Discover the secrets to beating the yo-yo effect when you try a new diet or workout
Many people who are frustrated with their health have experienced what we describe as the “yo-yo” effect. You try a new diet or workout. It goes okay for a few weeks, but then a bad day knocks you off course and you watch as the progress you made quickly evaporates. The yo-yo goes out, hits the end of the string, and then it comes back.
By the time many patients discover the Habits of Health, they have ridden the yo-yo several times, and on some occasions, they end up worse off in terms of their weight and overall health than they did when they first started. The experience can be painful, and it can lead to intense self-doubt. These are difficult feelings, and I can understand why you might be tempted to give up on optimal health.
Why would you put yourself through that heartache again?
You still have the power of choice, which means you still have the ability to transform your life. Until now, you haven’t had the right system or the right support to meet you where you are and to guide you into a life of vibrant wellbeing. Don’t blame yourself for the struggles you faced in the past. It’s not your fault that you didn’t have the tools to build and sustain the change you desired.
Here are the secrets to beating the yo-yo effect:
- Make small choices over time instead of big, radical changes
- Work with a coach or mentor who can support you on your journey
If that sounds simplistic, that’s the point. To find success, it is unfair to ask yourself to become a fitness and nutrition guru overnight. Instead, can you drink more water today? Can you take 100 extra steps? Good. Start there. Master those small additions before moving on to your next small step forward.
This is the power of choice in action. When we break down a journey into its smallest possible steps, and have a guide to check in with us and give us encouragement, we can beat the yo-yo.
Look at where you are today. What small change can you make—what change is so easy to do that failure is almost impossible? Make that choice today, and take back control of your health.