yo-yo dieting

American

noun

a repeated cycle of weight loss followed by weight gain.

yo-yo dieting British

noun

the practice of repeatedly going on slimming diets, and putting on weight in the interim

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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yo-yo dieting

The work underscores how toxic yo-yo dieting can be and how difficult it can be for people to break the cycle.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2024

For example, a study published last month concluded that physical activity promotes health more effectively than weight loss — with the added benefit of reducing the health risks associated with yo-yo dieting.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2021

“The study even states after the device is removed, weight gain occurred. This sets the user up for weight regain and yo-yo dieting, which is associated with heart disease and premature death.”

From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2021

Also, yo-yo dieting is hard on your heart — and self-esteem.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 2, 2019

She hoped she could save me from the pain of yo-yo dieting as an adult by teaching me how to maintain my ideal weight while I was still young.

From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2017

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023