This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Temple chapter.
Crash diets may seem appealing, especially during the last few weeks of spring, when many people are scrambling for a quick method to get a “summer body.” Although programs like the Hollywood Diet and the Cabbage Soup Diet may give you quick results, in the long term, they deter you from maintaining a healthy body weight.
A crash diet is a diet promising rapid weight-loss by restricting calories and/or certain foods. However, the weight that you are quickly shedding is not the fat you actually want to be burning. The rapid change in food intake sends your body into starvation mode and causes you to loose water and glycerin, a carbohydrate stored in your body.
This method will actually harm your weight-loss efforts through the ‘”yo-yo” effect. Studies have found that women who partake in “fad diets” ultimately gain weight and reduce their endurance and ability to concentrate. Weight gain occurs because when your body enters starvation mode, your metabolism slows in order to conserve calories. As soon as your diet ends and your calorie intake returns to normal, you’ll most likely gain back the weight you lost. This effect gets its name from the cycle of weight loss and weight gain that constant crash-dieters experience. In other words, your weight will constantly be fluctuating.
The yo-yo effect can even apply to working out. A study at the University of California used rats to find that once an exercise routine is halted, weight gain begins almost immediately. This means that each time you begin a workout regime again, it becomes harder to lose weight.
The only truly effective way to reach and maintain a healthy body weight is through a consistent healthy lifestyle consisting of exercise and a balanced diet. Plan healthy meals, drink lots of water, exercise frequently, and be mindful of how you treat your body. Your exercise routine should include weight training as well as cardio. Building muscle raises your metabolism and helps you burn more calories. Active.com suggests focusing on the process, rather than the outcome, of a healthy lifestyle. Nourish your body, and you will feel and look healthier.