You may be surprised to find out that losing weight too quickly can do more harm than good! Read on to find out how rapid weight loss can have an effect on you muscles, metabolism, mental health and so much more.
Your Mental Health May Suffer
Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian nutritionist, spokesperson for the California Avocado Commission, and author of “Read It Before You Eat It — Taking You from Label to Table says, “If you lose weight very quickly, there can be psychological consequences…If someone doesn’t have time to settle into their new body shape and weight, it can lead to things like body dysmorphia, anorexia, or bulimia.” She continues, “Many folks start a diet with an ‘if X, then Y’ mentality. As in, ‘if I lose weight, then I’ll be happy. Or then I’ll find love.”
Sadly, if these things do not happen after the person loses weight, certain mental health issues may be exacerbated. In many cases, it can also lead to body image issues.
Before setting out on a weight loss journey, think about your reasons behind wanting to lose weight. Do you want to find love? Do you want to make more friends? Is losing weight about hitting a certain goal weight or becoming healthier? Writing down your intentions for losing weight will help you to see that what you’re looking for isn’t all about shedding pounds.
Keri Gans, registered dietitian nutritionist, certified yoga instructor, and owner of Keri Gans Nutrition says “There should a lot of thought that goes into your weight loss approach. It’s more than just picking up and jumping into the latest fad.” Be kind to yourself! Love your body and enjoy the process! The results that you’ll get from slow and steady weight loss will be greater than anything you could have imagined!
You Could Become Dehydrated
The first two weeks of starting a weight loss plan may result in impressive weight loss due to a loss in water weight. According to Taub-Dix, one of the reasons that the ketogenic diet is so popular is because of the rapid water weight loss that occurs in the initial stages of the diet.
Unfortunately, rapidly losing weight can lead to constipation, muscle cramps, headaches, fatigue and dehydration.
You can avoid dehydration by focusing on proper hydration! Track your fluids throughout the day, hydrate before, during and after workouts, and make a habit of keeping water close by at all times.
Your Metabolism Can Slow Down
Many people who are looking to lose weight quickly will dramatically cut calories. The problem here is that our bodies are sensitive to these kinds of rapid changes. Our bodies will see this decrease in calories as a sign of there being a limited amount of food available, and go into starvation mode as a result.
Kristina Alai, a personal trainer at The Bay Club Company, points out, “When your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism will slow down to help you conserve energy and your body will hang onto more fat.”
The trick to eating less and losing weight is to only cut calories by about 500 calories a day. Gans explains, “Most people will lose at least a pound a week if they consume 500 calories less a day through a combination of diet and exercise…This approach may not offer the same instant gratification, but you’ll actually transform your body in the long run.”
You May Lose Muscle Instead Of Fat
Jessica Crandall Snyder, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says “When we lose weight, we want to get rid of true adipose tissue. Not muscle mass. I’ve never met someone who complained about having a higher percentage of body muscle.” Embarking on a rapid weight loss plan can have a disappointing result of losing sexy, lean muscle – rather than undesirable fat.
Registered dietitian and Trifecta Nutrition Director Emmie Satrazemis, CSSD explains that this happens because “Calorie restrictive diets may cause your body to break down the muscle for energy and fuel.”
Not only can you start to lose your shapely physique, you’ll also run the risk of slowing down your metabolism. Snyder explains, “Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. That means one pound of muscle burns more calories a day than one pound of fat. So, a loss of muscle means you’ll burn less calories a day.
Satrazemis says that you can avoid this by eating a high protein diet. She says, “Eating a high-protein diet and participating in regular strength training while dieting can help preserve your lean mass and help you build more muscle to rev up your metabolism.”
You May Miss Out On Essential Nutrients
“Many [quick] diets and eating plans cut out whole food groups, which means you could be missing out on key nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that you need to stay healthy,” says Taub-Dix.
If you’re cutting out carbs, you may miss out on fiber. Eliminating dairy from your diet may result in a calcium deficiency. Reducing your caloric intake can also lead to missing out on essential vitamins like B12, calcium and vitamin D.
Getting the proper amount of nutrients is also important because malnutrition can lead to decreased energy, constipation, anemia, brittle hair and nails, and general fatigue.
Gans reminds us that, “The goal is to think about your plan as a lifestyle, not a diet. A diet is something you go on and something you go off. There is no start and end date.”
