The New Year means a list of resolutions to work on for another 365 days. More often than not, one resolution that's on anyone's list is losing weight through diet and exercise. While some people follow the slow and sensible approach to dieting, some take the quick and not so healthy route. Such method of dieting is actually causing your body even more harm.
Losing weight the crash and burn way isn't entirely a good thing. Sure, you lose fat the faster way, but did you know there are six side effects to the starve-and-binge dieting method? One side effect is: bad breath. In a survey done by UltraDex, 15 percent of people who skip meals are more likely to get halitosis.
Another side effect of an unhealthy diet is fatigue. Food gives you the energy you need in day. Take that out of the equation and naturally your left with little or no energy at all. Even low-carb diets are reportedly not all that great for the body.
"Diets that promote the exclusion of major food groups can also leave you feeling tired, such as carb-free diets," explained Rob Hobson of Healthspan.
Mood swings are another side effect of unhealthy dieting. People who diet are usually easily irritated and impatient. Chow down on fresh, whole food rather than chomping down on a sugary snack that would only do you more harm than good.
Apart from fatigue, people who are on a diet usually have a hard time concentrating on tasks. Food contains the essential vitamins and minerals needed to function well. With an unhealthy diet, food isn't taken at appropriate amounts, thus leading to poor concentration.
Lastly, a starve-and-binge diet is also likely to cause digestive problems. Take out whole foods rich in fiber from your diet and you'll be suffering from constipation. On the other hand, an over consumption of fruits and vegetables would lead to diarrhea.
"One problem is skipping meals, which may affect digestion," stated Hobson, adding, "It's one less opportunity to properly nourish the body and that includes fibre, which most people already eat too little of. Also, skipping meals, then eating - or even worse, binging - after a long period of not eating, can leave you feeling heavily bloated."
Rather than take the easy way of dieting, take the slow approach to losing weight. A healthy diet paired with regular exercise is the best way to lose weight, without having to suffer six of the above side effects.
