4 Reasons Why Fad Diets Are Bad For You

A quick weight loss program might sound like a good idea at the time, but you’ll soon discover that fad diets can be more dangerous to your health than beneficial to it. Here are four reasons why fad diets are bad for you, plus get tips on how to create a diet plan that helps you lose the extra pounds safely—and keep them off.

Losing weight in a short period of time can be dangerous—and also doesn’t guarantee the pounds will stay off.

1. You’ll Wind Up Feeling Dehydrated

The majority of the weight you drop when you lose weight too quickly tends to be water weight, which can lead to rapid dehydration. Your body burns calories and excess weight in stages, and if you try to force your body to lose weight faster than it naturally wants to, you can cause serious health problems for yourself.

Tip: When trying to lose weight, remind yourself that water is your friend. To keep from overeating and to stay properly hydrated, drink one to two glasses before a meal. Also, if exercise daily, be sure to increase your water intake in order to counteract the water you lose from sweating while working out.

2. You’ll Get Tired Quickly

Fad diets involve depriving yourself of calories, however, calories are what translate into the energy your body needs to get through the day. If you fast or eat less than what your body requires in order to lose weight too quickly, you'll find yourself feeling fatigued for most of the day.

Tip: Eat smaller meals throughout the day. This will help to boost your metabolism, and can provide you with more energy to help you lose weight in a healthy manner.

3. You Can Get Serious Digestive Problems

It’s a subject no one wants to dwell on, but the truth is that losing weight too quickly can lead to severe diarrhea, to be followed later by constipation. As with losing water weight, having diarrhea over an extended period of time can lead to dehydration—a condition that can be life-threatening.

Tip: Ensure that you have a diet in which you are getting an adequate amount of fiber.

4. You’ll Suffer from Malnutrition

Crash diets and fasting are dangerous because they restrict you from consuming fats and carbs, but they’re also unsafe since they prevent your body from getting the vitamins and minerals it needs. If you restrict your body from its normal caloric intake over a long period of time, your body will be deprived of its essential nutrients and you’ll become severely malnourished.

Tip: A healthy, well-balanced diet is the key to proper weight loss. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about dietary supplements if you are concerned about the amount of nutrients you’re getting.