What makes it so difficult to lose weight for athletes?
Losing weight is a challenge for everyone because our bodies naturally fight against it. This resistance is heightened for athletes due to the fluctuating energy demands of their training schedules, making it challenging to achieve weight loss without compromising performance and health.
Why do our bodies fight against weight loss?
Our bodies resist weight loss due to complex physiological responses. As weight decreases, the body undergoes significant changes in energy expenditure and appetite regulation. Additionally, there are compensatory mechanisms at play, where the body tries to maintain its original weight by adjusting energy balance behaviors. These responses, including physiological resistance and increased appetite, make sustained weight management difficult.
How can we overcome these challenges?
When it comes to weight loss, there is no quick fix. At FoodCoach, we believe and stand behind the concept of smart weight loss:
- Support performance: Gradual reductions in weight and total energy intake prevent muscle loss and sustain energy for workouts.
- Support overall health: Gradual reductions in weight prevent metabolic slowdown while supporting immune function and psychological well-being.
- Sustainable progression: Sustainable weight loss takes time and should occur gradually to ensure that changes are manageable and maintainable for long-term success.
The smart weight loss plan provided by the FoodCoach app implements these principles. It provides a structured approach with phased challenges and insights to facilitate effective behavior change strategies, targeting both the reflective system and automatic system that drive our behaviour. The plan helps with setting realistic goals, consistent monitoring of your daily energy needs, stress management, and emotion regulation to overcome physiological resistance and achieve successful long-term weight management.
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If you hesitate or don’t see results after a while, don't hesitate to seek help from a professional FoodCoach.
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Definitions
- - Reflective system: The slow planned system shaped by our beliefs regarding what is good and bad, our conscious intentions, decisions, and plans. Effective weight loss management interventions to address the reflective system include self-monitoring, relapse prevention, goal setting, and action plans for diet and physical activity.
- - Automatic system: The fast and habitual system influenced by our emotional reactions, desires, and habits formed through associative learning and physiological states. Effective weight loss management interventions to address the automatic system include distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and mindfulness-based approaches.
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