By Patrick Zitt, DC, MS, DNM

Have you ever gone on a restrictive diet and lost 10lbs, 20lbs, or even more?? Were you surprised at how quickly the weight came back on?

This is such a common scenario that there is a well-known term for the endless cycle of losing weight and gaining it back: yo-yo dieting.

In fact, one study of obese participants showed that approximately 30-35% of lost weight was regained within 1 year and 50% of participants regained all lost weight by 5 years (1).

You may assume post diet weight gain is solely due to a loss of will power. Or binging after you "fall off the wagon" is just the result of missing your favorite treats after a long restriction.

And while the psychology of dieting may play, there is actually a physiological reason that contributes to the return of lost pounds: Ghrelin.

What Is Ghrelin?

Ghrelin is a growth hormone. Hormones are the body’s messengers. They are chemicals that travel through the blood stream...