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Published: March 15, 2018, 1 p.m.

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Most people are preoccupied with trying to lose weight, but here\\u2019s something they don\\u2019t know:

It\\u2019s only the first step to getting the body they really want.

Because once you\\u2019ve lost the weight, you have to keep it off, and that can be just hard, if not harder.\\xa0

That\\u2019s why research shows that dieting simply doesn\\u2019t work for most people. Sure, they can step into the breach and lose weight, but many regain it all afterward.

If you\\u2019ve dieted before, you probably know how it goes.

After months of restrictive eating and battling with hunger and cravings, it feels downright cathartic to stop worrying about every little calorie and just let go.

And it\\u2019s just a little horrifying to see just how quickly you can undo months of hard work when you do.

It\\u2019s also hard to forget that experience the next time you consider dieting. Why bother if you know you\\u2019re just going to tumble back to square one?

Well, that\\u2019s where reverse dieting can help.

It involves gradually increasing your calories after a period of caloric restriction, and with it, you can avoid accidental overeating (or, worse, bingeing), and unwanted fat gain.

You see, losing weight changes more than your appearance in the mirror.

It also produces a host of physiological adaptations that, in short, encourage you to move less and eat more, and prime your body to rapidly regain the fat that you lost.

This is why many people find it so hard to smoothly transition from weight loss to weight maintenance.

The good news, though, is if you navigate this treacherous post-diet period skillfully, you can come out unscathed, and poised for long-term success.

Reverse dieting is a powerful tool to help you with this, and it boils down to three simple steps:

1. Do a lot of heavy compound weightlifting.
2. Eat a high-protein diet.
3. Gradually increase your caloric intake.