People often resort to crash or fad diets in an attempt to lose weight quickly. These diets are generally very low on calories. Due to this the weight loss is drastic. Some people crash diet to lose weight to help combat health conditions.
Each crash diet is different in terms of foods allowed and duration. But all restrict caloric intake and do not adhere to the norm or an individual’s regular eating habits. While there are many diets out there and new ones being added day by day. Let us take a look at a few of the common diets.
1. Intermittent fasting.
More than being a diet, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. This could mean not eating for specific periods of time (fasting or skipping meals a few times each week), with the intent to lose weight and improve health. This is considered easy since it does not involve a special diet, supplement or cutting calories at each meal. Another method of intermittent fasting focuses on the time that foods are eaten. In this method, it is believed that we have an overnight fast. Our day consists of 8 hours during which we eat. Intermittent Fasting believes in extending the fasting hours. During the fast, you are allowed to have beverages like water, coffee, tea and other non-alcoholic beverages. Some research says this kind of fasting is healthy and could possibly have a positive impact on weight loss and metabolic health. (Collier, et al)
Bottom Line: Followers of this diet believe, as long as you stick to healthy foods, eating within a certain ‘window’ of time can offer health benefits. However, before going on a fast consider the risk factors. Diabetics could experience a drop-in blood sugar. Doing strenuous exercise while fasting or being in a profession that needs you to stand for long periods of time can be exhausting. The benefits of such a diet also varies with age. Instead of fasting for extended periods of time, an overall decrease in calories may be better.
2. Atkins Diet
This was developed by Robert Atkins based on a research paper published in 1958. This diet limits or even eliminates carbohydrates. It is believed that by doing this, the body will be able to use stored fat as its primary energy source in a process called ketosis. A high intake of protein is allowed.
Bottom Line: Being low in carbs, the body breaks down muscle for energy. The initial weight loss predominantly consists of water loss. Also, without proper caution and guidance, people tend to consume unhealthy protein. They have to be aware of sources that come with saturated fats, like red meat.
3. Dukan Diet
The diet is divided into 4 phases- Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilisation. It advocates high protein, low fat (even the healthy ones) and low carbs. Due to the various phases, it promises quick initial weight loss, followed by a steadier drop in weight.
According to experts at WebMD, the Dukan Diet, though it focusses on lean protein, does not teach lifelong healthy eating as a habit. The Consolidation phase can last for months to years, depending on the amount of weight an individual needs to lose. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Bottom line: Here again consumption of high protein may or may not be healthy. Meat protein could be high in saturated fat leading to clogging of arteries. Healthy sources of fats are important for fat soluble vitamins to work well. Carbohydrates are important to provide energy to the body. By limiting these nutrients one runs the risk of developing weakness and deficiencies in the long run.
4. General Motors Diet
Many people will recognize this diet by its abbreviation, the GM Diet. Developed by General Motors in an attempt to help their employees eat healthy and lose weight. The diet runs for a week. Each day focuses on a different food item like melons, vegetables, bananas, milk, brown rice and protein. Along with these foods, they suggest you consume 12 glasses of water in a day.
Bottom Line: Though the diet is high in fibre, it is also low on macronutrients like protein, carbs and fat. This leads to quick weight loss. Being low in calories, you could experience a lowered metabolism. Once you get back to regular eating, this could backfire. Due to the metabolic slowdown, you may gain more weight than before.
5. Juice fasting
Touted as a popular detox diet, the juice fasting/ cleansing diet allows for consumption of only fruits and vegetable juices. This diet can be continued for a few days to several weeks. It is believed that the fibre of the vegetables and fruits activates digestion. The diet claims to make one feel more light and energetic. It also claims to help cure lifestyle related diseases due to the drop in weight. If this were the case, the fact remains that doctors still won’t prescribe it. This is due to the fact that there is zero scientific evidence to support the claims.
Bottom Line: You may end up feeling hungrier while following this diet. Chewing foods lends satiety to the whole experience of eating. Juices lack natural protein. Powders and supplements of protein place an additional burden on your kidneys. This diet actually works against muscle since it lacks protein. Your body breaks down muscle, lowering muscle mass. This in turn lowers the metabolic rate, once you start solid foods again, you can expect the weight to return.
Take home message on crash diets
• Whatever results these diets provide; the results are temporary.
• Due to a lowered metabolism, you regain the lost weight and perhaps even more, since now your body does not burn calories as effectively.
• Drastically cutting down calories, leads to loss of vital macro and micronutrients. If the body is starved this can lead to irritability.
• Most of the weight lost is water, especially in the initial few days.
• Due to the drastic cut in calories, once people get back to their regular eating patterns, bingeing is common. This results in a vicious cycle of starving and bingeing.
• A balanced diet is the crux of good health. In the course of a crash diet, for quicker weight loss results, major food groups are excluded. Nutritional deficiencies are inevitable. This results in lowered immunity and susceptibility to various illnesses.
With inputs from:
1. Collier R. Intermittent fasting: the science of going without. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2013;185(9):E363-E364. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-4451.
2. http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/dukan-diet
3. Hu T, Mills KT, Yao L, et al. Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diets Versus Low-Fat Diets on Metabolic Risk Factors: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2012;176(Suppl 7):S44-S54. doi:10.1093/aje/kws264.
4. Hooper L, Abdelhamid A, Moore HJ, Douthwaite W, Skeaff CM, Summerbell CD. Effect of reducing total fat intake on body weight: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies. BMJ. 2012 Dec 6;345:e7666. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e7666.
5. Opie LH. Lifestyle and diet. Cardiovascular Journal of Africa. 2014;25(6):298-301. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2014-063.
6. http://www.livestrong.com/article/300774-what-is-the-gm-diet/
7. https://draxe.com/juice-cleanse/