Does Yo-Yo Dieting Mess Up
Your Metabolism?

Yo-yo dieting, also known as weight cycling, is the repeated loss and regain of body weight due to excessive hypocaloric dieting. The term “yo-yo dieting” was coined by Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., at Yale University in reference to the cyclical up-down motion of a yo-yo. In this process, the dieter is initially successful in the pursuit of weight loss but is unsuccessful in maintaining the loss long-term and begins to gain the weight back. The dieter then seeks to lose the regained weight, and the cycle begins again.

The bad news is that yo-yo- dieting messes up your metabolism. The good news is that the effect doesn’t last. Researches in Canada studied the metabolism of 52 overweight women who had yo-yo dieted for 18 years and found that their resting metabolism rates were on par with their weights, heights and ages.

Although this is good news, if you’re still yo-yo dieting, it means you haven’t resolved your weight issues, and there are other health risks involved. Some studies suggest that weight cycling may increase the risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gallbladder disease.