Q I'm in my late 20s and work full-time. When I diet I do lose weight, but as soon as I stop I gain even more back. Why does the yo-yo keep happening?
A Rapid weight loss reduces not only fat but also muscle, which lowers your basal metabolic rate. So when you stop dieting, your body gains weight more easily than before even on less food, and the yo-yo repeats.
Detailed Answer
Weight lost by starving yourself over a short period comes off along with muscle. When muscle decreases, the energy you burn at rest (basal metabolic rate) drops, so when you stop dieting and eat as you used to, the surplus calories are stored directly as fat. On top of this, the hormones that control appetite become disrupted and hunger grows stronger, so you tend to end up weighing more than before you lost the weight.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
At Dongjedang, we see rebuilding the metabolism broken by repeated yo-yo dieting as the key to management. Our goal is to restore the muscle and circulatory strength lost through starvation dieting, so that you clear away the excess but return to a body that no longer gains weight easily.
Related FAQs
-
Q
I'm a housewife in my 50s and every time I diet the yo-yo comes, so I've lost confidence. Is losing weight without the yo-yo really possible even at my age?
#Possibility / Realistic Goals
-
Q
I'm in my 30s. To maintain without the yo-yo, do I have to starve and exercise for the rest of my life? I don't think I could live like that.
#Possibility / Realistic Goals
-
Q
I'm in my 40s and after repeated dieting, a health checkup said my cholesterol and blood sugar have worsened. Does the yo-yo affect these numbers too?
#Comorbidities
-
Q
I do desk work in my 30s so I sit for long hours. To prevent the yo-yo, how should I exercise? Is doing only cardio enough?
#Lifestyle Management
-
Q
I'm in my 40s and often work late. I don't get enough sleep and I'm under heavy stress—are these related to the yo-yo too?
#Lifestyle Management