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Yo-Yo Dieting May Increase Risk of Heart Disease Death

  • November 16, 2016

New research shows that rapidly and repeatedly losing and regaining weight — a process called “yo-yo dieting” — may increase the risk of death from heart disease, Medical News Today reports.

It’s no secret that obesity is an epidemic, and that it’s a top killer right up there with diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer — all of which are rooted in insulin and leptin resistance. In other words, the underlying problem is metabolic dysfunction that develops as a result of consuming too many net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber) and/or protein. Sugars found in processed foods and grains are the primary culprits, and the standard American diet is chockfull of both.

One answer to yo-yo dieting is to eat a healthy high-fat, low-carbohydrate and low- to moderate-protein diet, in which you enter into what is known as nutritional ketosis: a state in which your body burns fat as its primary fuel rather than glucose (sugar). Mounting research suggests nutritional ketosis is the answer to a long list of health problems, starting with obesity.

You can start this new way of eating by replacing carbs with healthy fats. A dietary intake of about 50 grams or less per day of net carbs while also keeping protein low-to-moderate is usually low enough to allow you to make the shift to nutritional ketosis. A nutrient tracker such as my online cronometer will radically improve your ability to understand how much and what kind of foods to target while also helping you to assess the nutrient value of your food choices.