A crash diet is a short-term food plan that helps you lose weight quickly in less than 1 to 2 weeks. The diet aims at drastically cutting down on calorie intake and is often followed by people who want to shed those extra kilograms for special occasions such as weddings, parties, date and so on.
A crash diet is a weight loss dieting plan for shedding surplus kilos in a short span of time. It is a restrictive or a very low-calorie diet regimen aimed at short-term weight loss targets. While it is not meant to be followed for long-term weight loss goals. The results of crash diets are momentary, and you will easily gain weight right away if you do not adhere to healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

Eating small amount of vegetables from a plate

Though it can give desired results in just a few days, it is not advisable to do it very often.

People on a crash diet go for a low-calorie food and when the body is totally deprived of energy it starts burning out stored fat as a source of fuel for performing the vital tasks.

Following crash diet quite often results in nutrient depletion and you will eventually become weak. 

Ways Crash Diet Impacts Your Body

Lowers Metabolic Rate

The main feature in a crash diet is that it lowers your metabolic rate, a high metabolism is vital for weight loss. As muscle breakdown is greater with intense dieting for a prolonged time. Less muscle reduces the metabolic rate and number of calories burned, in the end, leading to weight gain.

Weakens Immune System

Following a crash diet will make you deprived of the essential vitamins and minerals that can weaken your immune system. A weak immune system makes you more prone to illness. Cutting down fat totally will also result in not getting the essential fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are crucial in strengthening the immune system and deficiency can also lead to other illness.

Dehydration

Going for a diet wholly on juices will end up in quick weight loss, but it is eventually the water that is shed from the body rather than the burning of fat that is essential for long-term weight loss. Glycogen stores bind with water and are depleted faster than the fat cells releasing water. The post-crash diet you will replenish glycogen stores, water and will result in quick weight gain. Dehydration is the major risk of such diet manifested with severe headache and giddiness.

Disturbs Gastric Function

Not getting the right amount of nutrient can hamper your gastrointestinal functions which can result in irregular bowel movements- that may either loosen or harden the stool.

Hair And Skin Health

Going on crash diet for longer duration makes you deficient in essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for the body. This hampers your skin and hair health, deprived of the nourishment makes the hair look duller, fall out easily and skin becomes dry and pale.

Risk Factors of Following Crash Diets

Though crash diets are simple to follow as they insist to reduce calorie intake, however, it is nutritionally unbalanced that can lead to long-term poor physical and mental health.

Being on a crash diets can lower your blood sugar levels and makes you feel tired, exhausted, irritable, lack of concentration, focus and poor performance. On the other hand, when feeling extremely hungry, you may end up eating lots of unhealthy foods and quickly regain lost weight.

Side Effects

Some of the side effects of following a crash diet include:

Poor immune response

Dehydration

Dizziness

Confusion

Lethargy

Fatigue

Irritability

Irregular bowel movements

Headaches

Hair loss