How to lose weight correctly? Endocrinologist explains why crash diets don't work

So let's figure out whether the crash diet works in general or in specific situations.

What processes are triggered in the body during a crash diet? What causes rapid weight loss in general?

Generally speaking, the essence of a crash diet is a short-term and very strict dietary restriction. First, carbohydrates are excluded from the diet. If carbohydrates do not enter the body, a protective mechanism is triggered - gluconeogenesis - the process of producing glucose from non-carbohydrate compounds. But unfortunately, even if excess fat tissue is present in the body, the body doesn't use it for this purpose. The body produces glucose from muscle tissue (myocytes). They are ideal for producing glucose. So with a fast diet, we lose mostly muscle, while fat remains. It's important to know that carbohydrates are the main source of energy: the brain and red blood cells require the constant presence of glucose in the blood. When sufficient amounts of carbohydrates enter the body, the body can "store" them in the liver and muscles in the form of a complex substance called glycogen. This "reserve" is sufficient for short-term use. For example, with a high-quality aerobic workout, the body's entire glycogen stores are depleted within 30-40 minutes. Therefore, it is often recommended to eat a protein bar or even a piece of chocolate after training. When we deny protein, we deprive our body's cells of the building blocks of muscle and immunoglobulins, which are responsible for immunity.

What are the main mistakes people make when choosing this method of losing weight?

If it's necessary to adjust your weight, you need to overhaul your diet - once and for all. Strict dieting, or even fasting for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, will not solve the problem and will most likely only worsen the problem, negatively affecting your health and mental state. The pursuit of a slimmer figure in a short period of time can cause serious changes in the body, worsening existing diseases and even creating new health problems. In some cases, short-term fasting is acceptable, but only for medical reasons and under the supervision of a doctor.

What are the dangers of a severe caloric deficit, especially for women?

Losing weight in a short period of time can affect your appearance as well as the function of your internal organs and all body systems. With a fast diet, the following changes occur:

• Lack of nutrients, vitamins and dehydration can cause the brain to be starved of carbohydrates - the building blocks and energy substrate that serve as the body's "fuel". Its deficiency can lead to headaches, worsening of memory and mood. Therefore, after such a diet, breakdowns often occur, and you often crave sweet or starchy foods, just like during psycho-emotional experiences and anxiety.
• As weight decreases dramatically, blood cell counts worsen, and the cardiovascular system cannot keep up with the changes. As a result, health deteriorates and the burden on the cardiovascular system increases.
• Protein is the main source of essential substances for immune cells and antibodies. Lack of it in the diet reduces immunity.
• An unbalanced diet or fasting can lead to vitamin deficiencies: the condition of hair and nails worsens, and the skin becomes dry and saggy.
• Drastic weight loss caused by a crash diet is due to loss of muscle and water; as a result, a person loses weight but becomes flabby because the skin does not have time to contract.
• The menstrual cycle is disrupted, sexual desire decreases, and the reproductive system enters "energy saving" mode.
• Intestinal function deteriorates and the risk of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract increases. The body is accustomed to taking in and processing food on a regular basis, but on a fast diet, this coordination is disrupted.

Hungry for days. Why is this dangerous?

Proponents of the diet often explain the complete rejection of food as the need to rid the body of toxins. But long-term fasting can have negative consequences. The body's organs and tissues lose the ability to absorb nutrients. The result is muscle mass loss, dehydration, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic suppression. The body sees the cessation of the normal supply of nutrients as an emergency, and when a normal diet is restored, it begins to urgently accumulate energy sources - fats in case the stress just experienced is experienced again.

Why do people most of the time gain weight again after exhausting their diet? How to maintain the effects of your diet?

Eating fast can cause stress, and under stress, the body will begin to synthesize large amounts of the hormone cortisol, which allows you to maintain blood sugar levels due to the breakdown of muscle tissue, which is required to form a balanced diet. As a result, crash dieting slows down your metabolism and you will start to gain weight even on a regular or low-calorie diet. Returning to normal eating habits can lead to the deposition of more fat tissue - the body's protective response the next time it encounters stress.Losing excess weight is only the first step in getting fit. If a person chooses stressful ways to combat excess weight, he is less likely to maintain the results.

Is it possible to lose weight quickly without damaging your health?

More likely no than yes. Losing weight like this, even under the strict supervision of a doctor, and with insufficient vitamin supplements, the body will still perceive it as stress. The extent of the damage depends on the body's resources.

How to correctly "quit" such eating habits? What are the basic rules?

You can't stick to a diet forever. Even the longest diets eventually come to an end and require a transition to normal eating, and uncontrolled food consumption can quickly regain lost weight and gain new weight. Basic rules for switching to balanced nutrition after a fast diet:

• It is necessary to continue eating small amounts of food. Even large amounts of healthy foods can be harmful because the metabolism has not yet returned to normal.
• Fatty foods and carbohydrates should be introduced into the diet carefully. You should add avocados, vegetable oils, nuts, fatty fish, various grains and fruits to your menu. And exclude flour and candy entirely.
• In the first few days after the diet, you can increase the amount of vegetables and dairy products in your diet instead of indulging in meat and sweet fruits.
• Consume clean drinking water, at least 1 liter, in addition to other fluids.
• Instead of eating them all at once, you can introduce two new foods into your diet each day.
• The caloric content of the diet should be gradually increased.
• During the first week, it is important that the basis of the diet consists of the foods in the diet (but other foods can also be added gradually).
• It should be remembered that you should not snack while reading or watching TV series. After all, it’s easy to overeat at times like this.
• It is recommended that the last meal should be no later than 3 hours before going to bed.
• Remember physical activity is important. And if you reduce the load during dieting, you should not immediately start training with heavy weights. It is best to resume exercise gradually.

What role does physical activity/exercise play in weight loss?

Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to live an active lifestyle: we walk very little, many of us are in offices or work remotely, and time is limited. Physical activity keeps your body in shape and maintains a healthy weight, and everyone needs to find affordable physical activity options. It takes 7, 700 calories to lose 1 kilogram of fat. This can be achieved not only through extreme caloric deficit and muscle loss, which are harmful to health, but also through increased family activity and exercise: walk more - at least 5 kilometers a day, including aerobic exercise - swimming pool, stepper, etc. . If you are overweight, you can lose up to 1kg of fat per week and 4-5kg per month as long as you eat a balanced diet with the right protein and carbohydrates. A balanced diet and activity (which can be reduced or maintained at the same level) will also help maintain results. It is not recommended to exhaust yourself through strength training without expert supervision, as this is not only traumatic but also unsafe for the body, as this type of training requires special attention to nutrition and is very energy-consuming.