Nutritionist for Weight Loss

Weight loss is far from easy to achieve, the phrase “eat less, move more” is still commonly used but I can't tell you how far from the truth this is. In all honesty, when I embarked on my medical training I went along with the idea that not being able to achieve weight loss was due to a lack of willpower. It is safe to say my opinion on this has changed dramatically. Unfortunately, this mentality still exists and causes a lot of damage.

Sustained weight loss is not simple to achieve. With a big emphasis on the word sustained. There are many mechanisms both within the body and the mind that will act against you. I do however believe and have witnessed that sustained weight loss is achievable. Furthermore, it is possible without the need for restriction, cutting major food groups and an altogether miserable dieting experience.

Weight loss in the nutrition and dietetic world is hard to navigate, I for one am very conscious of the language and approach when it comes to weight loss as there is often a cross-over with emotional and mental health. That being said I do think supporting individuals who wish to lose weight is important. The support along any weight loss journey is really key to success.

Many clients that I encounter who have gained weight and approach me to help often tell me they have felt better and more energised when they have been a lighter weight. Prioritising how you feel in your body and what makes you feel good is fundamental. It is also important to love your body for what it is and what it has done. For many of my clients who have been on motherhood journeys, there is no doubt their bodies have been through incredible change. Respecting your body for what has been achieved is part of the process. 

There are however physiological reasons why weight loss is hard. Let's dig into a bit of the science.

Homeostatic regulation

The human body has been designed to regulate weight but over the last few decades we have seen things dramatically change as the way we live and the food we eat has changed. These changes have led to many people gaining excess weight. There are lots of people who also really struggle to lose weight and it is by no fault of their own and is certainly not a lack of willpower.

 The way the body regulates weight is complex with many systems at play but the two main systems referred to are the homeostatic pathway and the hedonic or reward pathway.  It is an ever-evolving area of research and as you can imagine of great interest to many.

The Hedonic System

The hedonic system I find particularly interesting, it refers to reward and emotional factors associated with appetite and food intake. Human studies using special MRI scans have shown that when eating certain foods (often processed foods that are highly palatable, and high in fat and sugar) the reward centres of our brain light up, therefore reinforcing that the consumption of these foods makes us feel good. In a way, it can be described as a type of ‘addiction’ to these foods. Furthermore, following a period of restriction, it has been shown to reinforce the value of food rewards. Yet another reason to be wary of overly restrictive diets

The Damage of Yo-Yo Dieting

Many of my clients have been through years of yo-yo dieting, where they embark on a diet (often a fad diet) and manage to lose some weight only to find down the line that they regain the weight. The dieting industry keeps on ticking and drawing people in on the sell of quick wins and results but neglects to tell the whole story about the inevitable regain down the line.

Not only can yo-yo dieting lead to disordered eating habits and alter people's relationship with food but it can also affect metabolism. It is common to see changes in metabolism, meaning that it becomes harder to lose weight and, in some cases, harder to maintain weight. Back in caveman days, this would have been an evolutionary benefit, meaning in times when food was scarce when your body received energy from the food it attempted to hold on to all the calories possible.

This is just the briefest overview of how our bodies regulate weight, but I hope you can see that it is simply not just about willpower. The way we lose weight, the amount of weight loss and the period over which we lose weight is fundamental.  

Finding Support

The dieting and weight loss world is huge and a bit of a minefield with lots of people making money out of dodgy products and quick wins. You can find a number of ‘professionals’ offering weight loss services with a huge variety of methods.

 Alarm bells should be ringing if people are suggesting cutting major food groups, extreme restrictions, extreme calorie counting or selling weight loss supplements. I always suggest seeking support from registered nutritionists or dieticians. You can also speak to your GP practice about what support they can offer.

 If you wish to discuss more how I can help please do consider booking a free discovery call so we can have a chat.

References: 

Hans-Rudolf. (2011). Metabolic and hedonic drives in the neural control of appetite: who is the boss? Neurobiology of disease. 888-896. DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2011.09.004

Van Galen, K., Ter Horst, K., Serlie, M. (2021). Serotonin, food intake, and obesity. Etiology and pathophysiology.  DOI: 10.1111/obr.13210

Legget, K., Cornier MA., Bessesen, D., Mohl, B., Thomas, E., Tregellas, J. (2017) Greater Reward-Related Neuronal Response to Hedonic Foods in Women Compared with Men. Obestiy. 26, 362-367. DOI:10.1002/oby.22082

Makaronidis JM, Batterham RL. Obesity, body weight regulation and the brain: insights from fMRI. Br J Radiol. 2018 Sep;91(1089):20170910. DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20170910.

Lowe, M., Kral, T., & Miller-Kovach, K. (2008). Weight-loss maintenance 1, 2 and 5 years after successful completion of a weight-loss programme. British Journal of Nutrition, 99(4), 925-930. doi:10.1017/S0007114507862416