Diet culture, or prioritizing weight and size over well-being, has unfortunately been popularized and made to seem “trendy” over the years. Because celebrities and influencers promote that these diets, detoxes or cleanses are safe and healthy, many people feel like they would be helpful ways to lose weight for an upcoming holiday, event, vacation, or for no particular reason. However, going back and forth between diets is not healthy and any weight lost is typically gained back. In fact, yo-yo diets can result in body image concerns, disordered eating behaviors, or an eating disorder.
By: Sadie Grant
“I ate too much. Tomorrow I will begin the Whole-30 cleanse.”
“Time to shed some pounds in time for bikini season.”
“I will keep these size small jeans for when I am skinny again.”
In our diet and weight obsessed culture, thoughts like these are all too common. This is not to say that any individual who has these thoughts should feel ashamed. In fact, nearly half of Americans report trying to lose weight in a given year. However, only about 2% of those who diet will lose weight and keep it off. Frequently going on and off of diets can lead to slower metabolic rates and greater stores of fat in the body. Unfortunately, our society is full of messages that weight gain, indulgence, and emotional eating are bad, and that the cure-all solution to just about everything is to be thin and attractive. Despite the low success rate of dieting (as well as its physical and emotional risks), many people regularly go on and off diets, try different diets, and cycle between dieting and bingeing. This pattern is called yo-yo dieting, the yo-yo effect, or weight cycling.
Why Is Yo-Yo Dieting So Common?
Studies show that about 10% of men and 30% of women in the United States have experienced yo-yo dieting during their lifetime (Strohacker et al., 2009, Hendricks & Herbold, 1998). The high prevalence of weight cycling among Americans can be explained in large part by two factors: diet culture and the dangers of dieting. Our society is dominated by messages that thinness, clean eating, and attractiveness are the keys to happiness. One can hardly scroll through a social media page without seeing images of photoshopped celebrities or dieting tips. There are even doctors who prescribe weight loss, which is not a cure either.
Many of us try to solve our problems, take back our lives, and become the best version of ourselves through diet fads such as fasting, juicing, and cutting out certain food groups, which sometimes leads to weight loss. However, dieting almost never produces long-lasting results. In fact, dieting can make people more likely to binge or overeat. The physical and psychological effects of dieting can also disrupt hunger cues, intensify thoughts about food, affect mood and cognitive functioning, and increase the likelihood of a binge-episode. Research also shows that dieting slows down metabolism, the body’s ability to burn calories. Dieting can also cause muscle loss.
In the long term, most people who diet will not lose weight, and some may experience changes in metabolism and muscle composition. However, diet culture still continues to make people believe their worth is connected to thinness and beauty, and that eating a certain way is the solution to their problems. This merely continues the vicious cycle though.
What Are The Potential Dangers Of Yo-Yo Dieting?
In addition to its potential to slow metabolism and reduce muscle mass, yo-yo dieting can also have other physical and psychological consequences. Weight cycling can lead to hormonal imbalances. Calorie restriction and significant dietary changes may also cause an increase in the hormone cortisol, which can increase stress, affect metabolism, and harm overall health. Restriction can also reduce the efficiency of other hormones, and lead to dry skin, poor immune health, and weakened hair and nails.
Yo-yo dieting also increases the risk of developing disordered eating or a full-threshold eating disorder. For example, those with binge eating disorder (BED) may be more susceptible to yo-yo dieting. Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of overeating which are not followed by compensatory behaviors (such as purging). Individuals with binge eating disorder often experience feelings of disgust or shame, and may gain weight as a result of their eating patterns. People with BED commonly try diet fads such as fasting, juicing, and cutting out certain food groups. They may even experience significant weight loss from these fads. However, these diets rarely (almost never) produce long term results. Thus, the cycle continues.
How Can We Be Protected From Yo-Yo Dieting?
The best way to protect against yo-yo dieting is to stop dieting all together. In order to flourish, the body and mind requires a sufficient amount of calories and nutritional variety. Research indicates that regular eating (i.e., eating main meals regularly as well as occasional snacks during the day) leads to positive long-term health outcomes and protects against disordered patterns of eating.
Psychotherapy and nutrition counseling can also support those struggling with yo-yo dieting. In therapy, individuals can process some of the psychological factors implicated in weight cycling, such as self esteem, body image, and trauma. Additionally, a dietitian can support individuals and encourage or educate them to eat and appreciate all foods, recognize hunger and fullness cues, and develop a more intuitive approach to eating.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, we offer a variety of programs and services targeted at helping clients overcome disordered eating and develop a healthy relationship with food and their body. We offer nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, a Food & Mood Group, and a variety of other groups and resources to assist those seeking help for food concerns. Additionally, we offer a Body Image Group to help clients heal their body image and understand how to practice emotional regulation and self-compassion. Click the button below to learn more about our programs and services.
Our admissions team would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our programs and services. Book a call below or read more about our philosophy here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Intern, Sadie Grant (she/her).
Sadie is a recent graduate of Oberlin College with a B.A. in psychology. After recovering from disordered eating, Sadie became passionate about eating disorder awareness, body neutrality, and destabilizing beauty standards that are established by social and cultural norms. While earning her Bachelor’s degree, Sadie conducted quantitative research, worked with populations experiencing barriers to essential services, and studied Spanish. Sadie hopes to use her developing research and interpersonal skills to work in the field of eating disorders and address the way in which expectations around eating and beauty vary across different populations.
References
Hendricks, K., & Herbold, N. (1998). Diet, activity, and other health-related behaviors in college-age women. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9564178/
McGuire, J. (2017, October 23). Challenging the yo-yo dieting cycle in binge eating disorder. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/yo-yo-dieting-binge-eating-disorder
Strohacker, K., Carpenter, K., & Mcfarlin, B. (2009). Consequences of weight cycling: An increase in disease risk? Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241770/
Thorpe, M. (n.d.). 10 solid reasons Why yo-yo dieting is bad for you. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/yo-yo-dieting
What yo-yo dieting actually does to your body. (2019, January 03). Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://nutritiouslife.com/eat-empowered/yo-yo-dieting/
