The cost of crash diets: Nutritionists explain why extreme diets do not work

Everyone loves instant results, especially when it comes to weight loss. No wonder when public figures started sharing their myriad diets, common folk bought into the idea of drastically restrictive eating to attain unrealistic weight loss goals in a short period of time. This phenomenon of strictly restricting your diet to quickly lose weight has been criticised by wellness and medical experts for the adverse impact it can have on one's body as well as for promoting an unhealthy approach towards weight management.

Kim Kardashian caused quite a stir when she told the world that she had lost 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into her MET gala vintage gown which was previously worn by American screen icon Marilyn Monroe. Kardashian's strict diet involved completely cutting out all sugar and carbohydrates accompanied by wearing a sauna suit twice a day. She was slammed for promoting extreme dieting, and this rekindled the conversation around how problematic and unsafe crash diets are. We posed questions to Dr Rohini Patil and Dr Archana Batra, nutritionists with years of experience in the fields of diet counselling, to understand why crash diets do not work, and their impact on our minds and bodies. They also share easy-to-follow tips to help you navigate a healthy weight loss journey.

Why are crash diets not an efficient way to lose weight?

Patil: Crash diets only work for as long as you are practicing them, as soon as you'll go back to your normal diet, you'll gain the lost weight just as easily. The important thing to note is that often following a crash diet leads to a loss of muscle weight or water and doesn't actually burn fat.

With all the restrictions on your diet, you'll start craving more of your favourite food. No person can wholly sustain their life on one diet forever and you'll feel an overwhelming urge to get back to your former eating habits and satisfy your cravings that will lead to an increase in your body weight.

Batra: Drastic loss in weight can seem appealing but they are not beneficial to you in the long run of your life. They sure can help you with losing a few pounds but at worst, it could leave you feeling more tired and weak, prone to falling sick with a weak immune system. Instead of opting for 30-day plans, embrace a healthy lifestyle that will benefit you every day of your life.

What is the impact of crash dieting on our bodies? How do they end up doing more harm than good?

Patil: Crash diets promote a restriction on food and instead of our body working towards burning the fat storage to increase metabolism, it starts working against it. When there's a sudden drop in calorie intake, the body responds by storing those fewer calories and turning them into fat. After a period when you start eating like earlier, your body has already been accustomed to a lower level of fat burning, so you gain weight rather easily. If you lose weight quickly, you are prone to losing electrolytes in your body which can cause arrhythmia, dehydration, kidney damage, and lightheadedness.

Moreover, the harmful effect of losing and gaining weight quickly is seen on your cardiovascular system. You may even experience a drop in your cholesterol level when you switch to a crash diet and to compensate for the no-cholesterol diet, your body will produce more cholesterol in the liver. This can result in diseases and long-term issues.

Batra: A higher metabolism rate is the key to losing weight but crash diets can actually result in lowering the metabolism. They also weaken your immune system as your body is deprived of various minerals and vitamins found in a variety of foods. Being on a strict diet for days can make you irritable and miserable. Your bowel movements will be altered as your diet will lack the right nutrients and fibre required to have a healthy and consistent bowel movement. Many crash diets involve juicing or only eating fruits as your meals, this doesn't help with burning body fat but only losing water and muscle weight. Thus, reducing your muscle mass and causing dehydration.

How can crash diets negatively influence our relationship with food?

Patil: Following crash diets affect people mentally and emotionally. You can always be on your edge and irritated because you are not eating enough and the increased cravings and obsessing over weight loss can often lead to eating disorders. In terms of mental health, due to these diets being very low in calories and essential minerals and fats, your concentration power will suffer and will put you at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies.

Batra: Because of being on diets, you can grow an aversion to certain food items and grow cravings for others. Additionally, following a crash diet for a long time can create an obsession with your weight and diet, and can result in your dependence. If you have trouble losing weight, there is a risk of developing eating disorders like bulimia.

Dr. Rohini Patil (L) and Dr. Archana Batra (R) recommend making lifestyle changes for long term weight management in place of quick diets. Photo: Rohini Patil/Archana Batra

What is the alternate approach for losing weight?

Patil: Instead of forcing yourself to ‘diet' to lose weight, train your brain to work on a ‘plan'. Quick fixes work temporarily and leave you with chronic diseases in their wake. There are various healthy alternatives to weight loss and living a well-meaning and progressive life which include exercising and following a balanced diet.

Batra: When we think of losing weight, we are inclined towards getting instant results and not focused on working for a longer term that could result in harmless weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Switching to a sustainable diet often focuses on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Consuming more fruits and vegetables supplies our bodies with an abundance of minerals, vitamins, and fibre. Eating whole grains, legumes, and fresh vegetables can help lower overall cholesterol levels, lessen your risk of several cancers, improve intestinal functions, and boost your intake of vital nutrients and minerals.

An important aspect of receiving the most advantages from sustainable eating is maintaining the changes and incorporating them into a better overall lifestyle whereas, cutting down your calorie intake drastically, can leave you feeling miserable, undernourished, grumpy, always tired, weak, unhappy, frustrated, and if followed for a longer period, lead to depression and poor brain health.

Below, the experts share tips that can be adapted in our everyday lives for losing weight sustainably, and to improve overall health.

Plan your meals
You can start by planning your meals. Sometimes, munching on chips in between breaks can lead to weight gain and spoil your entire diet plan. The foolproof plan to avoid this is by planning your meals and following them. Instead of eating less, have a hearty and wholesome meal that doesn't leave you hungry and grumpy. When you do feel like snacking, there is always an option of nuts and veggies that will only help you with your diet.

Protein-rich balanced diet
You should also work towards having a well-balanced and healthy diet. A meal that is rich in proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, and whole grains will help in the overall nourishment of your body, reducing the risk of lack of minerals and vitamins. You can also include more complex carbohydrates such as oats, barley, and brown rice in your diet. They take a longer time to break down into sugar and keep your stomach full for longer so you don't feel an urge to binge on junk foods.

Cut down on processed food and sugar
Reduce sugar and processed food intake. Sugar and sugar-based foods can cause an imbalance in the body's glucose levels and hormones. Processed foods are often loaded with extra salt and sugar, refined carbs. There are some natural alternatives to sugar that you can have if you have a sweet tooth.

Hydrate
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydrating yourself. Staying hydrated is one of the most important steps to losing weight. Drinking water half an hour before meals can help in your bowel movements and also in reducing weight.

Exercise
Exercising is the best way to increase your metabolism rate and is considered the key to losing weight. While exercising, you are burning the stored body fat which will improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Sleep well
Sleep plays a critical role in weight management, as it controls the hormones that regulate metabolism and appetite. Having poor sleep can lead to a drop in leptin level that can cause constant hunger and a rise in ghrelin level that can increase appetite leading you to midnight munching and over-eating.