Also called ‘weight cycling’, yo-yo dieting refers to the pattern of shedding weight, regaining it and then going on a diet once more to shed it. This process causes your weight to go up and down, similar to a yo-yo, hence the name. It is a common type of dieting, but there are some problems associated with it, due to which it is best to avoid it. Let’s check out some of the problems that make it best to avoid yo-yo dieting.
Higher appetite leads to more weight gain
Fat loss occurs during dieting and this reduces the hormone leptin that usually helps you feel full. In normal circumstances, leptin is released into the bloodstream via fat stores in the body. This tells your body to eat less because there are energy stores. But, once you shed fat, our appetite increases because leptin levels are reduced. Moreover, the muscle loss that occurs during dieting also prompts the body to conserve energy. Therefore, most people end up gaining 30% to 65% of the weight they lose. In fact, some people end up heavier than they were before dieting.
Increased body fat percentage
Your body fat percentage can also increase due to yo-yo dieting. When you gain weight, it is easy to regain fat as opposed to muscle mass. During multiple yo-yo cycles, your body fat percentage increases significantly. It usually happens after a weight loss diet instead of more sustainable and subtle changes in lifestyle.
It causes muscle loss
When you are on a weight loss diet, your body loses fat as well as muscle mass. Since it is easier to regain fat than muscle mass, it could lead to greater muscle loss over time. Physical strength can also decrease due to muscle loss when you diet. Exercise, including strength training, can reduce these effects as it signals the body to grow muscle while the rest of the body slims down. You also need to consume more protein to reduce muscle loss.
Weight gain causes fatty liver
When excess fat is stored inside the liver cells, it means you have a fatty liver. Gaining weight puts you at risk of a fatty liver and it changes the way sugars and fat are metabolized by the liver, thereby increasing the risk of type-2 diabetes. It can also result in chronic liver failure, also called cirrhosis.
It increases blood pressure
Blood pressure can also rise due to weight gain, including the yo-yo weight gain that occurs after dieting. In fact, yo-yo dieting actually worsens matters because it also blunts the healthy effect of weight loss in the future on your blood pressure. This can be very dangerous, depending on your age.
It causes frustration
It is a fact that people become frustrated when they put so much effort into losing weight, only to see it vanish when they regain weight during yo-yo dieting. Thus, those who engage in this form of dieting often remain dissatisfied with their health and life in general. These people often feel out of control as well.
