FAD Diets/Crash Diets: Are They Harmful for Women?

Crash diets offer an opportunity to lose weight quickly without necessarily engaging in strenuous exercise, appealing to many women wanting to drop some kilos quickly. However, several underlying truths lie within these promises. 

Despite the popularity of specific diets and the desire to lose weight rapidly, the reality of a crash diet reveals that the disadvantages may outweigh the benefits. For women, the troubles may be even more severe. For many of them, metabolism and hormones significantly complicate things. 

However, such diets can contribute to muscle loss, poor nutrient intake, and a slow metabolic rate rather than making lasting changes to one’s body. Worse still, they may lead to the development of unhealthy attitudes towards food and depression. 

In this article, you will learn the truths about crash diets and why healthy and sustainable goals should be women’s primary focus in health and fitness.

What is a Crash Diet?

A crash diet is very restrictive regarding how much food one can eat. It is taken for a short period to help individuals lose body weight quickly. Despite this, it may lead to weight loss, which is unhealthy for the body. 

Examples of Unhealthy Crash Diets

• South Beach Diet: A low-carb, high-protein plan that may limit essential nutrients.
• Atkins Diet: A very low-carb, high-fat regimen that can deprive the body of necessary carbohydrates.
• Liquid Diets (e.g., Slim Fast or “juice cleanse” diets): These often lack essential proteins and fats, offering only liquid-based, nutrient-poor options.
• Cabbage Soup Diet: A severely restrictive plan focused on cabbage soup, providing minimal nutritional variety.  
• Raw Food Diet: This diet excludes cooked food, which can lead to deficiencies in key nutrients, especially protein and vitamin B12.
• Whole30: A 30-day elimination diet that cuts out entire food groups, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies.
• Keto Diet: A high-fat, low-carb diet that can cause nutrient imbalances and may not be sustainable for long-term health.
• Paleo Diet:  A diet that consists of fresh meat and fish products, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts, and seeds while avoiding processed foods, grains, and dairy products. It may also be nutritionally inadequate if poorly balanced, and may also be limiting for certain groups of people.^[1]
• OMAD Diet (One Meal a Day): A diet that restricts the daily calorie intake to a single meal that should be consumed in a period not exceeding one hour. It may lead to a deficiency in certain nutrients and impact metabolism and energy levels if not properly planned. It may not be ideal for everyone, especially those with certain health issues.^[2] 

Any diets or strategies that involve extreme dieting and drastically cutting caloric intake, exercise, or other activities do not offer a long-lasting solution for weight loss and are unhealthy since they put an individual at risk in various ways.  

Every person’s body is different. What is effective and helpful for one person might be completely contradictory for another due to the differences in physiology, metabolism, and other factors.

Being influenced by social media or looking up results posted by unlicensed health coaches or individuals is dangerous and not recommended.  

To properly and efficiently follow your preferred strategy, diet, or lifestyle change, it is advisable to consult with your registered dietitian, who will formulate a personalised plan for you based on your preferences, health, and biochemical parameters.

What Are the Risks of a Crash Diets?

Dieting is a noble goal for women who wish to shed pounds quickly to fit into smaller trousers or effectively manage their weight. However, crash diets are dangerous and have the potential to adversely affect the health of women who decide to embark on them.

#1 Crash Diets May Lead to Weight Gain

FAD Diets/crash diets hamper metabolic activities, thereby reducing metabolism, which may lead to weight gain. One of the more dangerous aspects of crash diets is that they can result in weight gain in the long run.

While most of them may appear effective in the short term, they are often not sustainable. When one goes on a crash diet, they will likely lose water content and muscle rather than fat. 

Therefore, you may regain the weight as soon as you stop the diet, forming a cycle of weight loss and regain. This type of cycle is called yo-yo dieting, and using it can harm the body and mind. 

Every time weight is shed and regained quickly, it puts added pressure on the body’s metabolic process, making it harder to lose weight again in the future.

