I have seen several women in the gym who literally starve themselves from not eating properly. They skip meals regularly in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds from their tummy quickly and naturally. Perhaps, these women get the idea of such a method from movies or TV shows where famous idols admitted to doing the same to lose weight. Or maybe they read it in a popular women’s magazine.
Whatever the reasons, I don’t think starving yourself is the best way to lose weight. Here are my 3 big reasons why I said so.
1. You will not lose weight
You will probably lose some weight by starving yourself, since you are not taking in calories, in order for your body to stay alive it must get the nutrients it needs elsewhere. It will consume your body fat and then your muscles (a good source of protein) to maintain body functions. However, in the long run, your body will “adjust” to your diet / hunger routine and lower your metabolism to lower the calories you need.
This is your body’s pre-program mechanism thousands of years ago when our ancestors experienced famine from time to time. Our body adapted to this scenario (starvation) by slowing down metabolism.
In other words, you may find that the longer you practice starving yourself, the harder it will be to lose weight.
2. You will be disappointed
This is in conjunction with the first reason I told you. When we starve, our body’s metabolism slows and therefore slows the rate at which we lose weight. When we realize this fact, frustration and disappointment enter our brain. This plus the fact that we force ourselves not to eat the delicious food we like makes it even worse!
After a few weeks and months of enduring the emotional and mental anguish of not eating enough, you will finally give up. What will you do next? Obviously, you will eat like there is no tomorrow. You are frustrated, you are hungry and you will eat a lot. What will happen after that? You will gain everything you lost and you will gain more kilos.
3. You can get sick
Since you are not feeding your body the necessary food it needs, you are not getting enough nutrients to defend against airborne bacteria and viruses. Your body’s immune system will eventually weaken due to food deficiency due to starvation. Once your body’s defenses are lowered, you are now very vulnerable to disease and more.
These are just some of the worst side effects and things that can happen to your body from trying to lose weight the wrong way. You can lose unwanted fat, but you need to focus on the things that will benefit your body in the long run.
