Most people who have dieted throughout their life are familiar with the statement that yo-yo dieting causes you to gain more weight and to lose more slowly each time. A new study indicates it isn’t the yo-yo dieting, it is the weight gain.
According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine the risk of increased weight gain, associated with yo-yo dieting, is due to the weight gain itself not the yo-yoing. The study looked at weight cycling in more than 44,000 women and found that those who lost the most, and did this at least three times in their life, had the highest health complications and the greatest risk of death from the weight gain.
If you want to lose, and keep it off, approach the process with patience, perseverance and a plan. It takes time to change behaviors – some say 90 days – so give yourself the time to learn to eat better and workout more. The best way to plan for weight loss, and maintenance of the loss, is to work with a Registered Dietitian. If you can’t do, that Mypyramid.gov is a good place to start. Mypyramid.gov provides a food plan, sample menus, forms to record your intake and tips to make healthy eating and activity easier.
Remember the goal isn’t just to lose the weight – The goal is to achieve and maintain a Healthy Weight.