During the Christmas party season and summer holiday preparation, we all want fast, effective ways to get into shape.
Busy and hectic lifestyles mean many of us leave it until the last minute before trying to squeeze into that special outfit or feeling the all-to-familiar inner panic that comes with bikini season.
The ‘3 day diet’ promises to help you lose weight FAST.
With some ‘diet plans’ recommending you swap entire meals for cups of coffee and with no endorsement of exercise or a balanced diet, many people are wary of this rapid approach.
Though you can almost certainly see results in the short term, is this a long-term solution to weight loss?
Nutritional advisor and personal trainer Natasha Marcusfield says that those considering the 3 day diet should make sure they have all the facts before putting their bodies through the (non) eating plan.
She said: “Dieters may experience rapid weight loss. However, this will be due to the diet shocking the body and sending it into starvation mode. The weight loss is not fat loss it's water as crash diets use up the body's supply of the carbohydrate glycogen.”
But, will these results last?
“No,” says Natasha. “Crash diets provide a short term fix. When you go on a crash diet your body thinks you're starving it so the response will be a decrease in your metabolism resulting in fewer calories being burnt.
Therefore, when you start eating again you will gain weight more easily and it can take several months maybe even years for your body's metabolism to readjust.”
The effect of intensive crash dieting may impact your health long after those pounds have disappeared from your waistline.
“There are many risks to your long term health when carrying out a crash diet. One associated risk is nutritional deficiency as the diet may have only consisted of one food group.
“Nutritional deficiency can lead to moodiness, depression, intense cravings and irritability. Other risks include serious eating problems for example anorexia and bulimia as well as other health related illnesses including brain damage, heart attacks and kidney failure.”
Yikes! So how can we lose weight and keep it off?
Natasha says: “The best way to maintain a sustainable weight is too stay active, exercise regularly (to speed up your metabolism) and to eat a balanced diet consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables, protein, carbohydrates and good fats such as avocado and coconut oil which keep you feeling fuller for longer!”
Natasha Marcusfield is a Mobile Personal Trainer and Nutritional Adviser based in North West London. For more information please contact trainingwithnatasha@gmail.com or check out her Facebook pageTraining With Natasha
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