Weight Cycling

WIN Weight-control Information Network 

Weight

cycling is the

repeated loss

and regain of

body weight.

This sometimes happens

to people

who go on

weight-loss

diets.

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 lbs. In a large cycle, weight

can change by 50 lbs 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. This

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.

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.

Studies 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 stomachs

after a weight cycle. However, other studies suggest that women who

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
2

are overweight and have a history of weight cycling have thicker layers of fat around their stomachs—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 a

healthy diet and regular physical activity can still help you achieve a healthy weight.

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

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.

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. A healthy diet 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. Walking,

jogging, or other activities can help keep you active and feeling good. To find out more about a

healthy diet and the amount of physical activity you need, check out MyPyramid, the Government’s

new food guidance system at www.mypyramid.gov. 

■ certain types of cancer

■ arthritis

■ breathing problems, such as sleep

apnea (when breathing stops for short

periods during sleep)
3

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 a healthy diet and get plenty of physical activity. If you go

through a weight cycle, do not feel like a failure. Just keep trying

your best. 

For Further Reading 

Active at Any Size. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Publication

No. 04-4352. May 2004. Available from the Weight-control

Information Network (WIN) and online at 

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

Binge Eating Disorder. NIH Publication No. 04-3589. September 2004.

Available from WIN and online at

www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm.

Finding Your Way to a Healthier You. Based on the “Dietary Guidelines for

Americans.” 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

www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Just Enough for You: About Food Portions. NIH Publication No. 03-5287.

January 2003. Available from WIN and online at

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

Weight-loss and Nutrition Myths. NIH Publication No. 04-4561. March

2004. Available from WIN and online at 

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

Weight Loss for Life. NIH Publication No. 04-3700. May 2004.

Available from WIN and online at

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:

www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information

Network (WIN) is a national information

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 fact sheet 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 publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this fact sheet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired. 

This fact sheet is also available at

www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 01–3901

August 2001

Updated March 2006