Why is losing weight too fast bad for you?
"Drop two sizes to be beach body ready!" or "Lose 10 kilos in a month!"
Today we are bombarded with similar messages, supposed quick-fix weight loss solutions, and it can be quite tough not to be tempted.
Rapid weight loss can have negative consequences, both mentally and physically. It is not sustainable, and in most cases, you end up putting back all the weight you worked so hard to lose in the first place. This is because you mainly lose water as well as muscle, which leads to different negative consequences for your health.
Side effects
Above all, you may end up with nutritional deficiencies, because eating too little and in an unbalanced way results in insufficient mineral and vitamin intake. For example, a shortage of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous can result in weak and fragile bones, or a shortage of iron and vitamin B12 can cause fatigue and anaemia.
Moreover, many studies show that an excessively restrictive diet often results in a loss of muscle mass. In contrast, you should be aiming for fat loss and increased muscle mass, which among other things, helps develop a more active and faster metabolism.
Another side effect is that your metabolism could also slow down. This determines the number of calories burnt per day; factors such as age, sex and DNA can also influence it. Losing weight too fast can actually slow down metabolic rate, which means you'll burn less calories per day. A slow metabolism can occur due to a loss of muscle and a reduction of thyroid hormones.
If fat mass is lost gradually over time, you will learn to eat with greater awareness, correct bad habits and rebuild a healthy relationship with food, ultimately leading to a new and balanced lifestyle.
