What is yo-yo dieting?
In the last several decades, "yo-yo dieting" has become alarmingly common... and borderline trendy. Yo-yo dieting is known as weight cycling and it refers to the repeated cycle of losing weight through dieting, only to regain it, and then starting the process over again. This pattern can be damaging to both physical and mental health, leading to a lot of issues that extend far beyond the number on the scale.
Understanding Yo-Yo Dieting
Yo-yo dieting typically begins with a period of strict caloric restriction or a highly restrictive diet that leads to rapid weight loss. However, such diets are often unsustainable in the long term for anyone with a social life or a chaotic routine (aka anyone who lives in the modern world?!). Once the diet ends, it can be easy to fall back into previous eating habits, leading to weight RE-gain, which is especially painful after the effort you’ve put into weight loss.
This cycle of losing and regaining weight can repeat multiple times, often leaving you in a worse state than when you started.
Here’s some of the downsides to constant weight cycling
The Physical Health Risks:
Slower Metabolism: When you repeatedly lose and gain weight, your body becomes more efficient at storing fat, slowing down your metabolism. This is partly due to a reduction in muscle mass that often accompanies weight loss. Muscles are metabolically active tissues (they burn more calories at rest than fat!!), and losing muscle mass decreases the number of calories your body burns at rest (ugh!!!). Consequently, when you regain weight, it's often in the form of fat, leading to a higher body fat percentage despite maintaining or even losing weight on the scale.
Hormonal Imbalance: Yo-yo dieting can also lead to imbalances in key hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and satiety. I talk about these hormones in a recent podcast episode: here! This can make it increasingly difficult to maintain weight loss and may contribute to the cycle of weight regain.
Loss of Lean Body Mass: With aggressisve weight loss, the body not only sheds fat but also loses muscle mass. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, this loss can decrease your metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight back once you return to normal eating habits. Over time, this can lead to a higher fat-to-muscle ratio, even if your overall weight remains the same, which is associated with a range of health problems including insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
Weakened Immune System: Yo-yo dieting can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and illnesses. This is because the nutritional deficiencies that often accompany restrictive diets can impair the function of immune cells. Additionally, the stress of repeated weight loss and gain can lead to chronic inflammation, which further compromises immune function.
Osteoporosis Risk: Repeated cycles of weight loss can lead to decreased bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. This is particularly concerning for perimenopausal and menopausal women, who are already at a higher risk for osteoporosis as they age. The loss of bone density is often irreversible, making it a serious long-term consequence of yo-yo dieting.
The Psychological Risks
Increased Stress and Anxiety: The constant cycle of dieting, weight loss, and weight regain can lead to increased stress and anxiety. Individuals may become preoccupied with food, body image, and the fear of gaining weight, leading to an unhealthy relationship with food and their bodies.
Depression: The emotional toll of yo-yo dieting can also lead to depression. The repeated failure to maintain weight loss (especially when there has been such a focus and repeated efforts) can lead to feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem. Furthermore, the physiological effects of weight cycling, such as changes in hormone levels and nutritional deficiencies, can also contribute to mood disturbances.
Binge Eating: This is because the body’s natural response to starvation is to increase hunger and cravings through the hormonal changes noted above, particularly for high-calorie foods. Over time, this can lead to the development of binge eating disorder, a serious condition that can further exacerbate weight cycling and its associated health risks.
Food Obsession: Yo-yo dieting can lead to an unhealthy obsession with food, where individuals constantly think about what they can and cannot eat. This preoccupation can lead to social isolation, as individuals may avoid social situations that involve food for fear of breaking their diet.
Negative Body Image: The repeated cycle of losing and regaining weight can lead to a negative body image. Individuals may become overly critical of their bodies, focusing on perceived flaws and imperfections. This can lead to a lack of confidence and self-worth, which can impact various aspects of life, including relationships and career success.
Distorted Perception of Success: Yo-yo dieting can lead individuals to equate their worth with their weight or appearance. This distorted perception of success can lead to unhealthy behaviors and attitudes towards food and body image, perpetuating the cycle of dieting and weight regain.
Could you use a little help with understanding WHY your diets aren’t working for you so you can stop yo-yo-ing? >>
Join my masterclass on September 4, 2024 and learn the 3 REAL REASONS that you can’t stick to your diet and let’s end your relationsip with yo-yo dieting for good!
