How To Avoid Yo-Yo Diet Plans

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:46:59 +0000

There has probably been several times when you have managed to get rid of some excess weight, but a few months or even weeks later, it’s back on again. This is what is known as “yo-yo” dieting or “weight cycling” and many people struggle with this kind of losing and gaining weight experience at some point of their lives.

So what makes this happen? Yo-yo dieting takes places when your eating regime involves foods very low in calories, the skipping of meals or even starvation. Although the results seem great at the beginning, over time the body starts to realize that not enough calories are coming in and reacts accordingly.

At this point the body makes the decision to conserve all the energy it can and so the way in which it burns off food and converts it to energy, known as your metabolism, embarks on a go slow. A noticeable slowing down of the weight being lost then becomes apparent.

This is where the struggles begin for the dieter. A plateau has been reached and as they are not seeing the results they want, they put weight on once more. Due to their slow metabolism the weight they put on at this time is often more than before they began their diet.

When dieting suddenly on a regular basis the metabolism begins to work less efficiently each time. Muscle tone is lost due to the restriction of calorie intake and this slows down the metabolism even further. Flabby upper arms because of the triceps muscle tone being lost and fat being gained is a common sign of this happening.

The last thing you want is to be at the same place you were prior to the start of your diet. This is the reason why following a sensible dieting regime over a longer period of time is much more beneficial, both physically and emotionally.

Losing small amounts of fat can improve your health so aim for a modest weight loss.

Don’t drop your calorie intake quickly. A more gradual approach is best. Instead of regarding your diet as some kind of punishment, think of it as a healthy way of eating.

It’s a good idea to consider adapting your lifestyle. Look at what you eat, as well as when and why you eat it and make a decision to get involved in a little more exercise.

Give your metabolism a boost in order to break the weight loss plateau when you reach it. Increase your exercise regime, stop skipping meals or eating too few calories and remember to eat little and often, every three hours or so is about right.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so don’t skip it.

NewdietFitness

How To Avoid Yo-Yo Diet Plans

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