Yo-Yo Diets, Setbacks, and Why They Mean Progress

Right now, I've lost 60 pounds using the Power 90 Extreme (P90X) program from a company called Beachbody. I'm not thin, I'm not ripped, and I have ground to cover yet, but I'm pretty happy with the results.It feels good to attain difficult goals. The problem? This isn't the first time I've lost this weight.

I'm not a chronic yo-yo dieter who rockets up and down the scale throughout their life. I'm no Oprah. I've been "chubby," - definitely overweight but not horribly so - for mmany years. In the last decade, though, I've spent some time hopping around on the scale. I find a program, stick to it for a while, and then fall back into old ways of doing, and sometimes into new negative ones. One example - alcohol. I like making it and I like drinking it. I brew beer and make mead. With a passion for a hobby that includes creating high-calorie foodstuffs, it's easy to take in more than I burn in a day - a problem shared by many. Wen I stop drinking, I lose some weight, but I also lose some fun.

First - it's rarely a good idea to cut our passions from our lives. When we remove our passions, they either resurface or else we replace them with passion for whatever we've dropped them in favor of.

When I cut out brewing in order to lose weight, weight loss becomes a burning desire for me. I do research, set goals, frequent bulletin boards, count calories - all with excitement. Once I reach my goal, that excitement goes away. allowing me to remember how much I like brewing and drinking my beer with friends. I restart this hobby, and off we go, back up the scale, yet again!

There's a scientific saying, "there is no such thing as failure, only feedback." Yo-yo dieting isn't the same as failure. It's not a sign of weakness. Yo-yo dieting pattern is feedback, pure and simple. A "failed," attempt to get fit means that you don't have all of the information you need yet. You don't quite have the approach that's going to work for you. need.

In analyzing the feedback I've received from my attempts to get fit, I realized that I couldn't allow my fitness goals to eclipse my other interests. I couldn't cut out alcohol completely, nor really anything I like a lot, without risking a negative result. On the other hand, if I allowed myself to OVERCOMMIT, I might spend weeks feeling guilty about missing a workout and lose sight of the big picture, possibly quitting in frustration.

The point? Analyze your feedback. Think about where you've been, and why it hasn't gotten you to where you want to be. Keep at it, and never give up. Each attempt provides TONS of data, and is a necessary step toward long-term success.

Rick Young has achieved impressive P90X results. He now works to help others achieve the weight loss and muscle gain that he has enjoyed.