Z. Johnson
It’s not a new thing to see more people falling into yo-yo dieting. Each day, there are thousands of people who constantly seek to lose weight and live a healthier life. At the same time, new “diets” and different eating patterns rise to help people achieve better solutions for their bodies. If you are among those who have been struggling with weight loss, I get you. It is a journey, and for some, a challenge to learn how to eat properly, and achieve more wellness, while not falling off track. Trust me, that I understand when you are sick and tired of trying all sort of methods to lose weight and seeking how to stop yo-yo dieting for good.
How to stop yo-yo dieting: Some facts…
Here is the thing, the diet consumers industry is huge. Statistics show that nearly half of the worldwide population has obesity rates. The same thing happens with chronic diseases like heart problems and diabetes, for example. Because of this, people like you and me look for ways to avoid getting sick and staying in shape. Unfortunately, people who constantly go on “diets” apparently tend to fail. There are studies that prove that 95% of the people who diet will gain the weight back in a period of 2 to 5 years.
So what’s the problem here? The modern dieting approach has somehow mislead people into thinking that healthy eating is all about restrictions and food eliminations. That’s when, unconsciously, we mess up things with our bodies functions, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight and a good relationship with food. It starts with mindset and it has to do also with a mental wellbeing approach. As a nutritionist and coach, I deal with this issue all the time. So, I’ll break down some of the actions you should take on how to stop yo-yo dieting once and for all.
Modern diets: Which is the best one?
I get asked this question all the time. We actually can’t blame anyone for this. Our social media feeds are plagued with information about different types of diets. You name them. Keto, paleo, carnivore, low-carb, vegetarian, pescatarian, raw-vegan, etc, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not discrediting any type of eating lifestyle here, nor saying these are all together wrong. What I’m trying to say is that there are so many modern different eating lifestyles and diets, that for some people it has been overwhelming.
My approach is this: There is no perfect nor best diet. The best way to eat is the one you can truly stick to and the one in which you feel comfortable with. Apart from that, you want to focus on a healthy eating pattern that gives you good results not only physically, but emotionally. Don’t fall for the trick of going for “x diet” because it’s the trend. I’ll tell you what, if you go for a specific dieting trend, then most likely after you are bored or tired of it, you will go back to your old eating habits. That’s when the infamous yo-yo effect happens.
Bear in mind that not all bodies are the same, not everybody has the same tastes, lifestyles, and metabolism. Therefore, you should not compare your eating regimen to somebody else’s. You should focus on choosing a healthy eating lifestyle that can make you create long term habits, not quick fixes. When you truly feel at ease eating varieties of healthy foods you enjoy, is when you drop those extra pounds naturally and keep the results for good. That is the true key to success on how to stop yo-yo dieting.
What you do to your body when you go on “dieting”
These are some of the consequences of going into the vicious cycle of “fad dieting”:
It slows down your metabolism
This is one of the worst results of yo-yo dieting. As mentioned before, going on diets usually makes you limit not only your calorie intake, but your food quality intake as well. This causes your body to go into “reserve” or “fat storage” mode, making it harder to burn calories. I’ve even seen people switching from one diet to another. When you go back to a “healthy eating” regimen, or hit the “plateau phase”, then your body is stuck. Or worse yet, you gain the weight back. It is important to maintain a healthy metabolism for your body to perform normal activities.
You lose muscle mass
This is a common miss, when it comes to weight loss. Most of the times, we tend to focus on eating less and not eating right. This will make you lose muscle mass, which is extremely important for keeping a good metabolism and a nice toned body. It is not about getting bulky, it’s just about having more lean mass. The leaner you are, the less fat you will have, therefore you will burn more calories. This is why making proper food choices is extremely important in your weight loss journey. Your body is a machine!
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Evidence shows that weight cycling makes you gain more body fat. This is one of the biggest reasons why you should work on how to stop yo-yo dieting. If you are taking things to the next level, and even want to get fit, then you should focus on eating to keep a good fat percentage, just as with the muscle mass. Macros matter? Yes, they do, more than calories. It is in the quality of foods we eat. Getting more body fat is usually stored in the belly, and lower parts of your body, which are related to turning into obesity and chronic diseases.
