#15: What Do We Know/Not Know About Losing Weight?

Have you ever wondered why weight loss seems so elusive despite following strict diets and exercise routines? Obesity rates have skyrocketed, and we are eating more, likely due to 3 key factors:

• portion sizes are larger than ever before, often doubling what we ate 30 years ago
• the foods on our plate are more calorie dense than ever
• Foods we buy often have the perfect combination so that we crave them:  fats, carbohydrates/sugar, and salt (chips, pizza, ice cream)

My key thoughts on losing weight include:

• All diets can work, and ultimately no approach wins out over all of the others (e.g., keto, intermittent fasting, vegan, Mediterranean).  Ultimately, weight loss is about the number of calories consumed vs. burned.
• The new GLP-1 obesity drugs have taught us that eating too much is not just about will power--folks who struggled all their lives to lose weight, instantly feel more full and less hungry once starting them.  These drugs also help folks lose about 15% of their body weight

Evidence based strategies that might help you to lose weight

1. Be more aware of portion size and how many calorie dense and "craving" foods you eat (fat/carbs/salt).  For me, portion size has been the key.
2. Choose a diet that works for you.  And switch them up.
3. Give your brain time to adjust (20-30') before eating more.  That satiety lag is real and if you start with small portions and wait, you may feel full and satisfied.
4. Protein (and fat to a lesser extent) helps reduce our hunger.

Perhaps try an N of 1 study on yourself with some of the strategies above.

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