Yo-yo dieting is the pattern of losing weight through restrictive diets or intense exercise, followed by regaining the weight and going “off” the plan, which can lead to a cycle of repeated weight loss and gain.
Written by Jenn Hand, Holistic Nutritionist, Board Certified Health Coach, NBC-HWC, Emotional Eating Coach
How I Stopped Yo-Yo Dieting
In my lifetime, I’ve been on 116 diets. (Yes, I actually counted for a MindBodyGreen I wrote years ago.)
Even though I knew diets didn’t work long term, I was still tempted every time I gained weight or felt uncomfortable in my body. Now that I am a former dieter (and teach other women how to find their balance around food), here are some that things I’ve found most helpful:
1 – Recognizing Old Diet Tapes
A part of my healing was recognizing when I was tempted to diet and to remind myself of my dieting history.
I realized that chasing quick-fix diets and unrealistic body ideals didn’t give me what I deeply wanted–food freedom and peace.
2 – Working to Find My Normal
I worked to explore the middle–what did life look like if I wasn’t dieting or saying “screw it, I’ll eat whatever I want”?
I didn’t know and began a quest to find the answer.
I shifted my focus from strict diet rules to listening to my body’s hunger and fullness cues, honoring cravings in moderation, and choosing foods that nourished me physically and emotionally.
3 – Cultivating Self-Compassion
This is still something I work on, as many of us have very critical voices in our heads!
I worked to let go of self-blame and criticism associated with weight fluctuations, understanding that my worth is not tied to my body size or appearance. I still remind myself of this whenever I have a frumpy body day!
4 – Releasing the Food Labels
In the diet world, we learn what we are supposed to eat and what we should eat.
This always keeps us stuck and prevents us from really listening to our bodies. Instead of labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” I worked to reframe foods as more or less nutritious, more or less energizing and more or less nourishing to develop a more sane relationship to food.
5 – Building my Emotional Toolkit
Emotional eating is often a big challenge for many people and why we struggle with restrictive diets.
For me, I experimented with journaling, tapping, meditation, yoga, art therapy, and writing to learn how to process and express emotions without eating over them.
Questions about Yo-Yo Dieting
Why do people often end up in a yo-yo dieting cycle?
When we attempt to follow a rigid food plan or diet program, we can end up in a yo-yo dieting cycle due to unsustainable restrictive eating patterns that lead to rebound weight gain.
Can yo-yo dieting affect mental health?
It can affect mental health by contributing to feelings of failure, low self-esteem, and disordered eating behaviors.
How do societal and media influences contribute to yo-yo dieting?
Our world is filled with quick fixes and fad diets! Societal and media influences promote unrealistic body ideals and quick-fix diets, which make us think we need to follow these types of plans to achieve fast weight loss.
What is the impact of yo-yo dieting on metabolism?
It can impact metabolism by slowing it down over time, making it harder to maintain weight loss and potentially leading to further weight fluctuations.
Related Articles
⚪ The Biggest Cause of Overeating at Night
⚪ Yo-Yo Dieting and Weight Loss: What It Is, Effects, and How to Stop
⚪ How Diets Play a Role in Emotional Eating
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Schedule a 20-min CallAbout the Author:
Jenn Hand has been helping women like you become normal eaters since 2015.
She’s worked with thousands of women, helping them to balance their bodies, end bingeing, stop obsessing over food, and start feeling amazing again. As a board-certified health coach and holistic nutritionist, Jenn knows how to support you in making real positive changes that last.
Her articles have been published on Mind Body Green, Tiny Buddha, Thrive Global and other local and global media platforms. She’s the author of How to Be a Normal Eater and the creator of The Normal Eater’s Club program. Listen to Jenn’s advice and tips on the Cake Doesn’t Count Podcast, or read more of her articles for free on the Food Freedom Blog.
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