What is Yo-Yo Dieting? 

“Yo-yo dieting” is a term to define weight loss and often subsequent weight gain when following a diet or health plan - clinically called weight cycling. Yo-yo dieting brings with it understandable frustrations. You have made sacrifices, potentially cut out some of your favourite foods, stuck to a new fitness regime; and the end result can actually be an increase in weight. What’s important to understand is that it’s not necessarily your choices that are at fault at all. 

Your body wants to find a natural level of equilibrium. A status quo of comfortable and familiar weight. Therefore, if you drop weight at a rapid rate, your body will soon seek to restore itself to that natural state - or equilibrium level. This often results in gaining the weight you’ve worked so hard to lose. In fact, past research has shown that 80 percent of people who lose a significant amount of weight (10 percent of their starting body weight) will regain it within the year. 

 

Why is fast weight loss unsustainable? 

There are plenty of weight loss diets and diet pills that promise the golden ticket of fast weight loss. While these may show desired effects in the short term, they are unlikely to provide you with a sustainable lifestyle and healthy eating habits in the long run. Healthline outlines some additional side effects and dangers of rapid weight loss below: 

• Quick weight loss slows metabolism which can lead to regaining that weight 
• Not maintainable 
• Loss of muscle rather than fat
• Decreased energy & fatigue 
• Can have an impact on mental health 

 

Healthy ways to lose weight and eat well

When it comes to healthy and sustainable weight loss, slow is definitely the way to go. Ditch the diet pills and fast fad diets. Small lifestyle changes and a nutritious, balanced diet are the perfect springboard to a healthier weight. The NHS have provided some simple tips for healthy weight loss: 

Eat high fibre foods

Foods that are high in fibre can help keep you feeling full, which is perfect if you’re looking to lose some weight. High fibre foods include fruit and veg, beans and pulses, wholegrain bread and pasta, and of course Lo-Dough products. 

Eat regular meals

Eating at regular mealtimes can actually help you burn calories faster and can help reduce the temptations of snacking in between meals.

Get active

Exercise comes with a long list of great health benefits as we all know, and is obviously good at helping to burn those excess calories. 
Plan your meals

Make a food plan

By planning what you’re going to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, it will be easier to stick to a calorie allowance. It may also save you money on shopping and help reduce food wasted. Check out our 7-day low calorie meal plan under 400 calories. 

For more weight loss tips, read the full NHS guide. 

Low calorie, high fibre recipes that will help keep you full 

Low Calorie Lo-Dough Lasagne

By swapping out the standard lasagne sheets for a Lo-Dough base, you not only reduce calories in this family favourite but also carbohydrates, fat and it becomes gluten free. 

Slimming Friendly Pizza 

When you think of healthy foods for weight loss, pizza isn’t exactly the first thing that springs to mind. But, believe it or not, you can enjoy a whole pizza for under 200 calories while hitting around ⅓ of your recommended daily fibre. Check out our 10 best pizzas for weight loss. 

Lo-Dough Brownies

Finding healthy snacks for weight loss that actually taste good can be tricky. Our brownie mix is great if you’ve got a sweet tooth. They are super high in fibre and only require you to add water.