Succesful Weight Loss: Avoid The Jo-Jo Effect

When you are overweight and you look for advice how to lose weight, nearly every information you read about contains a "cut back on calories" suggestion. But you are left in the dark about your body's response to less calories, even though this is a major issue. Let's see how that works.

You have just arrived at a weight level you set as your goal. You are delighted of having it achieved after all, overcoming the hurdles, the ups and downs.
And then, what a shame, within a few weeks time you are back at square one and probably heavier than ever before. You might wonder whether there was anything wrong with your diet program.

But once you understand the reason that causes the Jojo effect, you will know how to adjust your weight loss program. Or even better, if you know beforehand how your body reacts to a food shortage, you won't make those mistakes.

Usually through your daily food consumption your body is supplied with sufficient energy to carry out all the body functions. Any access amount of calories is stored in fat cells. If your body does not get enough energy supply it will take the rest needed from the storage. First using the readily available carbohydrates and after those are used up, targeting the protein and fat reserves. If you maintain a low calorie intake over a period of time you will definitely lose weight. Of course you are excited.

But your body does not share this excitement. Imagine enjoying a lucrative income and suddenly you lose your job. If you continue spending money like before you will end up broke. In terms of your body this would mean death. So it does not use up all the reserves first. It will react to the new situation with protective measures. If it has to start using the protein reserves in your muscles to get enough energy, it will slow down your metabolism, conserving energy as much as possible. Consequently this will affect your heartbeat, respiration, temperature regulation etc.

Even though you are on low calories your body tries to hoard energy in form of fat. This is a reason why many people are able to reduce weight to a certain level only and then it stops there. Your metabolism has switched into "Saving Mode".

This mechanism your body uses for self protection, so it can overcome periods of little or even no food supply. At the same time it creates the basis for the Jojo effect.

The day you stop your low calorie diet and "revive" your former eating habits, your body suddenly enjoys an over supply of calories and readily stores it in fat cells. Your metabolism is still running in saving mode and needs some time to adjust. In the meantime you are building up your storage of fat cells, increasing the size of your waist line you hated so much in the first place. That's what the Jojo effect is all about. You try to lose weight, your body tries to store calories. Thus your weight loss success is bouncing like a Jojo and so does your motivation.

But there is a way out of this dilemma. To eliminate the Jojo effect, start off slowly reducing your calorie intake, provide enough protein through your diet to prevent protein loss in your muscles and make sure to increase your metabolism by any means like a healthy food choice and regular exercise. Good diet programs will teach you how to succeed.

(www.fit-slim-healthy.com)