How to avoid the yo-yo effect and not gain weight again? As statistics show, most people who lose weight, after some time return to their starting weight. Sometimes this happens practically immediately after the end of the weight-loss diet, and sometimes only after a year or even a few years. However, this does not change the fact that the yo-yo effect is a real danger that threatens many people on a diet.
It is certainly worth considering how weight gain after losing weight could be minimized or even avoided altogether. Contrary to popular belief, it is not that simple.
First of all, it is worth realizing where the yo-yo effect actually comes from. Any diet with reduced calories will also lower our metabolism. Hence, after its termination, we cannot immediately start eating as much as before the beginning of weight loss, otherwise we will gain weight. The yo-yo effect affects practically all people who have followed very strict diets. There is nothing strange about it, if for a while we eat, for example, 500 kcal per day, then over time, unfortunately, our metabolism will slow down so much that even with only 1000 kcal per day we will systematically put on weight. Hence, after the end of any diet, a relatively long period of stabilization is necessary, during which we gradually increase the caloric intake. Only in this way can we avoid gaining weight.
If we are still at the stage of weight loss, we should think in advance about how to avoid the yo-yo effect. For this reason, it is worthwhile to follow diets with reduced calories, but not very low calories. A good idea would be a 1500 kcal diet combined with lots of physical activity. Movement is very important because it effectively speeds up metabolism. Importantly, an elevated metabolic rate is still maintained several hours after an intense cardio workout. If we don’t want to gain weight after a diet, we should also take care to develop our muscles, which even at rest burn many more calories than other tissues of our body. That’s why it’s worth going to the gym regularly, it will definitely help us deal with the yoyo effect.
After finishing a weight loss diet, we should develop some basic dietary rules that we will stick to from then on. It is advisable to continue to stick to the rule of 5 meals a day and avoid processed foods. The ideal way to keep the weight off is to introduce, for example, one meal a day consisting only of vegetables and fruits. Another option is to reserve one day a week when, for example, we will eat only low-calorie vegetarian dishes or conduct a quick liquid diet.
Also, after losing weight, we should continue to systematically monitor our weight. We only need to weigh ourselves once a week, so we can react quickly if we notice any weight gain. The best thing to do in this case is to increase the amount of exercise, reducing the calorie supply during the stabilization phase is not the best idea.
If we consumed dietary supplements during weight loss, it is also worth supplementing our menu with them for a while afterwards. They will speed up our metabolism, so that weight gain will be minimal or we will even manage to avoid it altogether. Of course, we can freely consume dietary supplements such as those with green tea, chromium, etc. in the case of supplements based on caffeine and carnitine, it is necessary to exercise regularly for their effect to be noticeable.