Moreover, constant weight loss and gain can lead to the development of other diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. ^[3]

While extreme diets may offer short-term weight loss benefits, which may not be healthy, long-term weight loss requires adopting healthy practices in small and significant ways.^[4]

#2 Crash Diets May Lead to Malnutrition

Crash diets, especially those that reduce the portion size of the food one consumes, can lead to malnutrition, which occurs when the body does not receive sufficient amounts of macronutrients, such as fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, or micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals.^[5] This can lead to several health problems, for instance:

• Poor growth and development of muscle and bone
• Dehydration
• Constipation
• Weakened immune system
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Underweight
• Mood changes include irritability, anxiety, or even depression.
• Nutritional deficiencies, such as anaemia, beriberi, osteoporosis, and iodine deficiency disorder (IDD).

#3 Crash Diets May Lead to Changes to Your Body’s Metabolism and Hunger Cues

Crash diets involve energy loss through restricted-calorie meal plans, which can lead to long-term changes in the physiological perception of hunger and food.^[6]

For instance, it could fail to signal when your stomach is full, thus leading to overeating. At times, metabolism could be slower than usual. Metabolic slowdown also affects the body’s ability to burn calories, which can hinder weight loss or even prevent weight gain. 

These changes might challenge a woman to lose or maintain that weight for a given period and give up, ending up in another round of dieting, which may not be healthy for them.

#4 Crash Diets May Lead to Disordered Eating Thoughts or Behaviours

These diets also lead to disordered eating patterns, which can be hazardous to an individual’s health related to food. These can include daily calorie restriction, constant dieting, or experiencing guilt after eating.^[7]

Still, more often, crash dieting might even be an indication that an individual is suffering from an eating disorder. While not all dieters will develop an eating disorder, elevated weight loss goals can lead to dangerous eating behaviours like restrictive eating, binge eating, or purging. 

Such behaviours may negatively impact one’s mental and physical well-being, perpetuating a vicious cycle. These patterns may have implications for emotional health and may lead to more serious forms of eating disorders in some instances.

#5 Crash Diets May Lead to Problems with Body Image

The dangers of crash diets are that they make the condition worse for people with body image issues, especially women who tend to focus on a certain weight or body shape. This may lead to dissatisfaction with their appearance and contribute to low self-esteem. ^[8]

This leads to negative feelings towards the body shape and size, mainly when crash diets do not produce the expected results. For this reason, women may be stuck in a never-ending cycle of dieting and getting frustrated when the body does not change as expected. 

And indeed, such a condition hinders an individual from being comfortable with his body structure and shape, and therefore causes poor mental health. Instead, the effects of crash diets often lead to feelings of inadequacy and a lack of self-sense.

#6 Crash Diets May Lead to Hormonal Imbalance

Women experience disrupted hormonal equilibrium when they reduce their food intake dramatically through crash dieting. The human body performs critical functions through hormonal control, including basic metabolism, hunger regulation, mood management, and reproductive capability.^[9]

Women might experience irregular periods as well as early menopausal symptoms when weight loss occurs suddenly or when their nutritional needs are insufficient, thereby disrupting hormone production.^[10] When essential hormones and estrogen decrease, there is a mood change that creates both anxiety and depression, with irritability. ^[11]

A continuous decrease in daily caloric intake leads to metabolic slowdown, which becomes a barrier to weight control.

#7 Low Energy Levels & Hypoglycemia

Balanced carbohydrates are crucial as they serve as the primary source of energy. However, strict dieting can cause individuals to become energy-deficient due to their work’s heightened daily physical, psychological, and physiological demands. 

Strict dieting also poses an increased risk of hypoglycaemia in those following dieting plans aimed at fast weight loss (for example, Atkins, South Beach, low-carb/no-carb diets). Hypocaloric diets tend to lead to hypoglycaemia. Poorly controlled sugar levels can pose a potential risk of diabetes.

How Can You Manage Weight Safely?

Achieving weight management safely requires a healthy approach that includes gradual progress and finding enjoyment in the process. The correct approach involves developing sustainable habits that will eventually become regular components of your daily life. The following are safe weight control measures.

#1 Eat a Nutritious and Balanced Diet

A balanced diet provides all the essential nutrients for your body. Incorporate a variety of food types into your daily meals to achieve your health goals.

