In findings that contradict traditional dieting wisdom, new research shows that strategically integrating foods that you desire to fit into balanced meals can be key to successful weight loss.
A 24-month study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that, including a small number of dieters who craved food lost more weight than those who did not use the method.
Over the years, dieters have been told to resist temptation and eliminate favorite foods. But what if these suggestions are precisely for the reasons for failure?
Inclusion strategy: a new way to manage desires
The study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, follows participants for two years – a year of active weight loss, followed by a year of weight maintenance. The researchers found that viewing desire as a manageable component of meals rather than a forbidden temptation leads to better results.
“If you’re eating random meals and snacks, it’s hard to control,” said Nutrition Professor Manabu T. Nakamura, who is collaborating on the Nutrition. “Some diet plans do not include certain foods. Our plans adopt an inclusive strategy in which people incorporate a small number of cravings into a balanced meal.”
This approach seems to break the cycle of cravings, surrender and intravenous gui that destroy many diets.
Main findings: Desire to lose weight
The study followed 30 adults with obesity through a diet weight loss program. Of the 24 participants who completed their first year, they lost an average of 7.9% of their starting weight. Among those who completed a full two years, the average weight loss was 6.7%.
The results reveal several important patterns:
- Participants who lost more than 5% of their weight continued to decline in the frequency and intensity of their desires
- Those who include food cravings in balanced meals have greatly reduced weight
- As long as participants maintain weight loss, they are eager to keep low during the maintenance phase
- Early desire to reduce candy and carbohydrates predicts successful weight loss for two years
The hungry adipocyte theory is debunked
This discovery challenges long-standing beliefs about why dieters strive to maintain weight loss. Many experts suggest that “hungry fat cells” trigger strong desires, which makes it nearly impossible for most people to maintain their weight for a long time.
“This basically reveals the hungry adipocyte theory, a long-standing hypothesis that adipocytes get hungry due to energy and triggering cravings, causing dieters to eat and eventually recover what they lost,” explains Nakamura. “But that’s not the case. As long as you maintain a healthy weight, your cravings will stay low.”
How strategies work in practice
The diet plan used in the study educated participants about key nutrition and helped them make informed food choices. Dieters uses a visualization tool that maps the food’s protein, fiber and calories to boost nutrition while minimizing calorie intake.
Participants who adopted the inclusion strategy reported several benefits:
- 56.3% say this helps them focus on weight loss goals
- 50% report helping to maintain consistent meal styles
- 43.8% found it helps them resist eating cravings outside of regular meals
The frequency of strategies used by participants varies. About 37.5% of people incorporate a small percentage of their cravings into their balanced meals every day, while others use the method less frequently.
Consistency is key
“The popular myth is that you have to have a strong will to resist temptation, but that’s not the case,” Nakamura said. “The fluctuations in eating styles, meal times and quantity also trigger people’s desires. You have to be consistent.”
Impact on future weight loss methods
This study shows that a typical all- or no-eating approach may backfire. Dieters may not fight willpower, but achieve more success by planning and strategically integrating into their desires.
The findings also indicate a potential virtuous cycle: Weight loss seems to reduce cravings, while more controlled cravings may in turn accelerate weight loss. This pattern can help explain why some people successfully maintain weight loss while others struggle.
As obesity rates continue to rise globally, 41.9% of U.S. adults were affected by 2020, these insights could provide a more effective and sustainable approach to weight management that does not depend on unrealistic expectations of perfect willpower.
For millions trapped in dieting, craving and recovery cycles, the message is clear: planning for desserts can be the secret to success.
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