How Rapid Weight Loss Can Backfire on You
If you are struggling with shedding extra pounds, you may be attracted by and fascinated with the idea of rapid weight loss. However, health experts have traditionally recommended a slow-and-steady method - half a pound to two pounds per week is what’s considered safe and sustainable.
If you are trying to drop the excess pounds too fast, it can backfire and can be downright dangerous for your health. The results you get from losing weight too quickly do not even last long, mainly because drastic weight loss measures are harder to maintain.
The Dangers of Rapid Weight Loss
In case you are eyeing restrictive programs or starvation techniques because you desperately want to lose weight fast, below are some side effects that you should know about:
1. Nutritional deficiencies
If you follow crash diets or extreme calorie restrictions, you could be missing out on essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients like proteins and healthy fats. This can result in deficiencies that can negatively impact your energy levels, immune function, and overall health.
For instance, certain groups may be wholly excluded from the diet, such as a dairy-free diet that could result in calcium deficiency. Potential consequences of nutritional deficiencies include:
- Brittle hair and nails
- Extreme fatigue
- Compromised immune system
- Weakened bones and osteoporosis
2. Muscle loss
Following a calorie-restricted diet for rapid weight loss may lead to decreased muscle mass instead of reduced fat. Compared to fat, muscle is more metabolically active, so your body starts to break down the muscle first, rather than fat, for energy and fuel.
The major symptom of a loss in muscle mass is muscle weakness, and you may even start to notice a difference in the sizes of your limbs. Eating a high-protein diet and participating in regular strength training can help preserve your lean mass and help you build more muscle while boosting your metabolism.
3. Slower metabolism
You don’t have to cut your calories in an extreme way, say, more than 500 calories. Your metabolism can get slower when you try to lose weight too fast. The primary reason is that you consume very few calories daily to shed those pounds quicker, which can result in hormonal changes.
In fact, a study found that the more pounds you lose, the more your metabolism could slow down, which eventually takes a toll on your fitness progress. Extreme calorie deprivation can lead your body to go into starvation mode. When this happens, your metabolism will slow down to help you conserve energy, and it becomes more difficult to continue your progress or maintain the healthy weight achieved.
4. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances
Not only does this happen if you cut back on fluids to lose weight, but cutting too many carbohydrates may also result in dehydration. It is common to see remarkably faster weight loss during the first two weeks of a diet program, specifically low-carb or no-carb diets, as this is when individuals tend to lose a lot of weight.
The trouble is that significant water weight loss may lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are critical for normal nerve and muscle functioning. Electrolyte imbalance can result in headaches, fatigue, low energy, muscle cramps, and other unpleasant side effects.
5. Your mental health may take a hit
Rapid weight loss can have psychological consequences, putting mental and emotional strain on an individual. Nutritional deficiencies due to strict dietary restrictions and the elimination of certain foods can affect brain function and contribute to mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and irritability. Additionally, drastic changes in body weight can interfere with the balance of hormone levels, potentially impacting mental well-being.
Focusing on quick results and overly restrictive diets can lead to obsessive thoughts about food, a negative relationship with eating, and promote body image issues. Even after significant weight loss, individuals may still perceive themselves as overweight, resulting in body dysmorphic disorder or eating disorders like anorexia, nervosa, or bulimia.
6. You could feel ravenous
When you go on crash diets or severe calorie restriction, your hormone levels that control hunger and the sensation of satiety, called leptin, can malfunction. When leptin levels are normal, it tells your brain when your body has enough fat stored, preventing overeating and promoting healthy calorie burning.
On extremely low-calorie diets, however, unbalanced leptin levels make your brain think that you are starving and must eat, resulting in an obsession with food. This can increase your hunger and appetite, making you more ravenous and likely to binge.
7. Weight regain
Extreme weight loss methods often lack behavior modification and fail to address underlying lifestyle factors that contribute to weight gain in the first place, including emotional eating, sedentary habits, or unhealthy coping mechanisms. Without addressing these behaviors, weight regain becomes more likely once the diet is discontinued.
Gradual weight loss, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and lifestyle modifications are more likely to lead to long-term success. Excessively calorie-restricting methods and intense exercise regimens can be mentally and emotionally taxing, leading to feelings of deprivation, frustration, and increased obsession with food. These factors can contribute to emotional eating, binge eating, or losing motivation to maintain the initially dropped pounds. In fact, research has found that after losing weight, people who used extreme weight loss methods tend to gain more than they initially dropped.
Go for Steady and Healthy Weight Loss, Not the Fast One!
Rapid weight loss can indeed impact your health and well-being negatively. While shedding pounds fast may seem appealing, it is vital to consider the potential risks and drawbacks. A healthy, sustainable way of reduction in the body mass index (BMI) includes a variety of factors, such as better food choices, healthy sleep habits, increased physical activity, stress management, and a focus on mental well-being. Working with an expert to pick a plan tailored to your needs is also way more effective in helping you keep off the weight and develop a healthy relationship with food.
Ultimately, weight loss isn’t only about achieving a certain number on the scale. Rather, it is about improving overall health and quality of life. Before you begin your weight loss journey, dig deep to find your real motivation and prioritize sustainable and healthy habits. Despite not sounding as promising or appealing as rapid weight loss, slow and steady weight loss offers a more sustainable and realistic approach to achieving long-term success. As they say, success is the fruit of slow growth!