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Whole Grains
• Lean Proteins
• Healthy Fats
• Plenty of Water

This eating pattern may give your body all the required nutrients without consuming excess calories. However, you must also consume sufficient daily calories to maintain energy levels.

A balanced diet contains adequate and proper food for health. It has all the necessary components, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. 

It is best to adhere to the My Plate approach. According to the plate, macronutrients and micronutrients must be obtained from at least 10 food groups, which include vegetables, fruits, greens, tubers and roots, whole grains and millets, nuts and seeds, legumes, meat and eggs, oils and fats, and milk and dairy products. 

The plate also shows the ratio of food from various groups that should be consumed in a 2000 kcal diet for an Indian person.

#2 Practice Mindful Eating

It is crucial to practise mindfulness while eating to manage food cravings and excessive hunger. Being mindful means paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the present moment. 

When individuals practice mindful eating, they actively use their physical and emotional senses to appreciate their selections. This promotes self-care by enabling individuals to choose food options that are both enjoyable to consume and nourishing for the body.

Do not rush when eating; take time to savour what you eat. This means mindful eating involves paying close attention to the body’s signals and eating consciously. Here are some of the appropriate common points to practice:

• Do not use terms like ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ for the Foods
• Listen to Your Hunger Cues
• Eat with Balance

It is essential, as it helps you avoid stress each time you take a meal or snack, and learn to enjoy your meals.

#3 Be Physically Active Every Day

Being physically active does not necessarily mean going to the gym or exercising vigorously daily. The reason behind this is simple: the best exercise is the one you enjoy. 

So, whether you walk, dance, swim, or practice yoga, ensure it brings you happiness. Exercise is known not only as a way to lose excess fat, but also as a means to become happier and more energetic.

Try to get 30-60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day, but don’t stress if it’s impossible. Other basic activities involving muscles and joints, such as walking or stretching, are also beneficial.

#4 Prioritise Good Sleep

Healthy sleep is another fundamental human need, as essential as maintaining a quality and balanced diet and exercising regularly, among other basic needs. Lack of sleep may affect your energy, productivity, and the food you consume. Here are a few easy tips to follow for better sleeping habits:

• Prioritise sleep by establishing a consistent bedtime and wake-up time that is fixed daily.
• Switch off electronic gadgets an hour before bedtime.
• Ensure that the room you retire to is cool and quiet, and switch off any light source before going to sleep.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the evening, as it can have undesirable effects, including disrupting sleep.

Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to allow your body to rest and function optimally.

#5 Manage Weight Slowly

Sustainable weight management requires an all-encompassing approach that encompasses lifestyle management, including a balanced diet, regular physical activity, adequate hydration, stress management, and sufficient rest.

As with any plan, stress management takes time to show changes because the body needs time to adjust to the modifications.

It is a gradual process that significantly impacts when trying to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Sudden fluctuations in weight can negatively affect the body’s condition and may not yield the intended sustainable outcome. 

Generally, it’s healthier and easier to lose between 0.5 and 1 kg per week, but this also depends on the changes in your diet. This approach also ensures that you shed fat, not muscle, and retain your new body size for the long term.

In this context, it is essential to remind people that weight management is not a race but a gradual process. It is advisable to keep a check on portion size and gradually follow portion control to ensure that this process can be sustained in the long run.

The Bottom Line

People often turn to crash diets in the bid to lose weight fast, and while this might sound like a good idea, it is very unhealthy for women. These “crash” diets can result in relatively rapid weight loss, primarily in water and muscle mass, rather than fat, leading to weight cycling. 

It may also affect hormonal regulation, cause nutrient deficiencies, and alter eating patterns. Therefore, adopting a healthy lifestyle in the long term is essential, which involves maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, getting sufficient sleep, and effectively managing eating habits. This will also facilitate achieving long-term weight loss results without compromising overall health.

You need to know that weight management is about sound decisions that regularly impact physical and mental well-being. It’s never too early or too late to make a change; our qualified nutritionist will help you find a nutrition solution that works best for you, enabling you to reach and maintain a healthier, ideal weight safely.

Frequently Asked Questions