Arizona doctor: Yo-yo dieting is psychologically devastating

Dieting is rarely fun, but regaining all the weight that was lost during them can be devastating.

Valley doctor Terry Simpson said people will lose weight but will regain it when they revert to their old eating and exercising habits.

The phenomena is called yo-yo dieting.

“Yo-yo dieting is psychologically difficult because people have the illusion that I’m going to lose this weight and then I’m going to be fine because I’m going to maintain this lower weight and they can’t,” Simpson said.

Simpson said losing weight and then eating like you did when you were overweight can cause the weight to come back. Sometimes you can end up weighing more than you did before the diet.

“They keep going through those debilitating cycles,” he said. “It’s time to realize instead of just a diet or a quick plan, be it a few weeks of prepared food or all of that is restructure your eating to something healthier. It will be a lot better and a lot longer lasting.”

Simpson recommends that prospective dieters take three actions: stop eating out, eat more fruits and vegetables and get rid of empty carbs such as bread, pasta, and salad dressing.

Diets that require its users to contact their doctor before starting them should also raise some concerns, Simpson added.

“Eating healthier doesn’t require talking to a health provider,” he said. “But someone who says you should talk to a health provider before doing this diet you should have your ears up and a little bit wary.”