In the wake of biggest lingerie spectacle, we’re pretty sure you’re dying to get an "angelic" body like the models and celebs in the show. For the nth time, you’re going to dive in an intense diet routine and when you get too hungry, you’re going to binge eat like crazy. Be careful, though: If you lose weight too quickly, you might just gain back those pounds faster than you think. The cyclic increase and decrease of weight similar to a yo-yo's up-down movement is called—you guessed it—yo-yo dieting.
WTF Is Yo-Yo Dieting?!
This happens when a person successfully loses weight (because of crash diets), but fails to maintain the ideal weight (because of binge eating), then tries to drop the regained weight again—and the pattern continues.
Sounds too familiar? Read on to know why you need stop this weight routine IMMEDIATELY. Because there’s always a better way to shed off the pounds and make them stay where they belong: away from you for good.
1. It makes you more at risk of developing illnesses.
When you extremely and abruptly curb your calorie intake, you tend to produce more stress hormones, also known as cortisol. Increased stress hormones means increased risk of heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. Aside from this, serial dieting causes vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which not only affects your health, it also takes a toll on your skin. Yikes!
2. Truth is, mas lalo ka lang tataba!
Because you’ll have less muscle and more fat. The up-down weight routine makes you lose muscles, which is used as alternative energy source during fasting. And if you think you’re losing those annoying fats, think again! Short-term weight loss helps you get rid of some fats, but in the long run, you gain everything back. Worse, they’ll be much harder to lose because your body becomes more efficient in retaining fats (your body prepares itself for the next time you go on another starvation mode).
Our new fitspo, Chantal Umali-Mercado, agrees with us on this as she experienced this before. “It’s really frustrating to see yourself gain back all the weight over and over again. So now that I’m able to maintain my ideal weight, it really gives me the confidence to feel sexy inside and out,” Chantal shares. You go, girl!
3. Your energy level will be on an all-time low.
It’s time to wake up to this fact: yo-yo dieting slows down your metabolism, which is totally not a good thing when you’re trying to lose weight. Muscles help keep metabolism up, but these are lost during yo-yo dieting. In addition, the lack of calorie, vitamins, and other essential nutrients not only makes you feel extra tired and irritated, it also weakens brain function. You want a hotter version of you, not a haggard one!
4. It stops you from wearing your favorite #OOTDs!
One of the worst things about yo-yo dieting is after shopping for new clothes to fit your so-called hotter and healthier body, they won’t fit you again for a long period of time. Sayang naman.
Take it from Chantal Umali-Mercado,who, with Nestle Non-Fat Milk, fronted the first-ever Instagram-based reality show that captured her 35-day journey of finally turning her back on serial dieting.
The most fabulous part of it all: she won two customized dresses from top-notch designer Vania Romoff!
“Being able to wear what you want is a powerful thing. You get to express your personality and it gives you an added boost of confidence,” Chantal shares. We couldn’t agree more. Say no to yo-yo dieting, own a healthier lifestyle, live it like your life depended on it (because it does!), and flaunt your best weight for good!
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See more of Chantal's journey (and the full photo of her dresses!), and get more #NoToYoyo tips by following Nestlé Non-Fat Milk PH on Instagram and Facebook.