Stop Yo-Yo Dieting Before It’s Too Late

Have you achieved amazing weight loss results after keeping to your exercise and diet program for a few months, but then put all the weight back on just after a few weeks of non-training? Well this is quite a common experience for most people and it’s called Yo-Yo dieting or weight cycling. People may go through this process up to 4 times a year and the more years that go by, the more your body is likely to say “I have had enough”.

Yo-Yo dieting is harmful to the body and mind. Firstly it is an unhealthy means to weight loss because it can harm your metabolism and hormones. Some people experience metabolic damage after many years of dieting like this. Metabolic damage is when you reach a time when you just can’t lose weight anymore. The metabolism turns stubborn and the only way to fix it is by years of reverse dieting. Secondly, as Yo-Yo dieting always ends the same way, it can affect people’s confidence and self-esteem. They may feel ashamed or disappointed that they couldn’t keep the weight off. This can also lead to feelings of depression or anxiety. These negative thoughts then lead to comfort food and binge eating.

So you are probably thinking how do I keep the weight off? Well firstly Yo-Yo diets don’t work because people have the impression that weight loss is a short-term project rather than a change in lifestyle. So we all need to change our attitudes and make a lifestyle change. Find a balance between clean eating and unhealthy foods. Try to redefine the relationship you have with food. Give your body what it needs, rather than what it feels like.