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Yo-Yo dieting is no good  |
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The word diet conjures feelings of deprivation for most Americans. “Diets” make some believe they can only eat celery and lettuce, rice cakes, and water. This mentality almost always leads to what is known as yo-yo dieting.
A yo-yo diet is one in which the dieter follows a strict eating regimen for a certain amount of time and then returns to their old habits after they “fall off the wagon.” This type of diet is not only counterproductive for weight loss, but studies have shown that it can actually affect the immune system.
Let’s break it down. First off, yo-yo dieters usually succeed at losing weight for the amount of time in which they participate in a particular diet. Whether they implement a caloric deficit, or they use a low-carb plan, the initial results are usually positive.
The reason for this is because the body is “shocked” from the change in eating habits and the result is loss of weight. What usually happens, however, is the dieter may feel like they cannot stick to the plan because they encounter an uncontrollable craving for something, or they just plain cheat. After the “cheat” the dieter feels as though the whole diet is a failure and they resort back to their old habits.
This results in a yo-yo type diet, in which weight is lost initially and then gained right back. Yo-yo diets are even worse than they appear because usually, after weight is lost and gained, it usually comes back worse than before it was lost.
So how do I avoid a yo-yo diet?
It’s simple really. The first thing to remember is, a cheat day, (or cheat meal) is not the end of the world. If you do give into a craving, know that you can get right back on the diet once you finish your cheat. Start up immediately. On the next meal, choose wisely, drink water and make sure you eat a smaller portion. The one cheat is NOT going to ruin your entire diet. Remember, it took you more than one meal to lose weight, so it’s going to take more than one meal for you to put weight back on too…
Deprivation: Dieting should NOT be all about what NOT to eat. You should incorporate your favorite foods in your diet, but prepare them in a healthier fashion. For instance, if you really enjoy eating chicken, try a boneless, skinless chicken breast prepared in olive oil. It’s a delicious alternative to deep fried chicken that will do nothing but clog your arteries!!
The most important aspect to remember about dieting is that it’s a lifestyle change. A road bump or two along the way isn’t going to ruin a lifetime of hard work!
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