Why You Should Say no to Crash Diets

Crash diets are diets that drastically cut down calories from a person's daily food intake. Most men and women, who aim to shed weight, follow these diets in the hope that they will lose a substantial amount of weight in a very short time.

However, the effects of crash diets are not what one would expect. Healthcare professionals strongly believe that these diets are an extremely dangerous way to lose excess kilos. They lead to severe nutritional deficiencies. Initially, a person on a crash diet may lose even up to 2-2.5 kg in a week. However, this is mainly attributed to loss of water in the body.

The body is suddenly deprived of calories and so it burns up stored glycogen. As the person continues to follow the diet, he tends to lose a significant amount of weight. Nevertheless, this weight loss is a combination of fat and muscle. The deprivation of muscle mass leads to a decrease in the person's metabolic rate, i.e., he burns fewer calories at rest in order to perform the basic body functions like respiration, circulation, and digestion.

Further, continuing this starvation diet, the person may reach a plateau, which is often followed by a weight gain period (Yo-Yo effect). The gain in weight is solely attributed to fat. Thus, a person depletes his body composition and adds more fat at the end of this famishment.

Moreover, crash diets may weaken one's immunity. The gross nutritional depletion in such diets may also lead to nutritional deficiencies. Long term crash diets are associated with iron, vitamin B12, and mineral deficiencies. Lack of iron, especially in the teens, may lead to anemia. Deficiency of calcium in the diet also makes crash dieters prone to weak, brittle bones resulting in osteoporosis. Likewise, inadequacy of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet causes hair fall. The hair becomes brittle and the skin and nails may turn pale.

There are also many negative psychological effects on people who follow these diets. Food cravings caused due to severe calorie restriction, may result in extreme mood swings and eating disorders, particularly anorexia and bulimia.

So, say "no" to crash diets. These diets may work for a short duration but may prove fatal in the long run. The key to a healthy weight loss is a well balanced diet combined with physical activity. Whenever you think of going onto a crash diet, do remember that "There is no shortcut to success."

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