Crash Diets

Crash diets are aptly named, because once a person goes off them, they essentially come “crashing” down, and regain the weight they lost—even more! Knowing the facts about crash dieting before you begin a new weight loss program can help you avoid this common pitfall.

Crash Diets: Too Good to be True?

Crash diets are popular because they promise more energy, fast weight loss, and sometimes even more toning within days or weeks. Crash diets usually involve some combination of the following:

• Extreme calorie cutting (down to 800-1,200 a day)
• Eating a certain herb, mineral, or vitamin in excess
• Working out or exercising according to a very specific regime
• Consuming one food type or group as a main source of nutrition (usually advertised as a “miracle” food)

Frequently, these diets promise results within five days and maximum results within four weeks. Usually, a dieter will see improvement within a few days. However, the initial weight loss may just be a flushing of water weight from the body. For women especially, this can result in slightly smaller measurements after about a week. However, keeping up diets like these is extremely hard to do, and hard on the body as well.

Effects of Crash Diets

Surprising to many is that crash diets can actually cause weight gain while still on the diet. Once the initial weight loss has been achieved, many dieters find themselves hitting a plateau, or even regaining weight. This is due to the fact that bodies can go into “starvation” mode due to the loss of calories and fat, and therefore store all extra calories not burned.

After going off the diet, most people find themselves regaining the weight. This is known as the “yo-yo” effect. The body has grown used to so few calories and a slowed metabolism that even returning to healthy eating can cause rapid regain. This usually causes dieters to begin yet another diet, continuing the cycle of ups and downs.

Certain effects of crash dieting can be seen in the body after following them for too long of a time, or after years of yo-yo dieting. A number of negative health effects can be found, ranging from mild to serious. Some of the health effects include:

• Vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies
• Dizziness and/or fainting (due to extreme calorie cutting)
• Negative side effects on “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels
• Pressure and strain on organs (kidneys and liver, for example)
• Burning off lean muscle and tissues
• Osteoporosis
• Depression and irritability
• Become more prone to developing an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia)
• In extreme cases, heart attack or stroke can be a result of crash diets

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Do not fall prey to the numerous advertisements promising 30 pound weight loss in 30 days. These diets, though they may initially work, can have potentially detrimental effects on long-term health. They do not contribute to long-term weight loss, either. Most who follow these diets end up victims of the yo-yo effect.

To maintain a healthy weight, think of changes in diet and fitness as a new lifestyle, not a quick fix. Other tips include:

• Incorporate 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day.
• Follow the food pyramid when it comes to fruits, grains, meats, vegetable and dairy consumption.
• Do not deny treats; this can lead to binging. Instead, eat sweets in moderation.
• Have a buddy who is committed to losing weight as well.
• Set reasonable goals and work from there. A good starting weight loss goal is to lose 10-20 percent of original body weight, which has been shown to significantly decrease many risk factors leading to diseases and general poor health.

If significantly overweight or obese, speak to a doctor regarding extra measures that can be taken for a healthier lifestyle.