Weight loss TV Programs are so popular usually because of the hype and the dramatic weight loss stories.

On these programs, contestants lose a huge amount of weight through extreme dieting and gruelling workouts.

But, have you ever wondered what usually happens to the contestants after the competition. Almost all of them gain the weight back plus some more. What is the reason for this?

 The Yo-Yo Effect?

The Yo-Yo effect or weight cycling is the cyclical loss and gain of weight over a certain period. It is the repeated loss and regaining of weight.

A weight cycle can either be small or big weight changes per cycle. The Yo-Yo effect is usually caused by weight loss plans that involve skipping meals, fasting and, fad diets that drastically lower your daily caloric intake.

A person will go on a diet to lose weight and, then immediately after the diet ends, he/she will regain all the weight lost. Then they will go on another diet after they regain the weight to lose some more weight. This process is then repeated over and over, and over, and over again.

The more dieting they do, the more weight they will accumulate over time.

Weight cycling is not healthy because it damages your metabolism every time you do it.

The best and most effective way to achieve and maintain a healthier weight for obese and overweight adults is to adopt healthy eating habits and regular physical. Adults who are not overweight can maintain their weight through healthy eating and regular exercise to avoid any potential health risks.

Want to know if you are Yo-Yo Dieting?

Here are the four common features of yo-yo diets.

  • Too difficult diets – Following diets that are too restrictive over a long period.

  • Over-exertive exercises – Doing very intense workouts that quickly cause burnout and that are not sustainable.

  • Unbalanced diet – Following diets that eliminate whole food groups and doing this for weeks or even months.

  • Extreme dieting – These can cause depression and drain the willpower to continue pushing forward.

If you don’t want to be among the many victims of Yo-Yo dieting, then one of the most important things you need to do is to heal metabolism instead of slowing it down.

The first step is to avoid any form of crash dieting and quick-fix weight loss solutions. Just like the contestants on TV weight loss challenges, you gain more weight every time you come off a diet.

The second thing you can do is to increase your levels of physical activities. Focus on short, high-intensity workouts rather than long, slow and steady workout.

Doing short-intense workouts is one of the best ways to jumpstart metabolism and to keep burning calories long after the workout is over.

Besides, you should figure out ways to lose weight gradually and safely, to be able to keep it off for good.

 Resist the temptation to Yo-Yo Diet

1.The regained weight is increasingly difficult to lose

 When you go on a diet, your body remembers the effects of the deprivation caused by diet. So, you will tend to store more fat after your diet as a way for your body to reserve energy in readiness for future diets.

2. It progressively develops obesity.

Every time you diet, you come off the diet with slightly more weight than your starting point.

Your weight will bounce back faster, and the recovery process will be twice as difficult as your previous diet process. You will feel out of control and lose focus in the long run. And as a result, your weight will keep inching higher, leading to obesity after some years.

 3. It causes Emotional Stress and Depression.

Constantly cycling through extreme diets can cause depressive disorders that might interfere with your daily life, affecting your normal functioning. This can be a source of pain to you and your loved ones.

 The possibility of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder disease, or cardiovascular disease are also high when on such diets.

4. A shortened life expectancy

All the above dangers will eventually lead to poor quality of life and may adversely affect your longevity.

 Reasons to ditch Yo-Yo Dieting

Having the ambition and eagerness to achieve your ideal weight is perfectly normal. When you have the desire and the drive to reach your goal, you already halfway there.

Be flexible and willing to learn from your mistakes. If you try an exercise program or a new food plan that is tough to follow, drop it and try something else.

There are so many diet and exercise programs you can try at little to no cost. So, it does not make sense to keep pushing through any program with gritted teeth. Doing this will, without a doubt, lead to failure.

Always remember that your goal should not be to lose as much weight as possible quickly. You need to establish healthy eating and exercise patterns that will help you lose weight slowly and sustainably.

Trying to do too much too quickly could be your undoing. Be realistic on the number of changes you can make at once.

Track your progress and enlist the support of friends who are on a similar journey to motivate and push each other. Getting exercise buddies, whether in person online, can be a great option.

The point here is that kicking the weight-cycling habit is all about permanent behaviour change.

Therefore, eat well-balanced meals that include hunger-fighting protein at each meal and a snack. Remember that a quick sprint might get you to the finish line if you are lucky. But chances are that you are going to be left exhausted and out of the game. When it comes to successful weight loss, slow and steady wins the race.