What crash diets really do to your body

We’re all familiar with those diets that claim to make you “lose weight quick” or get a “flat belly in a week”.

And you might have even been tempted to try these restrictive regimes to fit into that party dress (or suit!).

But crash diets rarely deliver on their promises – and can cause a lot more harm than you’d think.

You can go into starvation mode.

Intermittent fasting can be beneficial. Mimicking the diet patterns of our ancestors (no, we haven’t always eaten three meals a day), it has been shown to help heal the body and encourage mindful eating.

But for the same evolutionary reasons, extreme, prolonged fasting (or starving) can be very dangerous. When you starve yourself, the brain signals the metabolism to slow down because it thinks you might die.

“Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy because it doesn’t know when it will be provided with adequate fuel again,” says dietitian Natalie Bourke.

Your weight will yo-yo.

Evidence shows that 90 per cent of people who diet gain back any weight they lost within five years – and then some.

If you’ve forced your body into starvation mode, you may gain weight quickly due to a reduced metabolism. This can seriously put your health at risk.

“Just one cycle of weight loss and weight gain can contribute to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of body fat levels,” says Better Health Victoria.

You’ll burn muscle instead of fat.

Once the body has used up its carbohydrate and fat stores, it will begin to break down protein. It takes several days of fasting (about the duration of a crash diet) for muscle wastage to begin.

In the post-diet binge, the body will begin storing fat again. And a high fat-to-muscle ratio spells all kinds of bad news.

A major study of 50,000 people found that those with a high body fat percentage had higher risk of mortality, regardless of their body mass index (BMI).

You may become malnourished.

Let’s forget calories for a second and think about all the nutrients you miss out on when you restrict your diet!

You could potentially even cause an electrolyte imbalance, a serious condition causing fatigue, cramping, vomiting and even seizures or heart issues.

You could develop disordered eating.

The inevitable failure of a crash diet can trigger feelings of guilt and shame around food and body image.

“Dieting is the number one cause of the onset of an eating disorder and seeking help early is the best preventative measure,” says The Butterfly Foundation for Eating Disorders.

If you need help or know someone who does, contact The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 (or contact Beat in the UK on 0808 801 0677 or NEDA in the US on 800 931-2237).

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