Weight Cycling U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

WIN Weight-control Information Network

What is weight cycling?

Weight cycling is the repeated loss and regain of body weight.

This sometimes happens to people who go on weight-loss diets.

A small cycle may include loss and regain of 5 to 10 pounds. In

a large cycle, weight can change by 50 pounds or more.

Is weight cycling harmful to my health?

Experts are not sure if weight cycling leads to health

problems. However, some studies suggest a link to high

blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, and

other problems. One study showed other problems may be

linked to weight cycling as well. The study showed that

women who weight cycle gain more weight over time than

women who do not weight cycle. Binge eating (when a

person eats a lot of food while feeling out of control) was

also linked to women who weight cycle. The same study

showed that women who weight cycle were also less likely

to use physical activity to control their weight.

Weight cycling may affect your mental health too. People who

weight cycle may feel depressed about their weight. However,

weight cycling should not be a reason to “feel like a failure.”

If you feel down, try to focus on making changes in your eating and physical activity habits. Keeping a good attitude will

help you stay focused. In addition, talk with a health care

professional about your weight and ways you can manage it.

Doing so may help you determine why you weight cycle.

Understanding the cause of your weight cycling may help you

in the process of lifelong weight management.

Weight

cycling is the

repeated loss

and regain of

body weight.

This sometimes

happens to

people who

go on

weight-loss

diets.
2

If I weight cycle after a diet, will I gain

more weight than I had before the diet?

Will I have less muscle?

Studies do not show that fat tissue increases

after a weight cycle. Study results do not

support decreases in muscle either. Many

people simply regain the weight they lost

while on the diet—they have the same

amount of fat and muscle as they did before

the weight cycle.

Some people worry that weight cycling can

put more fat around their stomach area. This

is important since people who carry extra

body weight around this area are more likely

to develop type 2 diabetes. Studies show that

people do not have more fat around their

stomach after a weight cycle. However, other

studies suggest that women who are

overweight and have a history of weight

cycling have thicker layers of fat around their

stomach—compared to women who do not

weight cycle. It is not clear how this relates

to weight cycling.

If I regain lost weight, will it be even

harder to lose it again?

Losing weight after a weight cycle should not

be harder. Studies show weight cycling does not

affect how fast you burn food energy, which is

called your “metabolic rate.” This rate slows as

we get older, but healthy eating and regular

physical activity can still help you achieve a

healthy weight.

How can I manage weight and avoid weight cycling?

Experts recommend different strategies for different people. The goal for everyone

is to achieve a healthy weight. This can help prevent the health problems linked to

weight cycling.

• People who are not overweight or obese, and have no health problems related

to weight, should maintain a stable weight.

• People who are overweight or obese should try to achieve and maintain a modest

weight loss. An initial goal of losing 10 percent of your body weight can help in

your efforts to improve overall health.

If you need to lose weight, be ready to make lifelong changes. Healthy eating and

physical activity are the keys to your efforts. Focus on making healthful food choices,

such as eating more high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables and cutting down on

foods that are high in saturated or trans fats. And make room for physical activity.

Studies show that many people who weight cycle do not participate in regular physical

activity. Walking, jogging, or other activities can help keep you active and feeling good.

To find out more about healthy eating and the amount of physical activity you need,

check out MyPyramid, the Federal Government’s food guidance system, online at

http://www.mypyramid.gov.
3

Is staying overweight healthier than weight cycling?

This is a hard question to answer since experts are not sure

whether weight cycling causes health problems. However,

experts are sure that if you are overweight, losing weight is a

good thing. Being overweight or obese is associated with the

following health problems:

• high blood pressure

• heart disease

• stroke

• gallbladder disease

• fatty liver disease

• type 2 diabetes

• certain types of cancer

• arthritis

• breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when breathing

stops for short periods during sleep)

Not everyone who is overweight or obese has the same risk for

these problems. Risk is affected by several factors: your gender,

family history of disease, the amount of extra weight you have,

and where fat is located on your body. You can improve your

health with a modest weight loss. Losing just 10 percent of your

body weight over 6 months will help.

Conclusions

Experts need to learn more about weight cycling. Knowing if

it is a cause or effect of poor physical and mental health is

important. In the meantime, you can help yourself if you are

overweight or obese. Try to eat healthy and get plenty of

physical activity. If you go through a weight cycle, do not feel

like a failure. Just keep trying your best.

Try to eat

healthy and

get plenty of

physical activity.

If you go

through a

weight cycle,

do not feel

like a failure.

Just keep

trying your best.
4

Additional Reading

Active at Any Size. October 2006. Available from the

Weight-control Information Network (WIN) and online at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/active.htm.

Binge Eating Disorder. May 2008. Available from WIN and

online at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm.

Dieting and Gallstones. April 2006. Available from WIN

and online at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gallstones.htm.

Finding Your Way to a Healthier You. Based on the

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Published by the

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). DHHS

Publication No. HHS–ODPHP2005–01–DGA–B. USDA Home

and Garden Bulletin No. 232–CP. Available from the Federal

Citizen Information Center at 1–888–878–3256 and online at

http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Just Enough for You: About Food Portions. August 2006.

Available from WIN and online at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/just_enough.htm.

Tips to Help You Get Active. January 2006. Available from

WIN and online at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tips.htm.

Weight-loss and Nutrition Myths. August 2006. Available

from WIN and online at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/myths.htm.

Weight Loss for Life. July 2006. Available from WIN and

online at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/for_life.htm.

Weight-control

Information

Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3665

Phone:

(202) 828–1025

Toll-free number:

1–877–946–4627

FAX: (202) 828–1028

Email:

WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet:

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information

Network (WIN) is a service of the

National Institute of Diabetes and

Digestive and Kidney Diseases

(NIDDK) of the National Institutes

of Health, which is the Federal

Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on

nutrition and obesity. Authorized by

Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN

provides the general public, health

professionals, the media, and

Congress with up-to-date, sciencebased health information on weight

control, obesity, physical activity,

and related nutritional issues.

Publications produced by WIN are

reviewed by both NIDDK scientists

and outside experts. This publication was also reviewed by Rudolph

L. Leibel, M.D., Professor of

Pediatrics and Medicine, Head of

the Division of Molecular Genetics,

Columbia University College of

Physicians and Surgeons.

This fact sheet is also available at

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

This publication is not

copyrighted. WIN encourages

users of this fact sheet to

duplicate and distribute as

many copies as desired. NIH Publication No. 01-3901

May 2008