There are many diets that promise fast weight loss results; however, some are unhealthy and should be avoided as much as possible. This week, Mint Nutrition Clinic is talking all about starvation diets/meal-plans and why they might not produce the best/fastest weight loss results.
Starvation Diets: The Unhealthy Truths
Starvation diets focus on calorie restriction and telling participants to eat less food overall. Usually, these fast weight loss diet plans recommend eating about 800-1200 calories a day. This level of consumption is much lower than the 1800-2000 calories a day that the human body usually requires; therefore, fast weight loss results are seen in the short term and not in the long term.
When the body senses that calories are being eaten less, it slows the overall metabolism to match the calories consumed. Therefore, we start to burn less calories and enter starvation mode. Then the body increases the appetite level and promotes eating foods high in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (in order to get the fat mass that has been gone, replaced). Therefore, we start feeling more hungry than before, while also thinking more about food and snacks/treats more often.
Also, this starvation mode makes the body dislike physical activity (in order to stop the fat loss that is occurring). So we feel less inclined to workout and move around more. Therefore, decreasing our overall daily physical activity.
Usually starvation diets have bad long term weight loss results because individuals usually eat much more after the diet (due to the body's fat gaining characteristics). Therefore, its best to try healthier diets that are recommended by certified nutritionists. At Mint Nutrition Clinic, we teach diets that have medical research behind them, while providing our clients with long-term and healthy weight loss results.
Click Here, to meet our Toronto nutritionist and start a healthy diet plan today.