The benefits of being at a healthy weight are indisputable; dropping just five to 10 percent of your body weight may help improve your overall health and reduce the risk of health conditions like heart diseases, obesity and diabetes.
However, shedding extra pounds may also mean some unexpected challenges that show up when you lose a significant amount of weight in a short span of time, especially if you are following a fad diet.
Fad diets are diets that promise to help you lose weight in less than a week’s time.
While there are many positives that may skyrocket like boost in your energy levels, better skin and hair, and healthy lifestyle, et al; the negatives that it may bring along may depend on a person to person and their journey of losing weight.
Here are the side effects of losing a significant amount of weight that you must know.
1. You may develop a sagging skin
Loose, sagging skin is one of the most common side effects of losing weight too fast. It usually happens because the skin is not able to shrink as quickly as the body, therefore, most health experts suggest focusing on slow, steady weight loss to give enough shrinking time to your skin. Moreover, it also depends on the exercises that you engage in; so always consult your fitness expert or gym instructor to make a workout plan accordingly.
2. May affect hair health
Most fad diets suggest consuming fewer calories, which may mean they don’t have enough essential nutrients to add to your body. This can lead you to being malnourished, further causing hair loss. Deficiencies of macro and micro nutrients in the body may lead to dull and weak hair. Make sure you load up on more protein in your diet and eat enough calories that include sufficient amount of vital nutrients to avoid such a condition.
3. May also affect your skin health
Sure, your diet may keep your body slim, but it may impact your skin health, too. The foods you eat decide what will show up on your skin. Poor nourishment may lead to break-outs, acne, dull skin, fine lines, et al. The idea is to add foods that are rich in antioxidants that help block skin damage, especially from the sun.
4. May cause constipation
If you are following a certain diet, your constipation maybe related to the dietary changes you have made. So, it is always good to add up on more fibre-rich foods, including whole grains, salads, raw fruits and vegetables, et al, to get your bowels moving. Also, it is important to keep yourself hydrated all the time, which helps keep constipation at bay.
5. This may also affect menstrual cycle
Fluctuations in your weight may cause your menstrual cycle to fluctuate. It is always good to consult a dietitian to construct a healthy diet plan for you to lose weight in a proper way without having to affect your monthly cycles.
6. You may have a trouble sleeping
What you eat on a daily basis has a direct effect on your sleeping patterns. The constant changes in your dietary plans may affect your sleep in more ways than one. To have a healthy sleep at night, make sure you are loading up on carbohydrates along with protein in order to make your tryptophan levels go up.
Please know that not all people go through negative physical and emotional side effects; however, it is important to be aware of them and talk to your doctor in case they do occur.
