What Is Yo-Yo Dieting?

Yo-yo dieting is a term that is becoming all too common among those seeking to lose weight nowadays. Yo-yo dieting refers to the act of repeatedly getting on and off of a diet, which is usually a result of a diet that is too extreme and therefore cannot successfully be maintained for any prolonged period of time. Once one realizes that they jumped headlong into a diet that is too exclusive too soon thats when they bail and begin to gain the weight back. Unfortunately, the body is often deprived of calories, thus, upon failing the diet, immediately stores this influx of calories as fat. In actuality, The body believes it is starving and, in response, greatly slows down its metabolism in order to conserve what it sees as its last bit of valuable energy. Therefore, when the regular eating patterns resume, the body and its slowed metabolic rate cant utilize all the calories at once and therefore store most of them as fat. The logistics of why one should avoid yo-yo dieting are pretty simple, but for some, being told that something is detrimental to your health is not enough, they need proof.

How Yo-Yo Dieting Can Make You Sick

In 2004, 114 overweight women over the age of 50 were questioned about their weight history in a study conducted by Dr. Cornelia M. Ulrich of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Part of the study was used to help quantify the amount of damage one does to their immune system when on a yo-yo diet. According to the study, the women that had dieted and then failed at least 5 times in the past 20 years were found to have the lowest killer cell rating. Killer cells are the cells in your immune system that are responsible for combating viruses and possibly even cancer. Even women that had been on a yo-yo diet at least twice showed noticeable damage to their immune systems.

How Yo-Yo Dieting Can Kill You

Secondly, and even more importantly, is the elevated risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke among yo-yo dieters and post-menopausal women especially. Numerous cardiologists have found that even those that are currently thin and achieved through aggressive yo-yo dieting are just as prone to restricted blood flow to the heart as women that are heavy and have yo-yo dieted in the past. This restricted blood flow could be an indication of blockages in the coronary arteries, which ultimately results in heart attack or stroke. Now, just because you are thin and havent had to diet in 5 years, your cardiovascular system has still taken a beating and you could pay for it with your life. So, if you plan on dieting, really plan it and plan it well. Dieting is similar to owning a pet. Those that buy pets not fully understanding the amount of responsibility are often times overwhelmed or dont care enough to properly care for the animal. In other words, the idea of losing weight may sound great, but you really need to think this through before permanent damage is incurred. A healthy weight loss regimen requires a proper balance of nutrients, fewer calories, but not deprivation, and, of course, regular exercise.