If you are panicking, looking to find out how to lose weight in 2 weeks , you have probably considered a starvation diet. Hopefully you haven’t, and hopefully this does not inspire you to start one, but you may be considering going on a starvation diet to take off as much weight as possible, as quickly as possible.
This article has one basic purpose: to implore you not to start a starvation diet. Starving yourself isn’t healthy physically, and it isn’t healthy mentally.
There are a ton of myths, and some truths about starvation diets, and we will hopefully square away some information for you, so you can at least have your facts straight. Remember though, this is informational, and we do not want anyone trying a starvation diet.
First off is a myth. The idea that not eating slows fat burning isn’t really grounded in any science that has been substantiated. We’ll save the footnotes and citations for another day, but there isn’t any sort of science that says that not eating for a set period of time will cause the metabolism to slow down. That doesn’t mean you should do it, because you WILL certainly derail your efforts, but this idea that not eating, then eating again will cause you to get fat isn’t grounded in reality.
The second point is a truth. Starvation diets are always short lived, ill advised, and almost never deliver on the intended outcome. There is no way that you can maintain a starvation diet over enough time to get significant results. Eating disorders aside, this is not something that people can maintain, and if they try, things go badly. From uneven blood sugar, sometimes dehydration, poor mood, and eventually binge eating once you give up on this tactic all add up to cause harm, and reverse your efforts.
And third is another truth. Starvation diets can seriously damage your health. We already pointed a few things out, but when people try and sustain a starvation diet, a number of things can crop up, and few of them are good. Hormonal imbalances, renal distress, excessive fatigue, weakness, osteoporosis and other issues all are real and can have a serious impact on your well being.
Those who are chronically underfed are cranky for a reason. Going without food long enough can also play with your ability to concentrate, and the development of eating disorders.
If you think for a moment that you are struggling mentally with your diet, you should seek medical advice immediately. Dieting and fast weight loss can be done correctly, but allowing it to consume and negatively impact your life is not what anyone should be willing to tolerate.
If you are looking for fast weight loss, starvation diets are not the answer. Even in the short term. Finding a sustainable approach that balances food, exercise, and your life’s duties is certainly a better option.
PS
For those who are interested in this sort of thing, Intermittent Fasting is NOT starvation eating. Brad Pilon has a wonderful book called Eat Stop Eat that is certainly worth a look and explains the difference between starving, and fasting.
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- Weight Loss Sabotage: Skipping Meals (fitsugar.com)
