How To Stop Yo-Yo Dieting – New Year New Me

Yo-Yo dieting has been a huge issue in our society for years. A shocking amount of people are constantly cycling on and off all sorts of diets…and it’s doing more damage than good. In this post, we’ll take a look at why yo-yo dieting exists, what the statistics are on how effective it is, and what the science says about weight loss. Welcome to the second post in our New Year, New Me mini series (you can check out the first one here).

Fad diets almost never work. 65% of dieters return to their pre-diet weight within three years. The idea of a short term diet having long term effects is somewhat true. You can absolutely damage your metabolism. Keeping weight off is a different story. The key to lasting weight loss is lasting dietary and lifestyle changes. A short term change will yield short term results.

Here’s Why You Can’t Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

Let’s define yo-yo dieting: Yo-yo dieting is when you bounce from diet to diet trying to find one that works. The primary goal of these diets is weight loss. There are hundreds of different diets available currently with more becoming publicly available each year. A yo-yo dieter will often have some success on a certain diet, stop the diet, and then promptly gain back all the weight the lost. This results in having to get back on the original diet or try another one. Another common scenario is becoming quickly discouraged and not staying on the diet long enough to see any result at all.

You can’t stop yo-yo dieting because diets make a lot of pretty promises but they never deliver. Fad diets, fast weight loss that lasts, and the idea that you’ll look exactly like or relatively similar to the body that’s on the front cover of whatever diet book are all lies being sold to you.

And yes. They are being sold. According to The U.S. Weight Loss Market: 2022 Status Report & Forecast, the value of the weight loss market was $72.6 billion in 2021. Books, cookbooks, meal replacements, workout plans, apps, weight loss programs, meal plans, etc. are all being marketed to you. Most of them are designed to create and/or exploit your physical insecurities. I’ve even seen people use religion to make their program look more legit.

Only 20% of dieters are able keep the weight off after coming off of their diet. Part of the reason this statistic is so low is because of just how few calories are eaten during many weight loss diets. A calorie deficit of more than 500 calories is a very common occurrence among yo-yo dieters. A deficit like this can cause more harm than good. Eating in an extreme deficit can cause muscle loss which will lower your metabolism. That means that by the time you get off your low calorie diet, the amount of calories you burn on any given day will have decreased. While this can be frustrating, it’s actually a super cool way our bodies protect themselves.

Self Love Has To Be Your Foundation

We will dive into what the some of the science behind weight loss is below, but I want to stop here and address a mindset issue I see a lot in my clients.

Any diet that you choose to do for self punishment reasons will not work like you want it to. Having a negative mindset about your body leads to more extreme, less sustainable diets. People who are unhappy on their diets are more likely to over eat after their diet is over. Self loathing can lead to multiple mental health issues and it puts you at a greater risk for eating disorders. Also, hating yourself is just no fun.

If you do struggle with self image and/or eating disorder(s), I would highly recommend talking to a therapist before you start a diet.

When you make a lifestyle or dietary change because you care about your health (mental and physical), it’s a lot easier to be consistent. When you fail (as we all do sometimes) it’s a lot easier to recover and try again.

Many professionals preach self-discipline and strong willpower when it comes to dieting for weight loss. These traits are helpful to keep yourself accountable and on track. However, forgiveness, patience, and positive self-talk are so important when it comes to any change you choose to make. Even if it’s not for weight loss. Having self-discipline and willpower without positive self-talk or the ability to forgive yourself is not a recipe for lasting change or healthy behavior.

With that in mind, I will give a brief overview of what the current research says about weight loss.

The Science Behind Weight Loss

Weight loss is still not completely understood by science. We know that eating an excess of calories causes weight gain. We also know that eating in a calorie deficit *usually* causes weight loss. However, over the past several years there has been more research done on hormones and weight loss/gain.

Ghrelin is a hormone that causes hunger. Leptin is a hormone that causes the feeling of satiety. People who have followed extremally low calorie diets for a prolonged period of time can have elevated levels of ghrelin and lower levels of leptin. Some individuals have leptin resistance. This is when leptin cannot cross the blood brain barrier to signal to the brain that it’s full.

The hormone insulin which is secreted from the pancreas helps control blood sugar levels and stores excess glucose in fat cells. The Standard American Diet is extremally high in sugar. Because of this, insulin sensitivity is more common than ever before. The body responds by releasing more insulin, which can store more energy in fat cells.

