Signs you should put your diet on pause

FOR some people, losing weight is a lifelong struggle and while they diet and exercise, nothing happens. For others, the results are evident, but the steps they take to gain these results turn out to be harmful either physically or mentally. When do you know that your weight loss efforts aren’t doing your body well?

“If there are certain signs you might be suffering from hormonal problems, which are sabotaging your effects, or if you have gone to extremes in terms of dieting and exercise that have put your life in danger, you need to stop and see a physician to assess other conditions you may be suffering from,” said Dr Alfred Dawes, general, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon.

Some of the signs you need to pause your weight loss efforts include:

1. You have a thyroid abnormality

According to Dr Dawes, some diseases such as thyroid abnormalities may cause you to put on excess weight, which can be difficult to get rid of. “It can be very difficult to lose this weight because your metabolic rate is slow due to an underfunctioning thyroid, so no matter how much you eat your body will be storing this food efficiently,” he said. To address this issue, Dr Dawes said you must correct the underlying abnormality, which is an abnormal thyroid gland. “If you suspect you have thyroid issues, which can be manifested by cold intolerance, constipation, an irregular heart rate, depression or low energy, then see a doctor,” he said.

2. You have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

Dr Dawes said some women may suffer from PCOS, which may cause weight gain and in turn is worsened by excess weight. “There is an excess of hormones in the body and it causes fat to be stored very efficiently, leading to weight gain, worsening the disease process, and thus is a self-propagating disease. If you have acne way out of your teenage years, excess hair, pimples, irregular periods and abdominal pains, then pause your weight loss efforts and be evaluated for PCOS by your gynaecologist,” he said.

3. You resort to extreme measures

He explained that if you find yourself consuming less and less and needing to vomit after meals to get rid of the calories consumed, then you may be developing an eating disorder like bulimia. “This has serious health implications and although many people do not realise that they are developing an eating disorder, others around may realise, so you may be the one to save a friend’s life,” he said.

4. You can’t see that you are losing weight

“If you are losing weight and people are telling you that your size is fine or you are thin, but you still see yourself as fat in the mirror, you could be anorexic and this can cause serious problems with your health as you may end up being underweight,” Dr Dawes said. He explained that if a woman reaches this stage, her body will not function properly and she may become infertile, stop seeing her period, become malnourished, suffer hair loss and may end up with cardiac problems. He added that there might also be an increased risk of depression and urged those who notice these signs in their friends to ask them to seek help or stage an intervention.

5. You binge eat

Dr Dawes said binge-eating disorder, as the name implies, is characterised by uncontrollable, excessive eating, followed by feelings of shame and guilt. He said people with binge-eating disorder typically do not purge their food, fast, or excessively exercise to compensate for binges. He explained that many people with binge-eating disorder are serial dieters but somehow feel an urge to binge eat throughout the day. The triggers include stress, poor body self-image, food and boredom. Treatment for this includes psychotherapy, medications such as anti-depressants, and medically supervised weight loss programmes.

6. You’re always hungry

Dr Dawes said an explanation for this could be that you are sleep-deprived, which increases leptin resistance, hunger levels and leads to an increase in weight. It could also mean that you are stressed or burnt-out and turn to happy snacks for an energy boost, which really gives a weight boost. He said until the individual addresses these issues, then they will be reversing the effects of weight loss.