Steps to repair the damage done by yo-yo dieting

Yo-yo dieting can alter your body composition in frustrating and even dangerous ways. To repair the damage yo-yo diets have done, follow these steps to a healthier and happier you.

• Lowers the amount of muscle mass you have
• Raises your body-fat percentage
• Lowers your body's ongoing calorie burn
• Reduces your body's ability to regulate blood sugar
• Sets you up for more weight gain and related health problems
• As your muscle mass declines naturally with age; a deficit due to yo-yo dieting can leave you even weaker and more prone to balance problems
• Gaining extra body fat around your midsection puts you at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes
• Researchers have found that yo-yo dieters have lower levels of "good" HDL cholesterol
• Following fad diets may mean you've skimped on important nutrients like calcium or protein or the vitamins and antioxidants in fruit, veggies and whole grains

Switching to a consistently healthy diet will end the yo-yo weight effect, and adding strength-training to your routine will rebuild muscle mass and get your metabolism back to where it belongs. All this can be achieved within a few months.

• A sleeker, stronger, more-energetic body — thanks to strength training
• Exercising will also improve your balance and prevent falls
• Better nutrition will aid in lowering your risk for heart disease, diabetes and dying prematurely

Give up fad diets! It's time to convince yourself once and for all that formal diets don't work.

• Science shows over and over that short-term regimens or gimmicks to lose pounds fast aren't healthy or sustainable.
• Eat healthy foods in healthy portions, and you'll naturally get to a stable, appropriate weight for your body.
• Talk with your doctor about what's right for your age and body type.

Instead, plan to have three normal-size meals a day, and three small snacks, too. Never allow yourself to get very hungry.

• Most fad diets are built on demonizing certain foods or overstating the importance of others
• Only one thing matters for weight — whether you are eating too many calories
• Instead of focusing on what's on your plate, learn first to focus on how much is on your plate
• Portion control is the best method of all for losing weight
• Learn to eat a little less at your meals, and the kilograms and pounds will slowly but permanently disappear

Muscle is crucial to long-life living, and if yo-yo dieting has weakened you, you have an obligation to yourself to regain strength. Do something to challenge your muscles each and every day.

Shifting to a regimen of proper nutrition and regular exercise can repair the damage done by yo-yo diets and set you up for a healthier, happier future.