A Word on Weight Loss

Although I personally have never struggled with being overweight (and, in fact, have experienced quite the opposite problem), I am determined to reveal the lies sold by the weight loss industry. Partly because I hate when any industry manipulates innocent people, prioritizing financial gain over the consumers’ wellbeing; and partly because I’ve seen what it’s done to my mother.

My mom is my best friend - we talk about everything. The good and the bad, our triumphs and our challenges in life. Maintaining a “normal” body weight has always been one of her struggles, from childhood to today. It’s reasonable to say that genetics were probably never in her favor; however, the way in which she went about weight loss in the past has not only proved ineffective but, ultimately, been harmful to her body composition and health. From a young age my mother was overweight. Amid the teasing and body shaming prevalent in a fat-phobic society, she turned to dieting. At some points in her life, she managed to achieve a more “socially acceptable” weight, but the weight loss was only temporary. As an adult, she tried Weight Watchers, following low-fat, low-carb, and vegan diets at various points. At doctor’s visits she’d always feel inadequate as they repeatedly recommended her to lose weight, as if she weren’t constantly attempting to do so. A microscopic focus on the scale, reflected in the medical field and in our culture as a whole, left her forever lacking; no weight was low enough, unless it fell within the “normal” range. Her recurrent cycles of caloric restriction followed by even the smallest increase in calories caused her to lose more and more muscle, while gaining more and more fat. After so many years of this behavior, my mother, now a post-menopausal woman, is not only still overweight but hovers at ~50% body fat - despite eating ~1400 calories daily and living healthfully. I love my mom, and it pains me to see the negative consequences of behaviors encouraged by the weight loss industry. So - even if I cannot change the past - I hope I can bring light to the deception and prevent others from following the same unfortunate trajectory.

My mom, like most people, believed that severely restricting calories was the solution to her weight problem. And while it is a fact that weight loss requires more calories to be burned than consumed, there are sustainable and unsustainable ways to accomplish this calorie deficit. Losing weight fast with a large calorie deficit (via dieting and/or excessive cardio) is perhaps one of the worst approaches to losing weight. You might drop some pounds quickly, but the faster you lose weight the more likely you are to lose muscle as well as fat; and, accordingly, the greater dip you’ll take in your metabolism. Then, when you get sick of “dieting” and start eating more, you’ll just regain the weight (and potentially more!) - most likely as fat, unless you’re also following a decent resistance training routine. Yo-yo dieting merely accomplishes transient weight loss and eventually alters body composition such that more and more of your weight is fat rather than muscle. Muscle is metabolically expensive, so your body needs a reason to maintain or build it. If you simply restrict calories in absence of strength training, your body will pare down fat and muscle. The weight loss industry has obsessed over the scale, neglecting to recognize that what you lose (or gain) is just as important as how much you lose. I know my mom isn’t the only one who’s been misled. Thankfully, there is a much better tactic for those looking to shed some pounds. Naturally, it involves building muscle.

To accomplish sustainable, long-term weight loss, you should focus on a healthy diet and resistance training. Resistance training will provide your body with the stimulus it needs to build or maintain muscle; and by building muscle, you will raise your metabolism. With a faster metabolism, it is much easier to create a calorie deficit. As for dietary changes, there is no one “best” diet: there is nothing magical about going keto, vegan, low-fat, or low-carb. The best diet is a diet that you can stick to. And, unless you’re a physique competitor, you probably don’t have to be super restrictive. If you eat primarily whole foods and fiber-rich fruits and veggies; drink plenty of water; get enough protein; and practice mindful eating habits, you should be capable of attaining a normal body weight and composition.

The weight loss industry wants you to fixate on one number - the one on the scale - and to try all the trends that they guarantee will make you “skinny” in no time. But that’s all an illusion, a lure to ensnare you in a futile cycle of diet-hopping, jumping from trend to trend, ultimately unsatisfied. Sustainable, effective weight loss isn’t dramatic or glamorous for most people. It requires small, consistent changes in diet and lifestyle. The only way to maintain the weight you lose is to maintain the behaviors required to achieve it. So keep that in mind the next time you consider adhering to an excessive cardio regime promised to “burn fat” or decide to banish entire food groups. And, quite honestly, weight in itself means far less than body composition. 120 pounds of muscle on a body looks completely different than 120 pounds of fat. So if you aren’t significantly overweight, the scale might not need to move at all for you to look fitter or more “toned” - just build some muscle to change your body composition. Of course, every body is unique, and individual differences can be rather significant - some may have a slower, thriftier metabolism while others struggle to gain more than a pound. Nonetheless, in the majority of cases, if you simply follow a healthy lifestyle - eat well, stay active, and build muscle through resistance training - your body will reflect that. In the end, health isn’t a number; it’s a way of life.

Me and my mother exploring UCSD's campus.