Yoyo dieting has become a way of life for some people. It is easy for dieters to get caught up in a cycle of healthy eating and binge eating, causing them to lose and gain weight repeatedly.
You find a new diet that makes perfect sense. You stock up on special foods and clean out your kitchen. You hit the gym two hours a day. Then you have a stressful day. You notice your food cravings growing strong. Eventually you give into your cravings and overeat to push down the uncomfortable emotions. The food tastes so good and it does the trick for a little while, easing your stress and calming you down. It is a slippery slope from there and it can easily turn into binge eating, making it difficult to get back on track with the diet.
Does this sound familiar? If so, you are in danger of yoyo dieting. You lose weight, you gain weight, you lose the weight all over again and you gain it back again (and then some.)
There is a real danger in yoyo dieting. You put yourself at risk for many serious health problems by losing and regaining the weight rapidly and repeatedly.
Dangers of yoyo dieting:
- Liver problems
- Loss of muscle
- Lower metabolism
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Shortened life span
If you are a yoyo dieter that is lucky enough not to develop any major health risks, the loss of muscle and lower metabolism alone will make it nearly impossible for you to lose weight. Muscle burns fat, so the less muscle you have the harder it is going to be to lose weight.
Alternatives to yoyo dieting:
- Adapt a healthy lifestyle
- Stay away from fad diets
- Eat naturally
- Find new ways to manage stress
- Get plenty of sleep
- Have healthy foods prepared in advance
- Be ready for weak moments
- Make a list of things you can do other than eat
- Make daily exercise a habit to burn fat
- Include weight training in your weekly routine to build muscle
