Do mainstream low this, low that reduction diets work? The answer is – no, not in the long term, anyway. Statistics clearly shows that. The idea that you have to starve in order to lose weight is a myth. In this article we will explore why.
Reduction or starvation diets are diets that advise consuming very little calories, sometimes even less that 1000 calories a day. The idea is that calorie deficit will produce weight loss. Of course, it will, and in the short term you will definitely lose weight. But because of how your body functions, it won’t last very long. It can even cause serious health problems.
Today, the numbers of overweight and obese people are still increasing. In U.S., there is more than 120 million adults that are overweight, 60 million are obese, and 9 million severely obese. Many of them did and still do try to lose weight. Approximately 95% of people who follow the mainstream low calorie, low fat, and low carb diets fail.
To understand why reduction diets don’t work, we have to understand how our bodies, which are much smarter than we usually think, deal with prolonged calorie deficit. Your body won’t just wait for you to starve to death, it will adapt so that it can survive on as little energy as possible. This is called starvation mode and when your body goes into this mode, weight loss becomes nearly impossible.
Starvation mode will reduce your metabolic rate and turn your body into a calorie saving fat-storing machine. It will try to lower energy requirements and preserve as much fuel (fat) as possible. Every last scrap of energy that could be stored for later use, will be stored. Simply put, you have a talent now to get fatter on less food.
What do you think happens, when you stop dieting and start eating normally again? You will gain weight faster than you ever thought possible. In the end, you will weigh more than you did before you start your starvation diet.
If you want to lose weight, don’t starve yourself. Starvation diet is the worst thing you can do. It’s cruel, unhealthy and it doesn’t work. There are much better ways to lose weight.
