that we can both feel better and lose some fat. Some examples of Omega 3’s are the following: Fish, pastured eggs, walnuts, green leafy vegetables, grassed beef. The majority of people are consuming far too many Omega 6’s in their diet.
Pastured eggs and avocado are a great source of Omega 3’s. Add in some fish oil and you will be well on your way to balance out your levels.
Walnuts are a great source of Omega 3’s
3. Establish an exercise plan that you can do consistently. Strength training along with a movement based approach can have dramatic effects on your fat loss and body composition
4. Manage your stress levels. You can mix in some yoga or start to mediate for five minutes per day.
Conclusion
The book Why Women Need Fat is an excellent book that I would recommend you read. So many women struggle with their weight as well as their body image as they age. From birth, females are preparing to potentially give birth, which causes a rollercoaster ride of hormones over the years. By reading this book I believe women will gain a better understanding of WHY and HOW they are gaining weight and tips to reduce their body fat.
I’ll leave you with this. Focus more on lifestyle and real food, and less on the diet industry, and I believe you will see nice gains over time if you are consistent.
This is part of the Goal Oriented series with Philadelphia Union Strength and Conditioning coach Kevin Miller.
