By Camela L. Douglass, M.S. ED.
Have you ever walked past a mirror, stopped, backed up, looked in the mirror again to make sure it was you that you saw the first time? Or maybe you have gained and lost weight so many times that you’ve earned the super hero name “elastic-girl” or “stretch man.” How is it that you can walk into your closet and find a Petite section and a Plus section? If you have experienced the aforementioned, you may be a victim of Yo-yo dieting.
Small scale fluctuations are normal especially when it’s that “time of the month.” However, losing a considerable amount of weight then gaining it back is not normal. It’s not okay to lose weight, gain weight, lose weight again, only to gain it back and then some. “Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles analyzed 31 long-term diet studies and found that about two-thirds of dieters regained more weight within four or five years than they initially lost.”
Yo-yo dieting is the process of losing weight and gaining weight throughout one’s life. Diet fads sound good, but never deliver willpower as an ingredient. After a person fails at eating only crackers and juice for 3 days, they turn around and eat a pizza, a Cinnabon and a 2 liter of Pepsi. Or they successfully lose 25 lbs., experience a misfortune or a disappointment and within months they pack the weight back on. Yo-yo dieting can be very dangerous and can have long-lasting effects. Some of which include: liver problems, loss of muscle, lower metabolism, high blood pressure, diabetes and a shortened life span.
Yo-yo dieting transcends race, gender, and socio-economic status. Luther Vandross, Oprah Winfrey, Kirstie Alley, and Janet Jackson can attest to this fact. For years, millions of fans have been puzzled as to how you can be overweight with personal trainers and personal chefs at your beck and call. The truth is, personal trainers and private chefs cannot control a person’s willpower. A healthy lifestyle is a daily personal choice; one meal at a time, one exercise at a time. Willpower is challenged every day. Some days it is stronger than others. However, there are important steps that must be taken to achieve a healthy life. 1) Define a realistic weight loss goal, 2) Eat 5-6 small meals a day, 3) Drink plenty of water, 4) Exercise regularly, 5) Prepare yourself for the weak moments and 6) Keep your eyes on the prize. 
You Can’t Play With My Yo-Yo
