How to prevent your weight from yo-yoing between extremes?

For many people, their weight loss successes have continued to be preceded by weight gain. For those that aren’t able to properly gain control over there weight, they’ll continue to be trapped in a “lose and gain” yo-yo cycle. There are many things you can do to assure that your weight loss is permanent and lifelong. Here are the ways to prevent your weight from yo-yoing between extremes.

- Don’t be mislead.

We often believe the most ridiculous claims when it comes to losing weight. We want to lose it so fast, that we’re willing to go to any extremes to do it. The problem with this, is that most of those “miracles” aren’t sustainable for very long. So, you lost 20 pounds on a liquid diet or by starving yourself, but how long do you think you can keep that up? If I had a way that you’d lose weight without any deprivation or much sacrifice, that helped you lose those twenty pound for good, wouldn’t you much rather try that?

We tend to buy into what someone is selling, because if we need to pay it, we believe they have something that absolutely works, especially since it had to be FDA approved. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Weight loss is free, easy, sustainable, and doesn’t need to feel like torture. The only thing we need, is to be armed with what really works, as opposed to what’s advertiser driven to get our attention to believe in them and their claims. By keeping away from fads, and instead putting together a sustainable plan, you’ll have lifelong weight loss success.

- Gain control.

It’s up to us to decide that we’re not going to let our behavior continue. We don’t deserve what we keep doing to ourselves, dieting only to go back to our old ways when we’re not satisfied by its results, or it’s to hard. The reason you keep yo-yo dieting, and keep gaining the weight, is because you continue trying the impossible. Those crazy schemes and rules to dieting, will never provide you with long-term results.

The only way to lose weight for good, is to be on a sensible plan that deals with our individual issues. You should be seeking a plan that allows for you to thrive. I know that I wouldn’t be happy if I couldn’t eat cookies or ice cream; In fact, I would be miserable if I didn’t eat the foods I loved. Am I fit and healthy eating my favorite foods? Yes! It’s all about having a proper balance within our eating, activity, and our lives.

- Face it.

Yo-yo dieting could be the cause of many things. Are you being to strict with your diet that it’s not sustainable? Is stress overpowering you and causing you to overeat? Is someone in your life hurting you and/or not being supportive of your efforts? Are you simply just trying to punish yourself? You need to have a realization, so that you’ll be able to free yourself from the causes of your yo-yoing.

I work on this with my clients, because it’s extremely important that they deal with their issues behind their weight gain. What motivates people when they lose, and then triggers their gain? Is it the fact they chosen a plan that doesn’t offer what it takes to keep the weight off? Or, is there more to their story? It’s not all about fad diets, it’s about our issues, emotionally and what’s going on in our lives. You won’t be able to get a grip on your weight, or stop losing and gain in extremes, unless you’re able to get any underlying issues under control.

- You have needs too.

When we yo-yo between extremes, we’re not doing what we should to fulfill our needs. Yo-yoing is a clear indication that we’re ignoring ourselves. What do you feel when you overeat? What do you feel when you give up on a weight loss plan that’s a good one, that would lead to your success if you stuck with it? Are you sad? Lonely? Stressed? Starving? Doing things for everyone in your life except yourself?

It’s time that you begin to think of yourself too, because you deserve to be happy. Losing and gaining weight, is destructive behavior. For many, it’s punishment that they inflict on themselves, because they feel they aren’t worthy of good things. You don’t need to live your life this way.

Pay attention to what your feeling at all times, especially when you’re feeling out of control and thinking about overeating. Come up with different things you can do to soothe your feelings in a positive manner, as opposed to turning to food. Make sure that you’re also eating and not allowing yourself to go into starvation mode, because this easily can trigger a binge. Make sure you’re eating 5-6 small meals per day, because this wards off hunger.

- Be perceptive.

If we’re going to have sustainable weight loss success, we need to be perceptive to everything we’re feeling, doing, and that’s going on around us(influences). One easy way to stay in tune with our feelings and emotions, is by journal writing. If you’re able to list the things you know of that are hurting you, you’ll be able to tackle those things, so they won’t be an issue any longer(you‘ll create awareness to it). This is a great tool to use, because awareness allows us to control situations that have continued to effect our weight.

So, the next time someone tries to undermine your weight loss efforts, or you’re feeling lonely, you’ll be much better prepared to not let it cause you to be out of control with your eating. Adopt as many tools to deal with the situations you’ve listed, and your weight will stop yo-yoing to extremes.

For most people, yo-yo dieting is inevitable, till they reach a point of knowing what it takes to lose weight for the long-term. When I was first attempting to lose weight, it took me to go through a few up and down weight episodes, until I was able to take notice of what worked and what didn’t. The one thing I felt was extremely helpful in my finally achieving permanent weight loss, was my journal writing. I don’t know what made me start it, but I did it, and it allowed me to focus on dealing with any issues bothering me. Now, I make this an active part of my clients weight loss plan. They too, are able to work through their issues and understand what it takes to stop any of their destructive behaviors and patterns.

Part of making changes in our daily lives, is to take control of what needs more attention. Once we’re better able to understand ourselves and any negative influences, we can deal with those causes and stop yo-yo dieting for good.