What is the yo-yo effect: the professor told how dangerous it is and how to avoid it

A problem that many people face while dieting is the so-called yo-yo effect. Let’s find out together with an expert what it is dangerous and how to avoid it.

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What is the yo-yo effect?

MD, professor, specialist in integrative and anti-aging medicine

“Successful weight loss involves losing 10% of the original body weight and maintaining the result for at least one year. However, most people fail to do this.”

The yo-yo effect is a cyclical change in body weight, when a person gains weight or loses weight in a short period of time – no more than five months.

The term was coined by an American professor at Yale University, Kelly Browell. The name refers to the popular yo-yo toy, which consistently moves back and forth due to inertia. The same effect is seen during dieting, when after losing weight, the pounds come back on.

Causes of the yo-yo effect

When people go on a diet and reduce the number of calories, their body begins to spend less energy. This is the body’s way of trying to save it, as it feels like food has become scarce. At the same time, the feeling of hunger increases.

Studies on mice have shown that even after prolonged diets, hunger does not go away. When the rodents were given access to unrestricted food again, they started eating much more than usual. This caused them to quickly return to their previous weight and sometimes even gain more.

In humans, the same thing happens. For example, in one study, women who lost weight on a diet gained back weight within a year: most had a 19% increase in body weight and a 26% increase in body fat percentage. This confirms that after food restrictions, lost pounds return rapidly.

This happens because appetite increases after dieting: a person starts eating more, while his body tries to store as much energy as possible, including in the form of fat.

The most common reasons that cause the yo-yo effect are:

• An abrupt change in eating habits that a person finds difficult to follow on a consistent basis;
• reducing calories and fatty foods while dieting and then returning to the previous diet;
• following false nutritional beliefs that promise quick results, such as choosing rigid diets;

• severe calorie restriction and starvation, which eventually leads to a slow metabolism and reduced muscle mass, making further weight loss more difficult.

What negative consequences can the yo-yo effect lead to?

Cyclical weight changes lead to increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that has negative effects on the body. Among the consequences: weight gain, sleep problems, decreased immunity, increased blood pressure, irritability, loss of muscle mass and slowed metabolism. All of these contribute to even more weight gain.

Dramatic weight fluctuations can trigger the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, gallbladder disease and diabetes.

How to avoid the yo-yo effect?

To avoid the yo-yo effect or minimize its effects, it is important to develop new habits and implement them in your life.

1- Limit the amount of food you eat. Excess calories are always stored as fat.

2. Consume more low-calorie foods. For example, cucumbers, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce.

3. Follow the Harvard Plate Rule: 50% of your mealsare vegetables, 25% are proteins and 25% are complex (or slow) carbohydrates.

4. Try not to skip meals. This way you will avoid severe hunger and overeating.

5. Consume sweets, desserts and fruits after the main meal. This will reduce the chances of increasing insulin levels, which is the main hormone that stimulates fat storage.

6. Avoid eating high calorie and fatty foods cooked with oils, heated in frying pans and deep fryers. These contribute to excess weight gain.

7. Use an oven, multicooker or steamer for cooking.

8. Exercise regularly. Physical activity increases metabolism and fat burning.

9. Make a habit of monitoring your nutrition. For example, keep a diary of your daily diet and monitor the dynamics of your weight. This will allow you to achieve long-term success and realize where you are “overdoing it” with food in terms of calories.

10. Seek the help of a professional nutritionist. He or she can help you put together a proper and balanced diet.

Avoid extreme diets and take a holistic approach: make the right diet, don’t forget about physical activity, and if you have any difficulties, contact a specialist.