The allure of rapid weight loss is clear and present: Who wouldn’t want to shed some pound lightning fast?
But there is wisdom in taking things slow and steady. When you lose weight all too quickly, especially when starvation is involved, it can yield negative results instead.
The simplest form of side effects in this regard would be that the weight you’ve lost might not stick for too long. Let’s take a deep dive into this matter.
1. You could fail in supplying your body with important nutrients
With the most rapid weight loss programs, you would often be asked to give up on a whole food group altogether.
As a result, there is a big possibility that you could lose some important minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that your body highly requires.
A dairy-free diet, for example, may cause you to lose calcium.
Nutritional deficiencies may lead to consequences such as osteoporosis, poor immune system, hair loss, overwhelming fatigue, brittle nails and hair, and reduced energy.
2. Your metabolism will be compromised and runs much slower
Rapid weight loss programs typically by cutting back on calorie intake. You will have to consume 1,200 calories a day, for example, while you actually need 3,000 of it.
Your body, however, will take this as an indication of the food supply is limited. It then enters the state of starvation.
Once it’s in there, it will do the only it knows to help you survive: Slow down metabolism in the hope of conserving energy.
The good rule of thumb here would be not to lose more than 500 calories a day.
3. Undergoing rapid weight loss, your muscle could diminish
The true adipose tissue should be your target when taking up a weight loss program. However, done too quickly and rapidly, your muscle mass could be in the line of danger.
Restricted from the calorie it’s accustomed to, your body will start breaking down your muscle in search of energy sources.
This is to add to the fact that your metabolism would be next to stopping altogether.
To counter this, you should eat more protein in each meal, do heavy weight-lifts, include interval training that’s high in intensity, and consume sufficient calories.
4. You are at risk of severe dehydration
Rapid weight loss oftentimes entails rapid water loss, which oftentimes leads to low energy, muscle cramps, headache, constipation, irritability, extreme thirst, and amber or dark yellow urine.
To prevent dehydration, make sure that your diet program incorporates lots of water intake. Electrolyte consumption should also be monitored.
5. Hunger may strike even worse
Rapid weight loss programs will mess with leptin levels, the hormone that plays a role in controlling your hunger and satiety.
Low level of leptin will cause you to obsess with food. Binge-eating will then be the next to worry.
6. Your mental health can take turn for the worse as well
Bulimia, anorexia, body dysmorphia are only to mention some of the risks to face when you cannot take your time to get accustomed to your body shape and weight.
