Anyone who has ever successfully lost weight knows how difficult it can be to keep it off. For most people, dropping a few pounds is just a prelude to adding a few back on—-sometimes more than they lost in the first place. Repeatedly losing and regaining weight is referred to as yo-yo dieting.
Downfalls of Yo-Yo Dieting
Yo-yo dieting is the result of low calorie diets. Restricting your eating through a low calorie diet slows down your metabolism, which causes your body to become more efficient at storing fat. Low calorie diets also lead to people ignoring their natural hunger cues and feelings of fullness; instead they rely solely on measured portion sizes and diet plans. As a result many people feel deprived which can lead to binging, weight gain, and subsequent frustration and lowered self-esteem. In an effort to lose the regained weight, another diet is attempted, and the yo-yo cycle continues. We do not fail diets- diets fail us. Therefore it is important to take a sensible approach to weight loss, to break the yo-yo cycle.
How To Lose Weight – and Keep It Off
The overwhelming evidence is that weight loss among the overweight or obese improves various aspects of health such as risk for diabetes, coronary disease and perhaps cancer. Experts say it is still recommended that overweight and obese people try to lose weight but preferably avoid weight regain.
People who want to lose weight and keep it off should take a sensible approach that combines positive dietary changes with regular exercise. Leading a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be difficult. By making gradual, simple changes in your eating patterns, as well as increasing your level of physical activity, you can improve your health and well-being.
When it comes to exercise for weight loss and maintenance, 60 minutes of daily aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is optimal, but any amount is better than none. If you are just starting out, slowly increase your level of activity over time, and try out different activities until you find something that you enjoy- from joining a sports team or taking up aerobics at the gym, to taking the dog out for a long walk or dancing around the living room for fun. And remember that it is the total amount of activity you engage in throughout the day that counts- it does not have to occur all at once.
Healthy Weight Loss Tips
- Follow Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide.
- Aim to lose one to two pounds a week- to be successful, weight loss must be gradual.
- Take smaller food portions and use smaller plates- you are less likely to over eat. You can always go for seconds if you are still hungry.
- The next time you are grocery shopping, stock up on healthy snacks such as cut up vegetables and high fiber fruits. If they are available, you are more likely to choose them when you feel the urge.
- Sit down together for a family meal, away from the television. Consider a family walk afterwards.
- Eat healthy snacks in-between meals to keep you from becoming too hungry at meal time.
- Fill 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, 1/4 with a lean protein such as a lean meat, and 1/4 of your plate with whole grains such as brown rice, whole grain pasta.
- Choose whole grain foods more often, such as whole grain bread versus white bread, or oatmeal for breakfast versus highly refined cereals. They are more nutritious, and can keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.
- Speaking of breakfast, make sure that you eat it everyday. Starting your day off with a nutritious breakfast will mean that you are less likely to overeat the rest of the day.
- When shopping for whole grains, check out the ingredient list: whole grain foods will list a whole grain – such as wheat, oats, corn or rice – as the first ingredient. Look for words "whole" or "whole grain" before the name of the grain.
- Drink water more often, and sugar-laden soft drinks or juice drinks less often- or cut them out all together.
Find out more:
How to lose weight without going on a diet, by Dietitians of Canada