Crash Dieting Is Not the Way to Lose Weight
At one point in our lives, most of us either had to or wanted to lose weight. Fad diets, starvation, exercising to the point of exhaustion – there are all sorts of approaches to weight loss. Although very popular, why are some of these methods not the best way to lose weight and get healthy?
Crash/Starvation Diets
Whether you are skipping meals as a form of dieting, punishing yourself for cheating on your diet, or “making up for” not exercising, cutting too many calories simply isn't healthy.
Don't have unrealistic expectations when it comes to your diet. It's not the end of the world if you eat a slice or two of pizza with friends. Even the most focused calorie-counters veer from their diet every now and then. By resorting to drastic measures as punishment for a dieting misstep, you are likely to unwittingly do physical and mental harm to yourself. If you fall off the weight loss wagon, don’t get angry at yourself - just try get back on as quickly as possible.
A healthy, consistent method of dieting is the best way to lose weight. Eat appropriate proportions, make healthy choices, and get the right amount of exercise.
Eating Too Few Calories vs. Intermittent Fasting
Counting calories can help achieve a healthy dietary lifestyle. But cutting out too many calories or severely limiting the types of food you can eat isn't a good idea. Although you need to consume fewer calories than you burn to lose weight, going to the extreme can cause more harm compared to taking in fewer, yet still healthy, amounts of calories. In the long run, constantly skipping breakfast and lunch to control your weight may be damaging to your health.
Fasting to lose weight can be beneficial but only when done correctly. Calorie consumption needs to stay within a healthy range – this is called intermittent fasting – where you eat all your calories in a 4-8-hour period. There's a lot of research to support this diet method but only if the right number of calories are eaten during that window of time. This allows the body to repair itself more efficiently by not having to digest food all day long. It's not a method for everyone, but it is not necessarily harmful.
Self-Starvation and Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa symptoms, such as social withdrawal and depression, can be caused by self-starvation. Other conditions, such as poor judgment or a decline in comprehension or concentration, may also be side effects of starvation diets. You starve your body and your brain. Over-exercising or starving yourself are behaviors that could be classified as purging. People with eating disorders may also exhibit this characteristic.
Serious psychological complications can develop if your calorie intake is less than 50% of what is required for your body type. It's never better to eat as few calories as possible. In order to reduce your weight in a healthy way, take in approximately 20% less than your required caloric count.
For example, if you take in 2400 calories a day to stay at your current weight, to lose weight, you should consider cutting back to 1900 calories. Of course, speaking with a professional is always best before beginning any weight loss program.
Having Professionals Assist You with Weight Loss
The specialists at Mind and Body Christian Health Group understand that extra weight leaves a person open to certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, heart problems, type II diabetes, and more. That's why we are ready to assist you in your weight loss endeavor. We will take your BMI (body mass index), your height, age, etc. into consideration to determine your best course of action.
Healthy weight loss is a serious undertaking. Don't follow fad diets you saw in the latest issue of your favorite magazine. Our professionals will, with careful analysis, figure out the best exercise program and appropriate eating habits to help you reach your goals of being happy, comfortable, and healthy.