You know how it goes: You go on a diet. Soon you fell deprived of the foods you like. Then you cheat. So you go on a more extreme diet, cheat again, and feel even worse about your failure. As the cycle continues, you feel increasingly unhappy with your body and out of control with food. The extra pounds don’t really decrease, but your self-esteem certainly takes a dive.

Lisa Druxman, MA, creator of the Learning Eating Awareness and Nutrition program, gives these reasons why the very commen yet vicious dieting cycle may be more harmful than you imagined:

Eating between 500 to 1,200 calories per day (typical of diets) slows your metabolism, may result in loss of muscle (which you don’t want to lose) and may not supply the nutrients you need to be healthy.

Some studies suggest that dieting may prevent your body from producing enough serotonin to maintain your mood level, leading to food cravings and overconsumption of carbohydrates and sugar.

Some experts believe the body fights to maintain a natural set point, regardless of food intake, and diets might even elevate the set point and increase the size and number of fat cells.

The dieting cycle can produce feelings of deprivation, self-blame, lowered self-esteem, stress and depression.