The book in overview iv that we can hope for with traditional approaches to weight loss . But what concerned me much more than these rather bleak figures was research that looked at how people regained weight they had lost over a period of five years as summarized in the following table . 1 Year 1 2 3 5 Weight Regained 45 % 52 % 68 % 115 % What this table ( summarizing 20 research trials ) tells us is that after we lose weight , on average , we not only put it all back on over time but we end up putting on 15 % more than we originally lost ! When I had to lose weight because of being overweight and having a cholesterol problem , I started thinking very carefully about what this research was telling us . While psychological factors have been considered before in weight-loss programs – usually under the heading of ‘ behavior modification ’ – this component of the program was typically an add-on and only scratched the surface of the psychological issues involved . As I looked more deeply into the research , I realized there was a huge amount of fascinating research that was not being considered by most workers in the weight-loss field . When I lecture to doctors , dietitians and other workers in the field I often ask who has heard of the wealth of research into Restraint Theory and concepts like the ‘ What the Hell effect ’. Rarely do more than 5 % of these front line workers raise their hands . Too often none raise their 1 SARIS , WIM H . M . Very-low-calorie diets and sustained weight loss . Obesity Research . 2001 ; 9:295S – 301S .