What types of extreme diets are available to consider?
Planning to Go On an Extreme Diet?
It can be tempting to seek out an extreme diet when you are trying to improve your health or lose weight. Unfortunately, drastic dieting that is considered “extreme” is usually unwise and may even carry some health risks.
What Are Extreme Diets?
As the definition of “extreme” can vary, it’s difficult to set one, firm definition. An extreme diet will typically involve severely limiting the calories you consume or dramatically changing the foods you eat.
For instance, water diets or juice fasts, whereby you only consume water or juice, are often considered extreme. Likewise, diets that involve eliminating entire food groups – such as low-carb, high-fat, or low-fat, high-carb diets – are generally considered extreme.
Are Extreme Diets Effective?
On the surface, it might seem like an extreme diet could be very effective. Some people do find success on extreme diets, at least in the short term.
However, extreme diets are often not sustainable, and as soon as you start eating more normally again, the weight will likely return.
What’s worse, in some cases, these extreme diets can actually be harmful to your health, causing vitamin and mineral deficiencies, fatigue, and digestive problems.
Better Alternatives to Extreme Diets
Moderate changes are usually the best option if you’re looking for healthier and more sustainable ways to lose weight. A balanced diet that includes all food groups is generally the healthiest route to take. This means eating plenty of lean protein, fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
Additionally, adding in plenty of activity – such as walking and strength training – is important to maintain good health while losing weight.
Seeking out radical changes to your diet is not necessarily a bad thing – it’s just important to think about the long-term consequences and whether or not the extreme diet is really something that will help you achieve what it is you’re looking for.
If an extreme diet is something you’re considering, consider talking to a doctor or nutritionist first to make sure it’s the right choice for you.
