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losing weight is difficult for many people, it is even more
challenging to keep weight off. Most individuals who lose a
large amount of weight regain it two to three years later. One
theory about regaining lost weight is that people who decrease
their caloric intake to lose weight experience a drop in their
metabolic rate, making it increasingly difficult to lose weight
over a period of months. A lower metabolic rate may also make it
easier to regain weight after a more normal diet is resumed. For
these reasons, extremely low calorie diets and rapid weight loss
are discouraged. Losing no more than one to two pounds per week
is recommended. Incorporating long-term lifestyle changes will
increase the chance of successful long-term weight loss. Weight
loss to a healthy weight for a person's height can promote
health benefits such as lower cholesterol and blood sugar
levels, lower blood pressure,