Friday, 27 August 2010
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I Can Eat That Burger, Next Month I'm on a Diet...
A recent study in Sweden examined the idea that briefly overeating (or eating in excess for several weeks) can actually have a significantly negative long term effect. In a four week study participants limited their physical activity and increased their calories to around 5,000 a day, Yikes
! One year after the study was done, the participants were analyzed again and they were still holding on to some of the excess body weight they gained during the study and their body fat percentage had not lowered a statistically significant amount. More surprisingly, two and a half years later these participants had gained on average nearly 7 additional pounds. The control group for the study had gained no additional weight over the two and a half years. This study also make me think about the idea that having more weight on your body may make it more difficult to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle.
This research suggests that there is a long term effect on fat mass even after short bursts of massive food consumption and laying around on the couch. MSNBC recently highlighted this study if you would like to take a look for yourself: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38840913/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
So my question is, do you ever fall off the health food wagon for a few weeks and feel ok about it?
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About the Author
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- From: Healthminded@xanga
- Name: Healthminded
- Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
- About Me: Currently I am a dietitian. I have a bachelors in dietetics and a masters in nutritional science. I'm always researching new nutritional studies and I love reading new information and hearing peoples thoughts and opinions to ideas.
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Comments (10)
Erm.. this is kinda dumb. If you eat a ton of food & don't exercise for a month, of course you're gunna gain weight. & if you gain weight, it's obviously harder to lose than it is to gain it. You do this for a month, you get into a habit. That's why they were still gaining or maintaining a year later.
What study was this? Seriously.
@starving__art1st@xanga - haha exactly what I was thinking..
That burger looks disgusting.
@starving__art1st@xanga - I think the idea is more regarding distribution of weight, fat mass vs. muscle/bone/water weight and also the idea that the participants continued to gain additional weight 2 1/2 years post study when the control group did not. You bring up a good point that their diet and lifestyle during the study caused them to get accustomed to that level of physical activity and heightened calorie intake. Totally see why you think the results are obvious, there are just some minor factors that are newer to the research of this topic
@Pudgy0pants@xanga - haha I don't even eat meat, so I found it horrendous looking as well!
@Healthminded@xanga - Haha good point but to me it's almost like looking for another excuse to gain weight. I could see the argument now. "Oh, i'm only gaining weight because i ate like a pig two Christmas seasons ago." When i'm losing weight it's so easy to stay on track but the minute i stop exercising & increase my intake it's like i'm a couch potato all over again. I think the study is a little moot.
Btw, totally didn't see the link to the study till i came back lol duh moment.
@starving__art1st@xanga - HAHAHAHA "Oh, i'm only gaining weight because I ate like a pig two Christmas seasons ago" too funny! and yes I can imagine it as well!
To believe it's ok to eat junk food because you're "going to be" on a diet is just a self-perpetuating cycle. You'll keep putting your diet off longer and longer, so it's best just to start a diet right now, not "later" or "in a few days" 'cause it'll always be "a few more days."
That is a really cruel study. I can't believe they could get anyone to do it. They may NEVER fully recover from that year.
Weight is in fact easier to gain than lose. I think anyone who's ever dieted knows this quite well. The part that makes me think is whether after being heavy, you are more prone to be heavy again, even if your habits get better. I'd like to say no, but then I have wide shoulders and hips- my doctor tells me that even if I were at ideal weight, I'd have to watch myself carefully, as my shape makes me a little more prone to gain if I'm not careful.