YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Ever played with a yo-yo? It goes down and then comes right back up. Did you know the same thing can be said of dieting?

Yo-yo dieting follows the same principles, you stop eating as much, follow fad diets, or calorie restricted diets. Sure, you initially start losing weight, but since you’re forcing your body into starvation mode, you aren’t losing fat. Instead, you’re losing a lot of muscle mass.

When you lose a lot of muscle mass, you’re metabolism will slow down significantly. Once you start eating more again, you aren’t going to gain the muscle mass back, just more fat. This can lead to health problems such as cardiovascular disease, among others.

What other serious health problems can yo-yo dieting cause? What does it do to your body?

Dr. Shayesteh joined 33 WYTV Daybreak to explain the dangers of yo-yo dieting and the importance of stopping it.

Click here for a complete list of nutrition segments with Dr. Shayesteh.

To schedule a FREE consultation, visit Dr. Shayesteh’s website.