Side Effects Of Dieting

In fact, even though hundreds of diets are released each year, many of the same people try these new diets again and again.

Don't get me wrong, weight will be lost on these restricted diets. That is a fact. But is it the healthiest way to lose? No. Will the weight likely come back again? You bet. Most weight lost on severely restricted diets is usually regained within a year of its loss. Somewhere in the neighborhood of only 5 to 10 percent of people actually keep their weight off for more than five years when it is lost through restrictive diets. And for the majority of people, the original pounds plus more are put back on.

Of course, there are many restrictive eating plans that indeed do the
job, but there are many more that do not. Some can be extremely harmful,
too, if adhered to for extended periods of time. Some diets stress particular foods others insist you eat foods in a special order. Some programs are "right for your type," while others require medical supervision. Some put unrealistic expectations on caloric levels, and still others may be all liquid, no solid foods. The Food and Drug Administration does not check out all these programs before they are released; in fact, many come from clever merchandisers who know how to attract consumers. Here is the problem with improper dieting:

• Quick weight loss  diets don't work for the long haul. Losing weight quickly deprives your body of the food it needs to survive and likely results in not loss of extra body fat, but actually of body water and muscle.
• Dieting slows down metabolism. In a severe dieting state, your body thinks it is starving. It goes into a starvation mode to conserve extra energy and store fat, therefore slowing overall metabolism.
• Dieting can be expensive. Desperate people will spend whatever it takes when they are  seeking results, including pills, powders, gadgets, equipment, and books that can add up the dollars and cents.
• Dieting doesn't necessarily make you healthier or more fit. Being thin isn't always about being healthier or being more fit, because skinny people can be just as "out of shape" and unhealthy as overweight people.
• Dieting can actually cause weight gain. Severely restricted diets might help you lose weight and fast, but once old eating habits return, pounds usually do, too, putting the weight back on and oftentimes more.
• Dieting can lower self-esteem. Isn't it embarrassing to drop 20 pounds and show it off, then regain 40 pounds?
• Dieting can cause irritability and mood changes. Over time, dieters can often develop mood swings due to the types of food (and nutrients) they omit from their diet.

Dieting can be harmful. Eating unbalanced proportions of the energy contributing nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) can often be harmful to normal body functions.

Dieting by eating an abundance of foods that primarily include diet soft drinks, fat-free/no-fat, and low-fat products deprives the body of its required nutrient needs.

WHEN WE ... How WE RESPOND ...

Skip meals

• The body's need for fuel and energy causes extreme hunger.
• Metabolism is lowered.
• Eating can be excessive and uncontrollable.
• More quantities of food will likely be consumed overall.

Eat very few calories (fewer than 800 per day)

Fast

•  We feel moody, tired, and have little energy from not eating carbohydrates, our primary energy source.
• Can lead to nausea, dehydration, constipation, headaches, and loss of muscle tissue.

Eat only high-protein foods

• We tend to consume too many high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-calorie foods that can increase risk of heart disease and possibly some types of cancers.
• Our diet can lack essential vitamins/minerals/complex carbohydrates/fiber.
• Too much protein may remove calcium from the bones.
• The body can go into a state of ketosis (a condition where the body uses other sources of energy when carbohydrates are not available, leading to dangerous health consequences.)