The Dangers of Extreme Dieting
Extreme Dieting is an incredibly dangerous practice that all too many people practice regularly. Extreme weight loss is defined as losing more than 1kg per week on a sustained basis. Media, advertising, and celebrities encourage people to lose weight rapidly with their “cure all” solutions to rapid weight loss. There are so many harmful and life-threatening effects of extreme dieting. Let’s find out more.
Dangers to the Body
Losing a lot of weight in a short period is detrimental to the body. Quick fix dieting can rob your body of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that make your body healthy. This can cause brittle hair and nails, hair loss, a compromised immune system, and extreme fatigue.
Our bodies are designed to keep us alive. When we cut out an extreme number of calories from our diet, our bodies will go into survival mode. This bodily response slows down the immune system to conserve energy and likely causes you to retain more weight than you normally would.
Additionally, you can become extremely dehydrated, which causes constipation, headaches, muscle cramping, and fatigue. Muscle tone decreases with extreme weight loss. Muscles burn far more energy than fat, and your metabolism decreases when your muscle tone takes a hit, hindering sustained weightless.
Your physical health is not the only thing affected by extreme dieting; your mental health will also deteriorate. Irritability, fatigue, and body dysmorphia are just a few of the mental side effects of extreme dieting.
Making Sustainable Food Choices
People who want to feel more comfortable in their bodies should carefully assess their habits, mental health, and lifestyle before pursuing a sustainable weight loss program. Embracing a healthier lifestyle with a mix of healthy food and treats is much more sustainable and healthier than extreme dieting.
Extreme dieting has long-lasting side effects and can cause long-term body damage. Finding a method of weight loss that works for your life and body will help you feel comfortable in your body and healthier in the long term.
