Losing weight, gaining weight, and losing weight again may not be good for you, but how does yo-yo dieting harm your health? Let’s find out.
Also known as weight cycling, yo-yo dieting refers to losing weight, regaining it, and then dieting again to lose what you’ve regained. In other words, your weight goes up and down like a yo-yo. About 10% of men and 30% of women have done yo-yo dieting – but it may not be good for you. Here are five reasons why this type of dieting can be bad for you.
1. More Weight Gain
When you lose weight and fat, your appetite increases as the body tries to resupply its energy storage. As a result, about one in three people who do yo-yo dieting may gain more weight than they lost. Moreover, most people using a short-term diet will regain between 30% to 65% of the weight they lost within one year.
2. Higher Body Fat
If you’re in the weight gain phase of yo-yo dieting, your body may retain fat more easily than muscle mass, leading to a higher body fat percentage over time. In contrast, a more subtle and sustainable weight loss strategy doesn’t increase your fat retention as much.
3. Muscle Loss
When you’re losing weight, you not only lose fat – you also lose muscle mass. Through yo-yo dieting, you can experience more muscle loss over time. However, you can reduce these effects with exercise, strength training, and by eating enough quality protein sources.
4. Fatty Liver
Gaining weight increases the risk of developing fatty liver, which is when the body stores excess fat inside your liver cells. Fatty liver can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and may occasionally lead to cirrhosis (chronic liver failure). While human studies are necessary, current research on mice shows that several cycles of yo-yo dieting cause fatty liver.
5. Increased Heart Disease Risk
According to studies, there is an association between weight gain and a higher risk of heart disease. Moreover, the increased risk depends on how much weight you gain. For example, the more weight you lose and regain through yo-yo dieting, the greater your risk. Furthermore, some studies show that large variations in weight over time can even double the odds of death from heart disease.
The Outlook
If you’re trying to lose weight but are always losing and regaining it, then it’s time to switch your mindset. Instead of focusing on losing weight, focus on changing your lifestyle habits, as these can help gradually decrease your weight over time.
For example, you can start eating healthy foods, limit junk and starchy foods, exercise regularly, and get good sleep. You can also add supplements like L-arginine Plus to your routine for an extra health boost.
Its ingredients effectively promote circulation, blood pressure health, cholesterol health, and more. If you’re ready to give your health the support it deserves, then look for healthy ways to lose weight and take L-arginine Plus.