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How to avoid the yo-yo effect?

As studies show, up to 35% of people will return to their starting weight within a year of completing the weight loss process, and 50% will regain their former weight in 5 years. The yo-yo effect often affects people who have treated weight loss as a transitional period or have chosen restrictive low-calorie diets. This behavior does not teach you to change your eating habits, so with the return to the old way of eating, the lost kilograms also return. However, there are ways to avoid the unwanted yo-yo effect.

Systematics is the basis

Whenever we start a diet, we would like to see immediate results. Unfortunately, the magical effect of the miracle diet is often temporary and leads to an unwanted yo-yo effect. In the case of effective weight loss, we should bet on systematicity. Weight reduction is a process and takes time, the recommended loss should be between 0.5 kg and a maximum of 1 kg/week (in the case of initial overweight or obesity). Thus, the basis of effective and safe weight reduction is a rational approach that will lead to a gradual decrease in weight and a permanent change in eating habits.

Good calories

The key point in the fight against extra pounds, which can avoid the yo-yo effect, is the right calorie content of the diet. The desire to achieve quick results often leads us to follow a diet with too low energy value - this is a mistake that can lead to a rapid return of kilograms after quitting it. Typically, short-term diets give unsustainable results in the form of loss of water, glycogen stores and food content rather than body fat, which would be desirable. In turn, long-term diets that are too low in calories can also contribute to the loss of muscle mass. In addition, too much restriction increases the desire to snack, and then it is much more difficult to persevere on the diet.

Do not avoid protein

Restrictive diets with a large energy deficit are mostly poor in protein - the main building block of the body. After the weight loss treatment is completed, the muscle mass decreases, and with its loss, the energy demand of the body decreases. After returning to old habits, the lost kilograms return more and more. To protect yourself from losing muscle mass during a diet, in addition to properly selected caloric content, it is important to cover the need for protein. Its amount should be about 1.2-1.5 g/kg of body weight or moreif a person on a diet exercises strength. Training, primarily resistance/strength training, burns fewer calories than aerobic training, but it protects muscle mass and helps to keep it at the starting level during the diet.

Learning healthy eating habits

Losing weight is not a race, the fight for a slim figure will be won not by the one who will be the first, but the one who will achieve the goal and will be able to maintain a new body weight. Wanting to deal with extra pounds, it is worth gradually making changes and thinking - how to modify the current way of eating to make it healthier. It's best to start with the basics that sound corny at first glance, but bring the best results. It is worth remembering to drink the right amount of water during the day, to include vegetables or fruits in all meals, or to choose whole grain cereal products and limit sweets in your daily diet.

summary

Avoiding low-calorie, restrictive diets and betting on a balanced plan with adequate caloric content are the main points that will minimize the risk of the yo-yo effect after the end of weight loss. However, this is not all. The principles of proper nutrition and physical activity should remain forever in the plan of the day, and not end with the achievement of the goal. A healthy diet allows, among other things, to better control satiety, and this can prove to be the key to success and maintaining the achieved weight for many years to come.

Sources:

  1. Sarwer DB, von Sydow Green A, Vetter ML, Wadden TA, Curr. Opinion. Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2009 Oct; 16 (5) :347-52
  2. Wolska-Adamczyk A.: The importance of rational nutrition in health education. WSIIZ, Warsaw, 2015
  3. Wing R.R., & Phelan S.: Long-term weight loss maintenance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2005, 82 (1 Suppl), 222S—225S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/82.1.222S
  4. Pilch W., Janiszewska R., Makuch R., Mucha D. & Pałka T.: Rational nutrition and its impact on health. Hygeia Public Health, 2011, 46 (2), 244-248
  5. Skotnicka M., Duraj N.: The role of nutrients in the regulation of satiety organism. Ann. Acad. Honey. Gedan, 2015, 45, 79-87
  6. Hall K.D.: Metabolic Adaptations to Weight Loss. Obesity, 2018, 26:790-791. doi:10.1002/oby.22189
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Opublikowano:
6.23.2025 4:07
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