Steps on how to live a balanced eating lifestyle
You’ve heard the term yo-yo dieting and have most likely experienced this unhealthy way of living, or at least heard of it. We’re all making a concerted effort in 2025 to live healthy lifestyles, so when we experience the “yo-yo” effect, it’s not a choice we consciously make. No other generation has been exposed to a more diverse range of diets compared to the millennials, and with this, much confusion.
I bet you’ve spent many late nights planning and plotting how you’re going to run that next marathon, or how Kate from next door swears Ozempic changed her life. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to navigate what’s a healthy way of living nowadays with too much information being zapped in our faces on Instagram or TV, blah blah blah.. More importantly, what does a healthy diet look like? This blog aims to demystify why some diets work, and how to NOT be a yo-yo.
What is the yo-yo diet? It refers to a pattern of repeatedly losing and regaining weight, where someone cycles through periods of strict dieting to lose weight, followed by returning to old eating habits and regaining the lost weight, essentially mimicking the up-and-down motion of a yo-yo; this cycle can be harmful to health as it can lead to metabolic complications and make long-term weight management difficult. More blah blah blah.
Rad, now how do I not be a yo-yo? First off let’s clarify that there is no single food, supplement, diet fad, psychedelic mushroom or kombucha that magically gets you lean or healthy. The word gut health is thrown around these days, and your gut essentially needs whole foods that are accounted for (in kilocalories) that meet all your macros (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Your GIT (gastric intestinal tract) is like a forest that needs to be watered and fed in all its different biomes, and our bodies are much the same. Eating a boiled egg and Kale salad everyday might help you keep the weight off, but what your GIT really wants is a diverse collection of vegetables, fruits, meats (besides the veegs of course who need Vitamin B supplements) and stay away from processed foods such as breads, sweets, savouries and all the other luxuries you gooi in your bek.
Okay, but I already knew this, how do I actually apply it? Before you even look at your diet, get yourself organised first. A cluttered mind will lead you to eat with your eyes and what you feel, where as a collected mind will eating for fuel. Broom broooommmm! Think of your body as an exotic car that only takes jet-fuel, or perhaps you’ve gone electric like our vegans 🙂 Once you’re organised, and you’ve got your head into a good space, then either see your nearest nutritionist, or learn more about how to plan meals and get your macros in check. Ensure you keep an even spread of macronutrients, or toggle some for your preference. Getting an eating plan together is easy these days, you can even get free ones online, it’s the process of doing it and maintaining consistency.
The trick in the beginning is to smart small, by means of sticking to your eating plan to at least 60% the first week, and then increase by 5% each week until your at 90%. What about the other 10%? It’s healthy and perfectly normal to indulge at times. Whether your at your Oupa’s braai, or Kate’s dinner party, it’s okay to enjoy food and try different things! Just make sure that you get back into routine the following day, and become aware of how you feel. Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, dedication and consistency to ensure that you reach your goals, and keep away from the “yo-yo effect”.
We hope this blog has helped!
Yours in health,
Liam
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