A very low-calorie diet (less than 1,000 calories a day) that causes
rapid weight loss negatively affects your body in several ways:
- Your metabolism slows to conserve energy because
the body thinks it is starving.
- Certain tissues, such as the brain
and nervous system, need carbohydrate (as blood sugar or glucose) for much of
their fuel. When not available from the diet, the body gets this blood sugar by
breaking down proteins. This causes a loss of protein tissue, or lean body
mass.
- You lose lean body tissues (muscle and organ tissue). During
starvation or when eating a very low-calorie diet, about half the weight you
lose is fat and the other half is lean tissue, such as muscle. On a more
moderate diet, the loss is about 75% fat and 25% lean tissue. It is important
to preserve lean tissue, since it increases your resting metabolic rate. Losing
too much lean tissue increases the percentage of fat in your body. The result
is a reduced metabolism. This is one reason it is so easy to regain weight when
you lose weight quickly.
- You may develop mineral and
electrolyte imbalances, which can be life-threatening.
This is the reason very low-calorie diets must be used under a doctor's
supervision.
- You lose bone mass. This is more risky for women,
because they are the ones who diet the most often, and they are also at higher
risk for developing
osteoporosis.
- Finally, regaining weight is
almost certain on these very low-calorie diets. This is damaging both
physically and psychologically.
Rapid weight-loss diets can be harmful to your health. Don't use such
a diet without talking with your doctor first. If you need to lose weight, it
is better to lose weight slowly. You will be more likely to lose the weight
safely and keep it off.
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