Starving & Weight Loss

Starving yourself to lose weight is one of the worst things you can do to your body, as vital nutrients needed for energy and daily functioning are withheld, and your body reacts by storing fat and slowing your metabolism, thus giving you results that are completely the opposite of what you were trying to achieve. Read on to learn about the side effects of starving yourself and how you can make healthy choices that will actually help you lose weight.

Facts

• Starving your body, either because you are too busy or purposely depriving yourself of food, will actually make it more difficult for you to burn calories. While you may enjoy a slight, short-term weight loss, your body will begin to automatically slow down its metabolism as a way of preserving itself. In the end, you will actually be burning less calories than you were before you started depriving yourself of food.
  Our organs and tissues need a regular supply of glucose to function properly and survive. When glucose levels get too low, stress hormones are released to speed up glucose production in the liver. When you starve yourself, however, these glycogen stores are unavailable. You will experience increased hunger and begin storing fat. Eventually, when fat stores have been exhausted, your body will begin to break down muscle protein and burn even fewer calories.

Physical Side Effects

• There are many side effects from starvation, and the longer it goes on the more impact it will have on the body. Although not every person who starves herself is by definition anorexic, feeling the need to deprive herself of food indefinitely could lead to this very serious illness.
  Ultimately, this practice can damage vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, heart and brain and can lead to emotional and physical illnesses. It could also cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, a weakened immune system and possibly infertility.

Social and Emotional Side Effects

• Extreme dieting can cause serious physical complications as well as mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, which should be treated by a professional.
  This malnutrition will affect social aspects of an individual's life, as well. As can be expected, she will be hungry, and therefore tired, irritable, anxious and restless---and not a fun person to be around. All of these will most likely become more exaggerated when she realizes that she is actually gaining weight from a severely decreased metabolism.

Alternatives

• Ironically, the best way to lose weight and be healthy is to eat five to six times a day. A diet rich in foods such as whole grains and complex carbohydrates takes longer and requires more energy to digest, which helps speed up the body's metabolism.
  In addition, regular exercise helps to increase your metabolism and keep energy levels high. Incorporate activities such as jogging, walking, strength training and Pilates exercises into your routine to increase your muscle mass, which will also increase your metabolism.

Self-Determination

• Self-determination towards a new, healthy lifestyle is the first step to recovering from or preventing more serious problems. Introducing these healthy alternatives for weight loss into your life will reduce stress and encourage you to think more positively about yourself and your body.