What draws us into starting a yo-yo diet is that it works in the short term. One feature of this diet is that it is severely restricted in terms of nutrient content and the amount of food taken in. Initially successful, the dieter loses the pounds she wants to lose but the problem arises when she goes off the diet and resumes her normal pattern of eating. It is next to impossible to maintain the weight lost through extreme dieting, and soon the dieter goes on another diet and the vicious cycle begins again.
Some studies suggest that yo-yo dieting may increase the risk for some health problems which includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and gallbladder diseases and heart disease. Although these diseases may be affected by other factors such as familial predisposition, it cannot be overlooked that nutrition and diet play a considerable role in its development. Studies cite that sudden spikes in cholesterol levels when the dieter goes off the diet may be one of the reasons why the dieter may develop these conditions later on in life. There is still, however, no conclusive evidence if yo-yo dieting affects metabolism. Experts still believe that yo-yo dieting does not affect metabolism but because yo-yo dieting occurs intermittently during the lifespan, some mistakenly assume that it is the weight cycling that causes metabolic slumps. It has been studied and accepted that metabolism slows down by 1 to 2% for every decade of life.
More than the physical, the psychological effects of yo-yo diets may pose the more detrimental risk on a person. Repeatedly losing and gaining the weight lost sets up the person on an emotional rollercoaster. She may lose her drive to lead a more healthy lifestyle and may feel like a failure. Depression may set in and the dieter may lose her motivation to work towards realistic dietary changes that lead to stable weight management.
The best approach to losing weight is one that you can live with and to maintain. To plan health benefits of a balanced diet that can be integrated into your lifestyle well beyond the aesthetic value of a fad diet, the devastation to your physical and mental well-being can wreck.
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