The Truth About Weight Cycling

How Does It Ruin Your Health?

According to W.H.O that is World Health Organisation obesity has only increased crazily. It has tripled and as per the last data, the overweight people in the world are about 40% and obese stand at 20%.

Can you imagine 60% population world over is unhealthy? And this unhealthiness will give them major threats like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases as well as cancer.

Did you know that even if you lose 10% of your body weight you can regulate your blood pressure? With a 5% loss, you can get your glycemic parameters in control as well.

To lose weight is indeed beneficial but in most cases, it’s very common that all those who lose ample weight, gain back 50% in a year and then eventually in a period of 3 years they are back to where they started. Not to forget that beyond 3 years and until 5 years, they end up gaining more than their start weight too. Actually what happens is that all those who are used to dieting, get habituated with this regime. Their body gets used to losing weight in this specific manner. Thus the moment they stop the diet, they get back to their original form. Weight is regained back and especially for those who lose it quickly in shorter periods. This happens because of these unsustainable changes in lifestyle and also due to some eating disorders in a few too. It’s these fluctuations in weight that are known as “Weight Cycling” or “Yo-Yo Dieting”.

Do you know that this Yo-Yo Dieting or Weight Cycling has a direct link to future weight gain?

The fluctuations in body weight that take place due to these, have a series of negative outcomes like the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, slower weight loss and decreased metabolism in future as well as a lot of increase in the body fat.

Moreover, there is a clear prediction for a 50% body weight increase in the near future, as well as a tremendous increase in the risk factor for adverse events like strokes etc due to a 10% increase in the lipid levels.

Basically, this weight cycling is not just harmful on the cardiovascular side but is equally bad on the metabolic front too. It leaves you with a terribly sluggish system, lowering your BMR ie your Basic Metabolic Rate and disturbing all hormones in the body.

So since this pattern of dieting is not useful at all, and one should follow better lifestyle patterns and break this vicious cycle. Simply start to amend this by adapting sustainable ways to lose weight or maintain it or stay healthy.

Having been there and done that is what led me to study to be a Health Coach and it’s with this learning and my own personal experiences that I share with you this insight below.

According to me, the best ways are:-

Intermittent Fasting

This is a sure-shot method of losing weight as well as maintaining it too. If you go for calorie deficit you eventually will put back all that weight sooner or later, but intermittent fasting is a lifestyle change. Here you are not worried about calorie deficit rather you eat well and sensibly in your eating windows giving ample time for your digestive system to work well. Also, it helps with disease reversal and cures many chronic ailments too. Eventually, it is an effective and sustainable way to lose and maintain weight.

Don’t Rely On Sugar

Sugar is not your comfort zone. Rely on people, your loved ones, your family for comfort — not on sugar. Don’t get into the habit of finding solace in sweets. This habit will get the worse of you by making you totally dependent and addicted to it, harming you in the longer run. Don’t forget sugar is a killer unless taken in limitations. So get rid of all the sugary drinks and treats and watch yourself stay healthy, fit and maintained. Limiting sugar and sugary drinks will make you an achiever in the successful, well-maintained weight category.

Stay Active

“I do not have time for an excuse.” Yes! If you belong to this category, you surely have a bright and healthy life ahead of you. Once you reach your desired weight and it’s stable enough to maintain, always remember to be highly active. By that, we don’t mean that you run 10 miles a day or marathons or do heavy weight lifting etc. We simply say that please stay active during the day. Walk whenever you can other than the must 45 minutes a day stroll, do some light workouts or Yoga or just take the stairs at home, up and down and walk to short distances instead of taking transport.

Do you know that even if you just follow these simple 3 tips regularly, you will stay absolutely fit and fabulous always!

And I hope and pray that you will never let “Weight Cycling” commonly known as “Yo-Yo Dieting” take a toll on your health.

If you liked reading the above, I’m sure you would like this one below too.

©️ Geetika Sethi, November 2020

This is an excerpt from “Fitunopia” my upcoming book on Mind, Body, Spirit & Wellness.