You want to lose weight and you want to lose it now. And why not take the quickest route possible to get the results you want? You tell yourself that the crash diet is just the beginning. You know you aren’t going to eat like this FOREVER. You’ll just do it long enough to lose a little weight. And from that point, you’ll start eating healthier.
The problem is that even though people lose quick weight on crash diets, these diets rarely result in long-term weight loss. And the reasoning behind this comes down to more than willpower. Listen closely, because understanding this will save you both time and energy and is key to actually losing weight for good.
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Why Your Crash Diet Will Result in Weight Gain
Health Factor – Does what you’re doing really sound healthy? If it doesn’t, your body will immediately feel the strain, leading to a state of inflammation. This isn’t a type of inflammation you can see from the outside. It is completely internal. And this is problematic because inflammation increases your chances of eventual weight gain. Inflammatory markers are instrumental to slowing metabolism. They directly communicate with the mechanism responsible for storing fat and fast-forward the body into fat storing mode.
Missing Fiber – Are you including vegetables in your diet? Many crash diets exclude or limit carbohydrates including healthy vegetables. This is a formula for long-term weight gain! Without good amounts of fiber, the digestive system stalls. And this will slow down the elimination process. Toxins that should have been quickly eliminated will seep back into the digestive track and enter the bloodstream. And this means more inflammation which will eventually lead to fat storage. Additionally, while you can burn fat (ketones) for energy, the brain and the cells of the body use carbohydrates as their preferred source of energy. Depriving the body of needed fuel slows down your internal system setting you up for long-term weight gain.
Starvation Mode – Are you greatly restricting calories? It’s tempting to crash diet by greatly restrict calories. But there is a physical, hormonal response that occurs during a very low-calorie diet that puts you at high risk for weight regain. The hormone ghrelin is responsible for signals of hunger. The more that calories are restricted, the higher the levels of ghrelin in the body. You may be able to exert willpower over the effects of high ghrelin for a couple of weeks, or maybe even a couple of months with determination. As the ghrelin levels increase, your body will eventually COMMAND you to eat! And a side-effect of high levels of ghrelin is that your body goes into fat storing mode. So when you do start eating again, you’ll pack on the pounds more quickly than before your crash diet.
Pill Popping – Are you taking high-dose pills? There are certain nutrients that have been been found to be somewhat helpful with weight loss when consumed in their natural state. Manufacturers take advantage of this by selling concentrated formulas with everything from green tea extract to Garcinia Cambogia. But high doses of something good in small amounts can actually become damaging in high doses. Not to mention that most pills offer a synthetic version of what is found in nature. Studies show that synthetic nutrients are not the same as those found in nature And the body can have difficulty identifying or processing high doses of anything synthetic. While these supplements may provide some initial temporary weight loss, the end result will be internal inflammation resulting in eventual weight gain(or worse.)
The Best Way to Lose Weight
But then what’s the answer? The quest for long-term successful weight loss can be a frustrating and disappointing endeavor. Go back to the first point I mentioned. Before starting a new diet, ask yourself if the diet sounds healthy. Because if it doesn’t, your body will have a negative internal response. And while you may look better for a few weeks, the damage will eventually catch up to your outside as well.
My approach is to cease calorie counting and focus on the quality of the food you’re eating. This means eating as much as you want of good quality protein, good quality fats, the RIGHT carbohydrates and limiting sugar. This is good for your body and helps you feel satisfied and nourished while losing weight. Crash diets almost never work. And now that you know this, make sure to share this post with anyone you feel needs some assistance losing weight THE RIGHT WAY!
♥♥♥♥CLICK HERE FOR FREE 5-DAY WEIGHT LOSS MEAL PLAN! LEARN HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR LASTING RESULTS! ♥♥♥♥
Remember to download your free 5-da y weight loss meal plan. Learn what you should be eating to achieve long-term fat loss!
I started my healthy weight loss journey last May, and I definitely agree that a crash diet is not the way to go. I’ve made lifestyle changes and have kept off the 30 lbs that I’ve lost for almost a year. Great tips!
That’s a great accomplishment, Shann! Congratulations!
I don’t believe in crash dieting too as that be putting too much stress on the body…thanks for all your tips! 🙂
You’re totally right about the stress on the body. I think they’re stressful emotionally as well.
Crash dieting is much more impactful from a physiologic standpoint than I think most realize! Insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue and many other metabolic issues can also arise. So, thank you for sharing!
You make a lot of good points. It is so important for people to understands the real risk of crash diets.
Just as important to educate what not to do to lose weight as what to do to lose weight.
People try to lose weight in harmful ways all the time. So you are correct that learning what not to do is crucial.
