Are there any studies or scientic evidence on how long the risk of the so called yo-yo-effect is present after weight loss due to caloric restriction?
I think of the term as a warning to not approach weight loss too aggressively, or perhaps used more sensibly, a term for a lowered basal metabolic rate.
There are going to be effects ranging from hours to years; I think I’ve felt them up to the half-year scale, and we can expect they continue. But obviously there are different effects at the different scales. I lost significant weight quickly, and have been working on my metabolic flexibility - that took awhile, for the sensations to balance. But then there is a several-day scale, where mostly water is just moving around with some salt or carbs in it, and hormones are switching gears. That has much more of a “yo-yo” feel. And for me it can be hard to break a fast in a disciplined fashion; sort of a “don’t shop hungry”, psychological inertia thing.
So, about how we should expect; dramatic changes early on, and then look for things to get easier in half a year. Know your electrolytes.