The thyroid is a very important hormone producing gland when it comes to weight management. I will write a whole post on the thyroid at some point because it’s actually so cool. It produces T3 and T4 cells that play a major role in weight, energy, hair, skin, nails, etc. T3 and T4 cells make all the cells in your body work harder. They increase your basal metabolic rate which is the amount of calories needed for your body to keep your basic functions like brain, heart, nervous system, lungs, and kidneys working. If your thyroid is not producing enough T3 and T4 cells (hypothyroidism) It will be much harder to lose weight.

Genetics do affect body composition. Every person has a different body that works a little differently than everyone else’s. No one can follow the exact same eating pattern and get the exact same results. This is important to understand as society continues to strive towards an everchanging body aesthetic ideal.

The current recommendations on how to lose weight in a healthy way say to not go lower than a 200 calorie deficit. This approach may take longer than you want it to. It will require a fair amount of patience but the research has not found that a calorie deficit as minimal this one causes metabolism damage.

How To Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

That was a lot of information, but here’s the practical application for lasting weight loss:

1. Eat to support proper function of hormones
2. Eat in a small calorie deficit, not an extreme one
3. Whole, nutrient dense, minimally processed foods are best to keep you satiated

Hormone health and blood sugar are pretty connected. Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels will take some of the load of your hormones. Some ways you can do this are minimizing the amount of pre-packaged foods you consume. Even foods that you wouldn’t think have added sugar often do. Reading labels on food is also helpful.

Even some whole foods like dried fruit have a high glycemic load which raises your blood sugar very quickly. Try eating sweet foods like fruit directly after meals to minimize the impact it has on blood sugar levels.

Over exercising is not good for your metabolism. While some strength training is absolutely beneficial for increasing your metabolism, over doing it to the point that you’re miserable spikes cortisol levels and stresses the body. This hormone is produced by the adrenal glands and it can slow down your metabolism and hold onto excess fat. You need to be giving yourself adequate rest days to keep your cortisol levels from remaining high.

There have been several studies on different additives and hormone health. Additives are a common ingredient in pre-packaged foods. Parabens are often added to preserve foods. Chemicals in plastic can also leech into our foods. Heavy metals are found in cosmetic products. All of these can damage your endocrine system and lead to obesity.

Eating no fewer than 200 calories below what your burning will not damage your metabolism. That will be your best bet for losing weight and keeping it off without feeling deprived or causing any ill effects. Results will take a little while, but weight loss is only a small part of health. Remember to be forgiving and patient with yourself.

Focus on whole foods that have a high nutrient content. These foods should be minimally processed. A full post on exactly what I mean by this is coming, but I’ll explain a little bit about what I mean when I say whole, nutrient dense, and minimally processed.

Whole foods and minimally processed foods go hand-in-hand. These are foods that have not been altered in a way that makes them more or less difficult for your body to process. This means non-GMO crops instead of GMO crops, homemade foods instead of pre-packaged foods, whole apples instead of apple juice, a grilled chicken breast instead of frozen chicken nuggets, etc. More often than not, the processed or pre-broken down versions of foods raise your blood sugar more, contain more additives, and have a lower nutrient content.

Nutrient dense food is always important, but it’s especially important when your eating in a caloric deficit. Nutrients can be divided into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are water, carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. All of these are necessary. Because your eating less food, the food you are eating should contain a wide variety of nutrients. You NEVER want to starve your body of nutrients. Nutrients are what allow your body function properly. This includes all those beneficial hormone producing glands and organs we went over earlier.

Summary

Yo-yo dieting has been around for a long time. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gotten much better over the years. New diets continue to surface and make the same promises that all their predecessors have. Most of them champion eliminating entire food groups or macronutrients in the name of fat loss. In reality, only sustainable dietary/lifestyle changes will make a lasting, significant difference.

Eating to support proper function of hormones will be a lifelong change for health, fat loss, and maintenance. Let me know if you want a full post on this topic!

A diet full of a wide variety of whole, nutrient dense food is also something to strive for. It can be hard since the culture continues to lean into the idea of pre-packaged meals or fast food as normal. I find most people choose this lifestyle because it’s faster and easier than making meals form scratch. There are ways you can cook your own food that takes less time than the conventional way. One of the things I do when I work with my clients is work with their schedules to find lifestyle changes that are doable for them. I’ll bet it’s more achievable than you think it is.

If you choose to go into a caloric deficit for a period of time, remember to be very conservative. For the sake of your health, please do not overdo it.

Please also remember that the way your body looks is the least interesting thing about you. You have so many quirks, qualities, thoughts, and ideas that are interesting, beautiful, and exciting. Don’t let yourself get bogged down in the world’s obsession with body manipulation. Give yourself grace and keep self love at the center of whatever you choose to do.

Let me know in the comments if something was helpful, confusing, or thought provoking! I love knowing your thoughts and chatting with you!

I wish you all an incredible week!