In this blog we will explore the impacts of yoyo dieting on your health and guide you towards sustainable weight loss and maintenance. Here at Authentic Personal Training, we are passionate about sustainable weight loss and maintenance. This is done through movement and nutrition. Even though many people know the ‘healthy’ way to lose weight, it is easy to get sucked in by influencers and people trying to sell ‘trendy’ diets that promise a large transformation in a short amount of time.
Read on to get the low down on YOYO dieting, the impact on your health and why you will never have us prescribing you one!
How can YOYO dieting occur?
When you are eagerly wanting to lose weight, you can be easily drawn in by ‘quick fix’ diets that promise instant results. I mean a fad diet that promises a bikini body in 6 weeks sounds great, right?
Remember though, even though a large amount of trending diets may appear to work from the get go, they may come at a cost of vital nutrients essential for health. Not only is this unhealthy, but large drops in calories and food groups will make it hard to sustain long term.
As a result, people often fall into the constant cycle of dieting to lose weight. Then regaining the weight and drastically dieting again…a Yo-yo Diet.
The Dangers of YOYO Dieting on your health
As well as the diet not being sustainable and being likely to put on more weight post diet, YoYo dieting may also result in serious health implications.
Decreased metabolism
Metabolism is referring to how the body burns the energy that you get from food. Slow metabolism results in burning calories more slowly than somebody with fast metabolism. This can also lead to future weight gain. YoYo dieting can cause metabolism to slow down which means weight loss will slow down more the more you try it.
Loss of lean muscle
Drastically cutting calories or specific food groups regularly does not only result in fat loss, but muscle loss too. Unfortunately, post diet it is much easier to regain fat rather than muscle. If constantly repeated, your body composition will not be favourable.
Increased risk of Cardio Vascular Disease
Research shows that there is an increased risk of heart problems in women who are susceptible to yo-yo dieting. This may be linked with the loss of lean muscle, and the replacement of this lean muscle with fats. This is as well as increased blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides associated with weight gain.
Mental Impact
Regaining weight after working hard to lose it can result in losing confidence. This can place stress on your mental health which can result in anxiety and depression.
Tips to breaking the YOYO dieting cycle
To lose weight sustainably and to maintain it is done with an equal balance of a caloric deficit and incorporating added movement. As mentioned before, things you need to do include:
Practice mindful eating
Being mindful rather than being restrictive is a great place to start! This is when you listen your hunger cues and feeling of fullness to determine when to start and when to stop eating. You should fill yourself up on foods that provide nutrition instead of empty calories found in alcohol, sweets, crisps and fast foods.
Eat small prepared meals more regularly
Reducing your meal sizes but eating more frequently will avoid large gaps in the day. This may reduce overeating at meal times or on easy to digest low nutrient dense foods.
Fill up on protein and fibre
You should know this already! Put the right foods into your body that will satisfy you. As these foods take longer to digest, they stay in the stomach longer and gives a longer feeling of fullness. Pair fruits or vegetables with nuts, hummus, yogurt or a protein bar.
Move more!
Your trainers personalised program with steps and exercise will be sustainable and allow you to be your best self.
YOYO Dieting in summary
The yoyo dieting health trap can be easily fallen into but luckily, you’re in the right place! At Authentic Personal Training, we emphasise sustainable weight loss through balanced nutrition and regular movement. We want to steer clear of trendy diets that promise quick fixes. Our blog delves into the dangers of yo-yo dieting and provides practical tips to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight for life.
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