Dangers of 500 Calorie Diet

Continuous criticism about weight issues can make one take extreme measures to lose the unwanted fat. However, acting in a moment of anger, can only put you in a jeopardy of complex health issues related to weight. The 500-calorie diet has been famous for helping many shed those few extra pounds. But how effective is it? What good is a diet that makes you eat so less, that it leaves you drained out at every step? Dangers of 500 calorie diet are definitely more than its benefits. Let's take a look at what are some of the harmful effects of a very low calorie diet.

How Does This Diet Work?
Our bodies are designed to burn the calories which we consume, to provide the fuel for daily activities. However, when excessive calories get stored in the body, it leads to fat accumulation and causes obesity. Thus, one needs to exercise more, instead on cutting down on calories. A drastic cut in calorie intake leads to lack of energy, as body begins to store the consumed calories, thinking that it is getting less. This happens due to mere survival instinct. Thus, one cannot suddenly come down to 500 calorie diet, from following a 1500 calorie diet for years together every single day.

Slow Metabolism
Metabolism is basically a mechanism designed by our body to burn the calories we consume. Metabolism rate depends on our muscle build up. More the muscle, higher the metabolism rate. So, technically, the body uses the muscle for metabolic activity. Now, if intake of calories is reduced to only 500, your body will still keep using muscle to burn calories, which will cause muscle wastage. Lesser you eat, lesser are the calories burned. Less muscle is build and after a point your body's metabolic rate drops.

Health Risks
Dangers of this diet extend to bigger health risks too. Lack of nutrition for the body is a threat that many ignore while blindly following these diets. Nutritional deficiencies such as iron deficiency, vitamin deficiency and lack of minerals can lead to poor eyesight, irregular heartbeat patterns and in worst cases such fad diets can cause death due to ventricular arrhythmias. For women in their mid twenties, adhering to such diets can lead to problematic pregnancies. Children below the age of 18, adolescents, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and women trying to conceive must strictly stay away from these diet fads.

Weight Regain
Following a low calorie diet also leads to immediate weight regain. Many dieters resort to binge eating to satisfy their taste buds after following these crash diets for a couple of days. Moreover, as the metabolic rate drops it causes no weight loss and further brings down the chances of losing weight. Thus, a low calorie diet has a negative effect instead of helping you lose weight.

The dangers range from severe health risks to reparable problems such as malnutrition and low energy levels. The severity of the problems often depends upon duration of the diet. Longer you follow a low calorie diet, more serious will be your problems. A low calorie diet has to be followed under medical supervision to avert any kind of dangers to yourself. If you are also undergoing a strict exercise routine, then your body definitely requires more than 500 calories. Most of these fad diets promote some shakes, soups and salads. The truth is they aren't rich in fiber either. Eating packaged food may show weight loss results, however, it is only temporary in nature. The damage it does to body in return is often irreparable. Thus, think twice before you take a diet leap.

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