Curtis Harwell and Kelli Richardson Discuss Dieting & Crash Diets Pros and Cons

A crash diet isn't a good weight loss solution, as crash diets carry a number of health risks, not to mention you're almost guaranteed to gain back all the weight you lost once you go off the diet. Here are some reasons why fad diets, starvations diets and other crash diet plans are a bad idea, even if they really do help you lose weight fast.

How Crash Diets Work

Crash diets often appear to be working after only a few days. These fad diets shock your body, sending it into starvation mode. You'll experience rapid weight loss, but you're not actually losing any fat; instead, you're using your body's stored supply of the carbohydrate glycogen. As your body burns glycogen, you lose water as well, making it seem as though you're losing a lot of weight.

Emotional Side Effects of Crash Diets

Crash dieting tends to make dieters moody. You'll feel irritable, tired and lethargic, because your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs to make energy. You'll also have food cravings because you won't be getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function. Crash dieting can even lead to depression and eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.

Crash diet plans might claim that special combinations of foods can help you lose weight. The truth is, no special combination of food can raise your metabolism to help you lose weight. Only exercise can raise your metabolism to help you burn more calories.