Why the Yo-Yo Effect Can Be Hard to Avoid

Let’s face it: Losing weight is not the easiest thing on Earth—it requires a lot of time, diligence and hard work. But what if someone told you that, seeing as how you are going to gain the weight back anyway, your efforts may be better put toward something else? Well, the story does not go exactly that way, but some of the elements do ring true, according to recent research.

What doctors are finding is that the human body actually does not want you to lose weight. In fact, it is designed to sabotage your weight loss attempts; once it has been fatter it yearns for its extra weight—and the food cravings that come along with it.
Making sure the pounds stay off, therefore, means having a pretty tough willpower that can put up its dukes and fight off biological processes involving the brain, hormones, metabolism and fat storage.

What’s more, recent estimates show that five to 10% of people are successful at permanently keeping weight off.

But don’t head for the extra large-sized Snickers bar just yet because scientists say that just knowing this fairly disappointing factoid can help you in attempting to fight against the inevitable. A calorie-controlled food plan and, specifically, regular exercise are key factors in helping to stave off weight regain.

The best news? Weight loss maintenance gets easier after the first two years. So, fight the good fight weight-loss winners!

We want to hear from you. How do you fight off the yo-yo effect? [Los Angeles Times]