Dr. Lisa Erlanger of the University of Washington offers hope to failing dieters: “Their body is just trying to survive”

More than 40% of American adults are classified as obese, according to the CDC. Obesity is generally defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. That is a blunt tool but it is one that reliably tracks population-level trends in body fat. And while there’s plenty of debate about the limits of BMI, there’s no real debate about the risks that come with carrying too much weight. Higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, joint problems, and early death are all well-established.

But health isn’t the whole story. There’s also how people feel. Millions of Americans want to be slimmer, sometimes for health, sometimes for aesthetics, sometimes because society relentlessly pushes a thin ideal. Whatever the reason, wanting to feel good in your body is human. And for many people, not being at their desired weight isn’t just a medical challenge. It’s emotional. It hurts.

So they diet. Hard. Low-carb, intermittent fasting, keto, juice cleanses… you name it. Dieting is practically a national pastime. And in the short term, it often works. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you lose weight. That’s basic physiology.

Here’s the problem: most people gain it back.

More than 80% of people who lose significant weight regain it within five years. Not because they’re weak or lazy, but because their biology fights back. Metabolism slows. Hunger hormones surge. The brain gets anxious, sleep worsens, cravings spike, and willpower — that fragile thing everyone thinks they can rely on — gets steamrolled by survival instincts.

As Dr. Lisa Erlanger, clinical professor of family medicine at the University of Washington, told CNN:

“Their body is just trying to survive.”

Dieting itself makes people miserable

It’s not just the rebound that’s brutal. Dieting itself can make people miserable. Mood dips. Energy tanks. Life shrinks down to calories, “good foods,” “bad foods,” guilt, and shame. Many dieters feel worse about themselves, not better.

So what’s the alternative?

Shift the focus from fat loss to fitness.

Research keeps hammering the same point: people get healthier — often dramatically — when they move more, regardless of whether the scale changes. Cardiorespiratory fitness slashes the risk of heart disease, improves metabolic health, reduces depression and anxiety, and increases lifespan. Being active usually makes you feel stronger, lighter on your feet, and more confident — and when exercise becomes a habit, weight loss often follows naturally, or at least the body composition changes in a way that feels good.

That means thinking less about dieting and more about sustainable daily movement:

- Walk 30–45 minutes a day

- Do strength training twice a week

- Take the stairs, not the elevator

- Dance, garden, swim — whatever actually makes you happy

- Sleep enough so your body isn’t panicking for fuel

- Eat nourishing meals instead of obsessing over restriction

This isn’t sexy. It won’t go viral on TikTok. But it works — and it doesn’t wreck your mental health in the process.

GLP-1 drugs are changing things... rapidly

Then there’s the GLP-1 twist. Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have changed the game. They were designed for diabetes, but they slow digestion, reduce appetite, and help people lose significant weight. For some, they’re life-changing.

But the situation is a little more nuanced. We don’t yet know the long-term effects for non-diabetic users, and weight often rebounds when people stop taking them, meaning they may need to be taken indefinitely for some people.

They’re also expensive, costing thousands per year, and insurance coverage is spotty.

They’re almost certainly part of the future of weight management. They may be a bridge to better metabolic health. Or they may create a two-tier system where only wealthy people can afford long-term weight management.

Aim for fitness above all

If you’ve dieted and “failed,” you didn’t fail. Your body did what it evolved to do. Restriction triggers survival mode. You are not broken, weak, or lazy.

And yes, you can lose weight by eating less — but for most people, doing that forever without wrecking your mood, metabolism, or sanity is just not realistic. So the smarter, kinder, more sustainable path is building strength, stamina, and habits that actually make you feel good.

Move more. Eat real food when you can. Sleep. Manage stress. Go outside. Lift things. Build the kind of lifestyle your body and your brain want to keep. Thinness isn’t the goal. Living well is.

And if weight loss happens along the way? Great. If it doesn’t, you still win.

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