Around 35% of people who diet are addicted to dieting. The dangers of fad diets will convince you not to go there.
Nearly 62% of adult Americans are overweight or obese. That fact doesn’t make fad diets any less dangerous.
What harm can a fad diet do? Here are 7 major reasons why fad diets are dangerous:
1. Dangers of Fad Diets: Fatigue
Fad diets stress your body out. This results in fatigue along low energy levels and reduced concentration.
When you eat a restricted calorie diet, your body goes into something called “starvation mode.” This is when your metabolism starts holding onto all of the food you eat.
You might be losing weight, but the weight isn’t fat. You could be losing tissue from vital organs, water weight, or muscles.
Your body needs calories and certain nutrients to fuel its processes. Fad diets often don’t provide your body with sufficient “fuel.”
Fatigue is one of the reasons why fad diets are bad, especially if you’re driving or operating a machine. It also ruins your day.
Instead of a fad diet, try eating small meals throughout the day to boost your energy levels.
Here’s another thing that can make you feel fatigued:
2. Fad Diets Cause Dehydration
A lot of the rapid weight loss caused by fad diets is usually from losing water weight. Dehydration is one of the biggest risks of fad diets.
You also get water from different foods you eat. Fad diets often involve cutting out entire food groups which can affect how much water your body has.
If you’re exercising, it’s important to replace the water you’ve sweated out. Bring a water bottle with you to drink as you exercise. That, or drink water after you’ve exercised.
Dehydration symptoms include muscle cramps, increased thirst, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, decreased urination, dry skin, headache, and failure to produce tears.
3. Fad Diets Mess Up Your Hormones
Hormones control many of the body’s physiological processes such as metabolism, immune system, menstruation, and reproduction. Fad diets make your hormones go out of whack which, in turn, affects these areas and more.
When you’re under-eating, your body goes into starvation mode. Starvation mode sends hormonal signals to try and preserve the body during a perceived famine. This increases your cravings for foods that are off-limits during a fad diet.
After a while, fad diets cause the release of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. Cortisol decreases muscle mass and increases body fat.
Fad diets can also cause adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands release hormones in response to the body’s environment. If you continually restrict calories and over-exercise, your adrenal glands will release hormones until they become depleted, resulting in adrenal fatigue.
4. Fad Diets Slow Down Your Metabolism
What are fad diets? They’re diets that restrict calories or entire food groups. Sometimes, fad diets only let you eat food in certain combinations.
Why are fad diets bad? In combination with other side effects, they reduce your metabolism’s speed. If you’re trying to lose weight, a slow metabolism is counterproductive to your goals.
Once again: Eating a restrictive diet causes your body to go into starvation mode. Then your body holds onto every single calorie you consume.
Ultimately, this makes it harder for you to lose fat. Try eating small meals throughout the day to increase your metabolism. That way, your metabolism is continually burning food and not going into starvation mode.
5. Fad Diets Cause Digestive Problems
Fad diets hit you where it hurts: the bathroom. Fad diets often cause digestive problems like diarrhea or constipation. This is especially true with certain types of fad diets like Atkins that use high amounts of cheese and fat.
Diarrhea can cause dehydration if you’re not careful. Be sure to drink water if you’re experiencing diarrhea.
Not eating enough food and nutrients can also cause nausea. Why spend more time in the bathroom than you have to?
6. Fad Diets Increase Anxiety and Disturb Moods
Fad diets increase anxiety levels. They also create a problematic relationship with food in general.
When you’re on a fad diet, eating becomes an anxious experience. You can only eat “good” foods or food in very limited amounts, so it increases anxiety.
If you “fall of the wagon,” you might experience shame and guilt. Associating shame and guilt with eating is one of the biggest predictors of developing an eating disorder.
Fad dieting has been associated with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. If you’re into fad-dieting, your likelihood of getting an eating disorder increases.
Fad diets also affect your mood levels. Without sufficient nutrition, your brain can’t function properly. This leads to my next point:
7. Fad Diets Cause Malnutrition
Malnutrition is why fad diets are bad: They literally do not nourish your body.
Many fad diets involve cutting out entire food groups or only eating foods in certain combinations. Usually, fad diets don’t have enough calories or nutrients to sustain the body.
Sure, fad diets might restrict fats and carbs, but they also restrict vitamins and minerals. Your body needs vitamins and minerals to sustain its processes.
If your diet is overly restrictive for too long, you’ll become malnourished. You can die from malnutrition, so it’s a very serious issue.
If you’re worried about your body getting vitamins and nutrients, talk to your doctor about taking vitamins and supplements.
Don’t Do This To Your Body
Around 95% of diets fail. The dangers of fad diets are so severe, you should choose a sustainable, healthy diet instead.
Over 45 million Americans go on a diet each year. Make sure your diet isn’t overly restrictive or dangerous to your health.
Invest in yourself and learn about healthy weight loss. It’ll change your life.
