The negative consequences of low calories diets are automatic and can not be avoid. The consequences can affect in a metabolic level, hormonal and psychological, including: metabolic rate reduced, muscle loss, activity of enzymes and hormones increased- to store fat, low activity of enzymes and hormones for fat burning, secretion inhibited for the thyroid hormone, energy and work capacity reduced, also the appetite can be increased and as a result of all this – a lot of chances to regain the weight you loss by keeping a diet like this. Let’s look at each one:

1. Low calories diets slow down your metabolic rate

The first thing that happens during a severe lack of calories is a slowing of the metabolic rate. As there are fewer calories, the metabolism slows down. Put simply: When you eat less, your body burns less. When you eat more, your body burns more. Metabolic slowdown is well documented. When calories are restricted, your metabolism decreases by at least 20-30%. Some studies show that after a severe restrictions, the metabolism can get decreased up to 45%. That means a daily requirements of 3,000 calories can reach only 1650 calories! Therefore after prolonged diet you can continue to eat less but you no longer continue to lose weight. That explains why it is extremely hard to lose the last 5 to 10 kg using this approach. It also explains why it’s so easy to put the weight back right after.

2. Low calories diets can make you lose muscle mass

The disastrous effect of low-calorie diets is the loss of muscle tissue. The muscle is a metabolically active tissue – you need calories to maintain it. Moreover, it is easier for our bodies to transform muscle tissue into energy. Process called gluconeogenesis. This includes skeletal muscle burning, and at one point even burning heart muscle. Numerous studies show that a diet with fewer calories unaccompanied by exercise makes 40-50% of total weight lost come from muscle tissue.

Many diets, especially those with very few carbohydrates lead to big weight loss from water. Bringing water loss, and muscle glycogen, 75% of the weight lost is NOT fat! Initial weight loss when you start these type of diets is very deceiving. The smaller number displayed on the scale is just an illusion of success. Even with exercise, a diet too restrictive causes a great loss of muscle tissue.

3. Low calories diets increase the activity of enzymes and hormones to store fat and reduce the fat burning activity of enzymes and hormones

The most important fat storage enzyme called LPL (Lipoprotein Lipase). When you reduce calories too much, the body will produce more LPL and fewer burning enzymes. In other words, when you don’t give to your body enough calories or you don’t eat enough, your body chemistry changes and makes it easier to store fat in the future.

4. Low calories diets can reduce the production of thyroid hormone

The thyroid gland is largely responsible regularly for the basic metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories when you rest). When the body senses a severe reduction in calories, reduces also the thyroid hormones production. This phenomenon contributes to what we described in the first point.

5. Low calorie diets increase appetite and cravings

The mind of your cells remember everything and going to freak out. It is like a war against your own body, it is called a survival mode and your body wants to overcome the dead and force you to eat. sSo be calm to yourself and lose weight in a healthy and more easy way.

6. Low-fat diets decrease energy and capacity for work

“The first sign of insufficient nutrition is energy loss and inability to sustain prolonged physical work. It is a direct relationship between calories consumed and physical work that a person may be filed. ”

7. Low calorie diets increase the chances of weight regain

This should be easy to deduce Following the information presented above. Almost everyone loses weight initially through a low calorie diet, but not long until the body realizes the shortcomings and begins to conserve energy. Then you reach a plateau. Once you have reached the plateau, it will be very hard to lose weight even by consuming very few calories. Due to the lack of new results, or insatiable appetites, people quit the diet. With a decreased metabolism (slowed), which previously was the caloric maintenance now becomes surplus, and the fat/weight starts to be stored. Most people gain back the weight they lost or maybe even more and have less muscle and a slower metabolism. This cycle of weight loss and weight gain is called “yo-yo”, and too many people continues to do it repeatedly throughout life. With each repetition, metabolism becomes less efficient and the body more fat (and powerless) by eating less and less food.