I 100% agree with you, I feel so strongly against crash diets too. I really worry that people don’t think about their health when they sign up to do these crash diets. And absolutely, the best way to lose weight is to eat quality food and trying to stay healthy, the rest will fall in place for sure and its a lifetime reward.
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
People are often forgetting their health with crash diets. While they know the risk, the benefits often outweigh the risks in their minds.
Crash diets are temporary. Once the person sees the desired results, they revert back to their normal eating. Of course they gain the weight they has just lost, often adding even more.
Women tend to put pressure on themselves to become leaner in preparation for a forthcoming celebration or holiday abroad. Eating limited calories or living on juice smoothies is just not sustainable long term.
We women are really under too much pressure to be thin. I wish the focus would switch from thin to healthy. That is a much better measure.
Hello Erica,
I believe good things take time to happen. This is a natural phenomena and anything done with patience is likely to give good results.
I have never believed in taking pills and all those shortcuts which seems to be a fashion these days. Anyone who is serious about losing weight should have patience and determination.
Good informative post.
Good things really do take time. I think that is a great lesson for life, not just weight loss.
Great advice as always Erica. As an emotional eater teen, I was seriously overweight when I headed off to college and tried every crash diet around. They all made me feel awful! It didn’t take long to get sick of the yo-yo effect. Thank heavens I eventually discovered portion control and that was huge. I won’t pretend I’m perfect when it comes to a healthy diet, but a whole lot closer than I used to be and you’ve really helped me improve even more!
If you ever find a way to follow a “perfect” diet, let me know how you did it. I still haven’t figured that one out 😉
I’ve never gone on a crash diet and I do find meal plans to help kickstart weight less appealing. That being said, I’ve been doing the T25 workout and still can’t bring myself to try the meal plan that comes with it. It’s hard to change to not eating favorite foods, so I just try to be mindful of moderation.
Jeri, is that Beachbody? If so, I would recommend just following the workout plan anyway. I think of the Beachbody diet as somewhat of a crash diet. But the workout looks like it would kick your butt.
I’m so glad you included fiber. The low carb craze makes people think they shouldn’t eat fiber too and that isn’s so. I decided to change the way I eat and added apples and berries to my diet to get most fiber and I feel a lot better because of it.
low-carb diets are so unnecessary. I believe that Atkins developed his diet not understanding the difference between good and bad carbs. So he just got rid of all of them which is a shame.
Great post, Erica. What works for me is the Green Coffee Bean extract. I take those tablets daily and they seem to help with weight management without any side effects for me.
Just make sure to take it with a balanced diets that is low in other stimulants like sugar. Caffeine in high-doses can have adverse effects on the adrenals after years of abuse, so you want to cut other stimulants to a very minimum or there can be long-term repercussions.
I’ve always been suspicious of crash diets and most dietary fads. But I never really understood why. As always, a very informative post. Thanks.
Glad you found this informative, Ken. I didn’t think anything of crash diets when I was younger, so I guess you have more sense than me!
I’ve never had to diet unless it was to gain weight and there the same principle applies. Make up a meal plan from all the different food groups for yourself and one that provides the calories you need – underweight – add a few extra, overweight – cut back on a few. The other thing – keep it simple. If you need to buy specialty foods or supplements the novelty will soon wear off. I enjoy your posts – I always learn something from them.
Thank so much, Lenie. I always say don’t do something unless you plan to do it for the rest of your life.
Erica, I always love your common sense approach. I have a friend who is constantly battling her weight, but then I see the choices she’s making and think: Sigh…
I’d like to lose 3 lbs because of what the scale says–not because of how I look. HA!
Off to share this…
3-pounds in nothing. Scales are never 100% accurate anyway. But I know that we women can get caught up in little details when it comes to our bodies.
Erica, thanks for the article.
I am also trying to get into better shape as summer is coming soon (probably as most of us), therefore your advice is very useful
A great post.
As for me, I was forced to go on a very restrictive diet. I was pre-diabetes with high cholesterol after my last blood test. I figured if I ate myself into that situation, I could eat myself out of it.
Even with a limited diet, I consumed fiber tablets, to make sure I got the fiber I needed.
I am happy to say, my last blood test, I am no longer at risk.
Thanks for sharing this informative post with us.
Crash diets don’t work for all the reasons you mentioned. The most success I’ve had is from the advice I received from a nutritionist: Stop eating when you’re no longer hungry (not when you’re full). If you consciously think that way you soon begin to realize how much less food you really need to satisfy your hunger. I hate the word “diet,” too, because it implies that when you go off your diet you can go back to the way you ate before and that’s not going to work.
Hi , I totally agree that crash diets can do more harm than good. I’m definite that readers can resonate with all this great and helpful reminders. Thanks for sharing a very informative post.