You have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases
Another reason to find how to stop yo-yo dieting: Developing chronic health problems. A common effect of the weight cycling is increasing the risk of getting high blood pressure, liver problems, high blood cholesterol and even diabetes. Jumping in and out of diets causes your body to get into stress mode, affecting your blood circulation, in general. As a bottom line, stop dieting and get into the mindset of learning to create healthy sustainable eating routines.
There are problems with binge eating and mental issues
Once you start seeing your pounds drop successfully after a “ fad” or restrictive diet, the tendency is to indulge in the foods you had left behind. This can make your body’s hunger hormones go crazy, increasing your levels of anxiety. Those cravings can make you go into unhealthy eating patterns like bingeing, overeating, or even going back to those old eating habits that made you gain weight in the first place. Unfortunately, this is what causes frustration and psychological problems like emotional eating and stress. The best thing you can do is to get rid of the starvation behavior while you are learning how to eat eat healthier.
5 Effective tips on how to stop yo-yo dieting
It’s a long term game
Weight loss is a journey. It is a marathon, not a sprint. Get rid of the “fad diets” that promise you quick fixes to the problem, which will then result in yo-yo effect. Instead, look for ways to develop healthy eating habits that you can sustain in the long run. Remember, that there is no such thing as a perfect diet or best diet that fits all. I always advocate for balanced eating as it is more realistic and less stressful.
How to stop yo-yo dieting: Set real expectations
Let’s get real here. I know it can be tempting to lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. But, the phrase that it’s simply too good to be true applies here as well. Our bodies tend to react to sudden change, therefore, it is important to nourish ourselves according to what we need and to transform our bodies gradually. Fad diets usually cause you to lose a lot of weight in less time than average, because they focus on serious food restrictions. That’s why after a period of time, these behaviors spike sugar cravings and our lost weight is back. More often than not, this also limits your overall wellbeing benefits.
Focus on developing habits rather than the scale numbers
Another common error when changing eating habits is falling for the weighing. I often tell my clients to hide the scale when they are starting their weight loss journey, lol. It’s a psychological thing. The more you worry about how much you are weighing every single day, the more stress you put on your body. It is of more value to focus on creating the habits first, like eating balanced meals, drinking enough water, and adding physical activity on a regular basis than just what the scale reads. This will change your body composition first (body fat percentage, muscle mass, water). Meaning, that you should start gaining more muscle and burning more fat. Body composition matters more than total weight, for the most part. That will help you boost your metabolism to lose weight.
Developing a healthy relationship with food and getting rid of food obsessions
Learning how to eat is key to a successful weight loss. It’s about eating smart. It is important to not starve yourself in the process. The secret behind sustainable weight loss is learning how to stop yo-yo dieting with balanced eating. Balance and moderation are keys to a healthy eating journey. Also, let go of the stress related with eating. You should enjoy the process of improving your health journey. Anxiety and stress will only cause you to gain weight, instead of maintaining a consistent results. Love your body and embrace the process in a healthy way.
How to stop yo-yo dieting: Get active
The key to getting the right body composition you need is just being active folks! This is 20% of the healthy weight success formula. Doing combined strength training with HIIT cardio is the best route to start shedding those unwanted pounds. Get your body into fat burning mode in an effective way by including proper nutrition, exercise and other healthy patterns like sleep.
Finally,
I know you have been looking for various clues on how to stop yo-yo dieting. Well, here I have outlined the importance of eating according to your needs and what you can stick to. Also, be real about your body goals and simply enjoy the healthy journey as you learn how to eat. Get rid of the stress that comes along with “fad diets” and avoid starvation in the first place. Staying active to boost your results is also key. As, well, before moving into any serious diet change, look for certified help. Share this info and let me know your thought in the comments. I can help you get closer to your goals with this resource here…
