What are the risks of the crash diet?

If a one-sided crash diet is radically implemented over a longer period of time, the body lacks important nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace elements that it needs for its metabolic functions. If not enough healthy fats are absorbed through food, the body cannot absorb fat-soluble vitamins through the intestines. This means that if the diet is carried out over a longer period of time, deficiency symptoms and anaemia due to iron deficiency can occur.

Where can I find good recipes for the Crash Diet?

There are numerous different crash diets that can be researched under the collective term “crash diet“. You can call up the respective diet on the Internet and get countless tasty recipes for free. There are also various books for each diet. One advantage of the books is that they often contain shopping lists and complete diet plans, so that a structure is given.

How much can I lose weight with this diet form?

Depending on which crash diet you decide on, what the individual starting situation looks like and what amount of calories you consume daily, the success of crash diets varies greatly. Some diets promise a weight loss of 5 to 7 kilos in one week. Especially in the first few days, the body washes out a lot of water during the change of diet, which can also be observed on the scales.

How can I avoid the yoyo effect with this diet?

Unfortunately, the dreaded yoyo effect follows most crash diets. During the diet, the metabolism switches to the low flame due to the low calorie intake. You lose weight quickly.

If you suddenly supply your body with significantly more energy in the form of calories, i.e. food, your body will use this energy in the form of fat pads to provide for the next hunger period. Most people really hit the mark after a hard crash diet when they are allowed to eat again. As a result, most people quickly gain weight again after the diet, which was previously laboriously lost.

Often you even weigh a little more than before the diet. In order to avoid the yoyo effect of a radical crash diet, there is only one thing that helps: use the diet as a starting point for a change in diet. This means that after the crash diet you gradually increase your calorie intake and at best continue to do a lot of sport. Then the metabolism has the chance to adapt and is less prone to the dreaded yoyo effect.

Medical evaluation of the diet

Crash diets have advantages that attract many users: they promise a very pronounced weight loss within a few days. These diets are often used before summer holidays or events such as an upcoming wedding. In the first few days, a lot of water is washed out, the pounds drop and you quickly feel significantly slimmer.

However, over a longer period of weeks or months the diet is unhealthy and harmful. Crash diets are too one-sided and by no means provide the body with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients. If they are implemented for more than 1 – 2 weeks, dangerous deficiency symptoms can occur.

Therefore a crash diet should only be done for a few days. It is a good idea to use a crash diet as an introduction to a new healthy, balanced diet. To avoid the yo-yo effect, calories and additional food should be increased slowly. In order to lose weight in the long term and maintain the desired weight, one should exercise regularly. The conclusion to the controversial crash diet is: gladly as a start into a healthy diet, but in no case as a radical diet over several weeks!