Why You Yo-Yo and How to Stop

Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  By Jonny Bowden, Ph.D.
  
  You know the drill: First you lose weight, then the pounds pile back on. You resolve to lose the weight again and eventually the weight rebounds. Put a stop to the weight cycle for good with these strategies tackling the top reasons why you yo-yo.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Underestimate the Power of Sugar
  
  High sugar foods -- including foods that convert to sugar quickly, like pasta, bread, rice and other starchy carbs -- are kryptonite for people serious about losing weight. Why? Because by quickly raising blood sugar to a high level, they trigger the release of hormones that set you up for hunger and (sometimes) irresistible cravings.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Lie to Yourself
  
  Telling yourself, "A little bit won't kill you," might be true, but that bite may kill your chances for success. The solution? Rethink the whole concept of "cheating." Some diets really do work better when there's no room for error. The trick is not give up if you happen to mess up. Just don't set yourself up for failure by giving yourself permission in advance to "cheat."

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Think in Days
  
  There isn't a dieter alive who hasn't had the experience of "blowing" a meal and then thinking, "Oh, well, today is shot, I might as well start again tomorrow." For most people, tomorrow turns intonext week or next month. If you "blow" a meal, all that's blown is that meal. Think of the next time you eat as a new start, and approach the next meal as anew opportunity. Start thinking in hours (or meals) rather than days.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Misunderstand Willpower
  
  According to weight loss expert and Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett, Ph.D., the reason most people hate the concept of willpower is that most people possess so little of it. But willpower is a learnable skill. It's simply the decision to do something and follow through regardless of temptations or distractions. It can be practiced and learned. Just like a muscle that strengthen over time until it's capable of heavy lifting.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Have Stinkin' Thinkin'
  
  Language is powerful. The way you speak about your weight loss experience -- especially to yourself -- sends a powerful message. Saying that you've "only" lost five pounds is negative, but celebrating the fact that you've "lost five pounds and counting" is more positive and motivating. Reframe your experience to focus on what you have done. If you want positive results think about your experiences positively.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Think Too Much
  
  When you first start dieting you constantly weigh options and decide whether to have this or that. As long as you stay in that mode, there's a good chance you'll screw up. But once a habit is formed, the decision becomes instinctual. Keep making those good decisions because after a while, it will become habitual and you'll be home free.

• Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

  You Have Unrealistic Expectations
  
  There are no unrealistic goals, but there are unrealistic time tables. If you want to looklike a supermodel by next Friday, you're probably going to be disappointed. Set a realistic goal with a realistic timetable and you'll be setting yourself up for success. Instead of worrying about next week, think how you'll look next summer. Slow and steady wins the weight loss race every time.

Metabolism Boosters

• Metabolism Boosters

  Provided by Prevention
  
  In the past you have always been able to drop weight by cutting back on calories for a few days or doing some extra hours of aerobics. Suddenly, the scale stops moving and you just can't get rid of those stubborn few pounds. The good news? You could lose up to 20lb in a year -- without eating less. Just by revving up your metabolism you can burn more calories every day, lose fat, boost your energy, feel stronger and more fit, and look and feel years younger. Here's how, plus metabolism busters to avoid.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Booster: Kick your cardio into high gear.
  
  Your metabolism may stay revved up to five times longer after a vigorous aerobic workout than after an easy one.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Booster: Eat mini-meals.
  
  Sometimes you just don't have time for lunch, when you're busy with work or the kids. Pack healthy snacks for the car and the office, such as almonds, apples, string cheese, or yogurt. Mini-meals will help you succeed both physically and mentally. Psychologically, mini-meals can help reduce cravings and prevent you from making bad food choices -- which is easy to do when you're starving. Physically, eating small amounts every two to four hours helps keep your blood sugar on an even keel and may even help your metabolism to keep burning at a higher rate.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Booster: Sip green tea.
  
  In a study from Switzerland, men who took a green tea supplement three times a day with their meals, burned about more calories during the following 24 hours than those who took a caffeine pill or a dummy pill. The researchers believe that flavonoids in the tea were responsible for the metabolism boost.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Booster: Have a cup of java.
  
  The amount of caffeine (about 135 mg) in an 8-oz cup of brewed coffee is enough to raise your metabolism for more than 2 hours. Drinking it before a workout may give you an extra kick. Caffeine may help free stored fat, so your body can burn it for energy as you exercise. (If you have high blood pressure, avoid caffeine before exercise.)

• Metabolism Boosters

  Buster: Eat too few calories.
  
  When you deprive your body, it thinks you're stranded on a deserted island. The result: Your metabolism slows so you don't have to resort to eating rats to stay alive.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Buster: Skip breakfast.
  
  Not eating breakfast may cause your resting metabolic rate to dip by 5 percent -- a small decline, but one that may creep up to a 10-lb weight gain in just a year's time.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Buster: Extreme stress.
  
  Your metabolism may stay revved up to five times longer after a vigorous aerobic workout than after an easy one.

• Metabolism Boosters

  Buster: Neglecting strength training.
  
  A 10-week study of more than 2,000 women found that those who participated in a simple twice-weekly workout (20 minutes of strength training and 20 minutesof aerobic exercise) not only shed 4 pounds of fat but also regained 3 pounds of muscle they'd lost during the aging process. One set is fine, just make sure the weight is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles after the 12th rep. Remember: As you lose weight, you may also lose muscle, leading to a slower metabolism, so always remember to challenge your muscles.

