The yo-yo effect
Yo-yo effect: what is it?
The yo-yo effect corresponds to the cunning that the body, smarter than you think, puts in place to resist the privations - often substantial and brutal - to which it is subjected during a diet. When you decrease your calorie intake, it reacts simultaneously in two ways:
> He rests. That is, it consumes less energy, even without doing anything: it saves.
See also
> Set aside more. A bit like when you run out of money: we put every penny in a piggy bank in anticipation of upcoming difficult times.
Result: at the end of the diet, when the kilos lost are as expected, the organism has changed. It has become suspicious. By resuming the good old habits, one quickly gains thanks and, in general, even more, because the body puts aside fat. in anticipation of the next diet. Because of repeated deprivation, whatever you give to your body, now he takes advantage of it more. One diet after another, he becomes more and more resistant. And this is how the pounds accumulate while you, plus , you have the impression that you have been on a diet all your life!
Tips to avoid the yo-yo effect
- No to drastic deprivation! Do not succumb to the temptation of diets that promise you a spectacular result with no effort. Sure, on the scale the effects will be visible right away, but you will end up losing out.
- A staged diet. In order not to disrupt the organism and teach it to adapt, respecting its rhythms, to the changes you impose on it, it is preferable to opt for a weight loss program that goes in progressive stages. It doesn't matter if it seems long!
- Stabilization is essential. The more brutally you resume your pre-diet nutrition, the more fat you will gain. The last phase of the diet, called stabilization, is essential and must not be skipped: it serves to preserve the weight achieved over time.
- Don't skip meals. Skipping meals, just like crash diets, causes weight regain. Especially since, when one hasn't eaten anything all day, in the evening there is a tendency to throw oneself on everything that happens. And he gets fat!
The solution: rebalance your diet
To lose kilos and, above all, not to regain them, it is necessary to undertake a real nutritional rehabilitation work. With a good distribution not only of foods (12-15% of proteins, 30-35% of lipids, 50-55% of carbohydrates of which 60% of complex carbohydrates and 40% of sweets), but also of meals during the day (15-20% of the amount for breakfast, 35-40% for lunch, 5-10% for a snack, 30-35% for dinner).
Added fats, sweets, sweet drinks and spirits are to be consumed in minimal quantities.
When starting a weight loss diet, you shouldn't eat less. The essential thing is to change the proportions of different types of food without, however, changing the quantities.
To lose weight without having a tendency to regain weight, it can be of great help to consult a dietician or nutritionist, to identify your mistakes, learn how to eat well, and improve your habits in a lasting way.
Finally, it is essential to exercise 2-3 times a week to maintain lean mass and stabilize the new weight over time.
