Crash Diet = Low Calorie Diet - Why It Never Works?

Going on a diet isn’t restricted to obese or overweight people. Even a relatively fit person might be tempted to go on a crash diet before a major social event like a wedding in the family. Crash diets suggest drastically cutting down your calorie intake so that your body goes into starvation mode. But, whatever be your reason for dieting, did you know that going on a crash diet can do more harm than good?

Here are a few reasons why you should not follow these diets.

1. The weight loss is temporary: Sure, if you cut out all forms of carbohydrates and survive only on fresh juices and water, you will look slimmer but this look will not last for more than a few days. Crash diets are never advised for more than a few days and the moment you restart including carbs in your diet, you will bounce back to your original weight. Also, the weight you lost isn’t because the fat content in your body went down but because you lost water weight.
2. It causes emotional side effects: Looking good is supposed to make you feel good but going on a crash diet can bring out the ugly side of your emotions. When the body is starved of nutrients, it makes a person grumpy, sad and irritable. You are also likely to feel lethargic and tired. This puts you at a higher risk of binge eating later which will make you put on more weight than you supposedly lost.
3. You lose good fat: Not all fat is harmful to the body. A certain amount of fat is necessary for the functioning of various organs in the body. Going on a crash diet can cause a deficiency in healthy fats and essential fatty acids. This hampers metabolism and can cause a number of health issues in the long run. Depriving your body of all kinds of fat will also create an urge to eat fatty foods that are richer in bad fats as compared to good fats.
4. It can harm your heart: Low-calorie diets not only deprive your body of essential nutrients but can also lower your immunity and damage your veins and arteries. In the long run, it can damage your heart muscles and increase the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as palpitations, shortness of breath, strokes and heart attacks. It can also cause tears in the heart muscles that increase the risk of heart diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Lastly, crash diets are not something that can ever be sustained. Hence, instead of falling for such fads, eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, stay away from processed foods and exercise regularly.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!