Lose It For Good

• Lose It For Good

  Provided byPrevention
  
  Not all calories are created equal, and neither are all dieters. Weight loss works when it fits your personality, your lifestyle, and your taste in food. Here are top diet researcher strategies that really work.
  
  Image Credit: Stockbyte

• Lose It For Good

  Snack on nuts, lose more weight.
  
  Walnuts, pecans, unsalted peanuts, and other nuts keep you feeling fuller longer. They're packed with fiber and good fats, too. Have a handful (no more -- they're also high in calories) in place of your usual midmorning or afternoon snack.

• Lose It For Good

  Fool your stomach.
  
  Start meals with a big salad -- lots of veggies, no croutons or creamy dressing; have double portions of fruit and veggies at meals and skip or cut back on calorie-dense starches, fats, and fatty meats. Opt for a fruit dessert, with a dab of sorbet or ice cream for flavor. You can also eat eggs for breakfast. If you don't have time to scramble eggs on weekday mornings, hard-boil a few on Sunday and keep 'em up to a week in the fridge for quick, on-the-move breakfasts.

• Lose It For Good

  Cut sugar from your diet and get carbs from fiber-dense foods.
  
  Be sure you're subtracting high-glycemic foods when you add low-glycemic options. For example, say no to that blueberry muffin; have the banana and milk. Say yes to a handful of almonds; banish the chips. Love baked potatoes? Go with a sweet potato (with a GI of 54) instead of a white potato.

• Lose It For Good

  Exercise and maintain your muscles.
  
  In addition to your regular aerobic exercise, add some strength training. Aim for six to eight moves that target the upper and lower body. Choose a weight you can lift no more than 8 to 12 times. If weights aren't your cup of tea, try Pilates, swimming, or power yoga -- all of which will give you toned, firm, and shapely muscles.

• Lose It For Good

  Eat (lean) meat.
  
  Don't skimp on protein -- aim for a moderate portion at each meal. In a study, high-protein dieters got 25 percent of their daily calories from protein -- in a 1,500-calorie diet, that's just 375 calories (the amount you'd get if you had an egg, a 4-ounce chicken breast, and a hamburger made from 4 ounces of 96 percent lean ground beef).

• Lose It For Good

  Stay calm.
  
  Develop an inner sense of control that allows you to nip stress in the bud so you don't have to snack your way out of it. Meditation and yoga help. Active coping is also helpful in reducing persistent stress. For example, pay the bills -- rather than passive avoidance, such as refusing to open envelopes from your credit-card company.

Steps for Diet Success

• Steps for Diet Success

  By Judi Ketteler
  
  The key to a winning weight loss program is setting yourself up for success from the get-go. Starting your diet off on the right foot will deliver results, instill good habits and help keep you motivated weeks -- and months -- down the line. Lauren Slayton, M.S., R.D., director of Foodtrainers a New York City nutrition counseling program gives seven proven strategies that will help you stay the course and drop the pounds.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Set a Time Frame
  
  Decide on a concrete amount of time you will follow the plan. It should be enough time to give it a chance to work, but not indefinite. For example, six to eight weeks is reasonable. The real key for success is to build in periodic checks where you re-evaluate how it's going and make some tweaks.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Review Your History
  
  Chances are, you've had varying degrees of weight loss success and failure in the past. "Learn from your mistakes," Slayton says. Think about the things that have tripped you up before. For example, did eating less than 1,200 calories, or banning an entire food group leave you hungry and frustrated all the time? Make a list of the things that have helped you in the past, as well as the things that have done you in.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Write It Down
  
  Once you have your time frame and your rough list of what has and hasn't worked for you in the past, it's time to write down some realistic goals for yourself. When setting goals, think in terms of long and short term. Write down your big picture goals -- such as to drop two dress sizes -- as well as week-to-week goals. When you do this, avoid blanket negative statements, such as "I won't have sugar." Phrase your goals in an affirmative and highly specific way, such as "I will eat at least four servings of whole grains a day, every day this week."

• Steps for Diet Success

  Set Small Goals
  
  The magic of focusing on small goals is that you get a sense of success right away and can build on it, Slayton says. You can do this by picking three things a week to focus on. In week one, you might try to drink 64 ounces of water a day, only have dessert once and go to the gym three times that week. If you meet all those goals, add three more new goals the following week. If there is one goal that keeps tripping you up, re-evaluate it and see how you can tweak it.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Get Organized
  
  A huge key to weight loss success is cooking more and eating out less and that takes time and planning. Decide what recipes you're going to prepare for the week, make a detailed list of what you need and then schedule regular trips to the grocery store. Use the same strategy for your workouts. Make cooking and exercising a concrete part of your schedule, versus something to do if you feel like it.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Be Flexible
  
  Unless you have an absolute will of iron, it's impossible to stick to any plan every minute of every day. That's why you need to build in some flexibility -- so you don't get upset with yourself when youdo give into a craving. "Plan small 'cheats' for yourself so that you don't feel like your diet is derailed when you have them," Slayton says. For example, allow yourself two small indulgences (150 calories or so) a week, such as your favorite coffee drink you or some small chocolates. You don't have to use your cheats, but make them available to yourself.

• Steps for Diet Success

  Get a Buddy
  
  When you tell someone else what you're doing, you automatically feel more accountable, Slayton says. Enlist a friends or family members to be your diet buddies. They don't need to follow the plan with you -- they'll just help keep you honest. Your buddy can be the person you call to talk you out of eating an entire cheesecake, or you can send them your weekly food journal or check in with them after you leave the gym.