From miracle pills and fad diets to detox juices and numerous cups of green tea, we’ve all done some pretty bizarre things to lose weight at some point or another. In fact, it seems like a good old workout is the first sacrifice we’re willing to make in our bid to stay fit.
If you’re one to have tried the 1-week General Motors, Pre-Bikini, Lemon Diet (or any of their distant cousins) even once in your life, we don’t have to remind you of the mind-numbing headaches, extreme acidity, and pound reload once you’re off the program.
There’s a reason why crash diets don’t work; in fact, we’ll give you five.
Hopefully, you will consider getting on a healthy food plan instead of a ‘diet’ once you’ve got all of the facts.
It’s NOT A Fat Burner
So you’ve been on an extreme diet for a few days now, and you love the way you look. Awesome! But what you’re really doing to your body, when you starve yourself, is burning more muscle than fat.
This slows down your metabolism and calorie burn potential, while also lowering your immunity levels and bone density. If the sick, saggy-skinned look is what you were going for, feel free to carry on.
Miss Crabby Pants
Food plays a big part in keeping your spirits up. A crash diet affects your liver, brain, nervous system and energy levels, all of which make you a perpetually PMSing party pooper.
The Yo-Yo Effect
The Yo-Yo Effect: When it comes down to nutrition and good health, yo-yo dieting is just plain wrong.
Your body doesn’t know when its next meal is going to come, and stores whatever you eat as fat. There’s a reason why crash diets are usually 7-14 day plans, it’s because you can’t survive them for any longer!
Watered Down
The first few pounds are the easiest to drop, because initially, you’re losing four grams of water per carb gram; this basically means that your one-week diet is a hoax in the larger scheme of things.
Reduces bloating? Sure. Contributes to actual weight loss? Not really.
Social Outcast
Watching what you eat will grant you the salads and soups that slide under the radar at a group dinner. With crash diets, cutting out entire food groups basically makes you a social pariah.
Do you really think no one will notice the tonic water and handful of nuts you’ve eaten all night? Worse, if you’re the kind that stocks your ‘diet’ food in your handbag and runs to the restroom to load up. Life is not a high school musical people; it’s time to join the grown-ups.
