Taking 'Diet Challenges' is never a good idea, here's why
| Feb 14, 2019, 15:48 IST
We're hardly two months into 2019 and we've been slammed with a hoard of new diet fads. The keto diet, pegan diet, vegan diet, Mediterranean diet, peganism diet and whatnot have already been gaining popularity rapidly. But just because some people have tried and tested these diets, does that mean you should jump into it headfirst too? Well, not without some research at least.
The thing is that diets will help you lose weight because that's what they're designed to do. But the question that arises here is that how long is the weight going to stay off? “You've heard this a million times, but if it sounds too good to be true, it is,” says Brierley Horton, a registered dietitian. “The challenge with any quick fix is that it's just that. A quick fix. If any ‘diet’ was so good about being a solution, there wouldn't be so many diets.”
When you opt for a quick fix you do lose weight rather rapidly but sometimes you also end up losing necessary muscle weight which is important for the body to function. Whereas if you go slow and steady, you only lose the fat while all the muscle stays on your body. In fact, quick fixes can lead to what is knows as 'weight cycling' which refers to the process of gaining and losing weight too rapidly. Doctors have termed this as extremely dangerous as it can not just shorten lifespan but can also increase the risk of developing diabetes.
“I tell patients to strive to lose just five pounds over a year,” says a Doctor. “And in five years they will have lost at least 25 pounds where as most of their friends will have gained weight.” This is how you should ideally lose weight; go slow, lose all the fat and maintain your muscle to become the healthiest version of yourself.
The thing is that diets will help you lose weight because that's what they're designed to do. But the question that arises here is that how long is the weight going to stay off? “You've heard this a million times, but if it sounds too good to be true, it is,” says Brierley Horton, a registered dietitian. “The challenge with any quick fix is that it's just that. A quick fix. If any ‘diet’ was so good about being a solution, there wouldn't be so many diets.”
When you opt for a quick fix you do lose weight rather rapidly but sometimes you also end up losing necessary muscle weight which is important for the body to function. Whereas if you go slow and steady, you only lose the fat while all the muscle stays on your body. In fact, quick fixes can lead to what is knows as 'weight cycling' which refers to the process of gaining and losing weight too rapidly. Doctors have termed this as extremely dangerous as it can not just shorten lifespan but can also increase the risk of developing diabetes.
“I tell patients to strive to lose just five pounds over a year,” says a Doctor. “And in five years they will have lost at least 25 pounds where as most of their friends will have gained weight.” This is how you should ideally lose weight; go slow, lose all the fat and maintain your muscle to become the healthiest version of yourself.