The weight cycle is a repeated loss and gain/regain of body weight and is often called “yo-yo effect”. The term yo-yo reminds us of some child’s game, but actually the yo-yo dieting cycle is exhausting and it is not a game and fun at all.
There has been much research that links yo-yo dieting with certain health risks. Here are some facts about weight cycling and reasons why you should avoid the yo-yo dieting.
- You are never satisfied because the results are not consistent
Actually the yo-yo dieting is not a permanent solution. Generally, the regime is restrictive and eliminates many healthy foods that contribute vitamins and minerals that each organism needs in order to thrive.
- You are fixed on unrealistic scales and numbers
Sometimes the food regime becomes a desperate strategy. Especially when you have a certain number on the scale that you are desperate to hit. The specialists say there is a huge problem with that mentality. Most of the people don’t realize that even if they actually arrive at this weight, or at a lower number, they’ll never stay there. Everyone has at least between 5-10 pounds that they will naturally fluctuate within, even when the diet is balanced.
- Your health is in danger
According to a study presented to the American Heart Association, yo-yo dieting may increase the risk for coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death in post-menopausal women. The research shows that weight cycling can result in electrolyte changes and fluid shifts. Sometimes that can cause deadly heart arrhythmia in middle-aged women.
- Your body can become resistant to losing weight
Food regimes are supposed to help you improve your overall health, but yo-yo dieting actually causes your body to break down and resist those changes. During weight cycling, leptin increases, the adrenal glands become stimulated and hormones become imbalanced. Sometimes any form of exercise that incorporates an intensity will only further fatigue and damage the metabolic activity. The harder you push, the more the body will rebel.
- You may gain visceral fat
When we lose weight, our bodies tend to start at the top and bottom of our bodies, leaving visceral fat in the abdomen for last. Some bodies don’t ever get to the point of losing it there, and when we gain weight back, the abdomen is the first place we add fat. So, the effects of yo-yo dieting ultimately increase visceral fat in our midsection.
To stay away from potential problems, most specialists recommend that obese grown-ups adopt regular physical activity and healthy eating habits to achieve and maintain a healthier weight for life. Non-obese adults should try to keep up their weight through healthy diet and regular physical activity.
