Added heart problems. Yo-yoing also does a number on your ticker: A study in Clinical Cardiology found that women who weight cycle five times or more during their lifetimes may be damaging their hearts in the process.
Lost immunity. But perhaps most startling is the dangerous and lasting effect weight cycling has on the immune system. According to the first study of the long-term impacts of yo-yo dieting, women who repeatedly lost and gained weight had lower immune function, particularly lower counts of natural killer cells.
“These cells are important for fending off infections and are also vital in fighting the early stages of cancer,” says Cornelia Ulrich, M.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Low killer-cell activity is associated with higher rates of cancer. I
With so many drawbacks, you might wonder if you’d be better off just accepting your belly rolls. But the perils of being overweight still outweigh the risks of yo-yoing. So how do you quit the cycle for good? Despite what you read in the tabloids, it is possible.
Ultimately, What You Need To Do Is…
• Be realistic. “Make sure your diet is one you can stick with,” says Anne Fletcher, R.D., author of Thin for Life. No crash diets or fads that will be impossible to maintain. In fact, reconsider the whole notion of dieting as a temporary fix. Think of what you’re doing as a permanent lifestyle shift.
• Be patient. Don’t try to lose too much too soon. A healthy goal for slimming down, according to the National Institutes of Health, is to reduce your weight by approximately 10 percent over six months.
• Be supported. Researchers have found that socializing with others who have successfully lost weight improves your odds of maintaining your own weight loss. So enlist a buddy or join a group.
• Be analytical. Record your mood changes and hunger levels so you can learn to distinguish when you’re eating for emotional reasons.
• Be vigilant. “If you lose 30 pounds and then gain three, it’s easy to think that’s no big deal. But it’s a slippery slope,” says Gary Foster, Ph.D., director of the Center of Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia. Especially if you have a history of yo-yoing. Weigh yourself weekly, and have a clear plan of action ready if the scale swings too far.
• Be flexible. “Switch eating plans if you get bored,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., weight-loss and nutrition advisor for The Biggest Loser and assistant professor at Tufts School of Medicine in Boston. Research indicates you’re more likely to be successful.
• Be active. Besides consuming a low-calorie, low-fat diet and being mindful about self-monitoring, you must exercise. This doesn’t mean you have to train for a marathon: Half an hour of walking every day is all you need to burn calories, build muscle, temper cravings, and increase “feel good” endorphin levels.
• Be optimistic. “One of the most important tips for being a successful weight loser is not to let past failed attempts keep you from trying again,” Dansinger says. Every time you fail, you get more insight about what to do differently next time.
Yo-Yo Dieting: Why The Fat Comes Back was originally published on blackdoctor.org
