Athletes and people in the performing arts sometimes use severe calorie restriction diets to meet weight standards. While such diets may be temporarily effective, they come with a high risk. You must meet certain daily caloric requirements to allow your body to perform basic functions, such as respiration and cardiac function. Understanding how weight loss occurs and how to balance your diet can help you avoid negative health consequences while dieting.
Weight Loss Basics
Weight loss occurs when there is a negative energy balance, meaning you expend more calories through daily activity than you consume through food. The goal of any weight-loss program is to create this negative energy balance. The type of food you consume is not as important than the portions, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association. You can create a negative energy balance through restricting calories, increasing activity, or doing both.
Rapid Weight Loss
You may want to lose a lot of weight quickly by severely restricting the number of calories you consume, referred to as rapid weight loss. Rapid weight loss is possible, and some athletes and performers use it when they want to compete in a certain weight class. It takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to achieve a loss of 1 lb. of fat. The maximum rate at which fat loss occurs is about 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Health Risks
Rapid weight loss is generally not advisable, as it comes with serious health risks. Short-term effects of severe calorie restriction diets include illness, cramps, fatigue, dizziness, attentional difficulty and possibly death, the National Strength and Conditioning Association asserts. Furthermore, it is impossible to lose a lot of weight quickly without also losing significant lean body mass. Severe calorie restriction diets do little to help with the loss of extra fat.
Gradual Weight Loss
The best diets are gradual, include a well-balanced nutrition plan and are accompanied by consistent cardiovascular exercise. The typical adult needs between 1,800 and 2,200 calories per day to assist with basic bodily functions. Diets of less than 1,500 calories are uncommon and only appropriate for sedentary people. As a general rule, you should avoid restricting your caloric intake by more than 500 calories daily to prevent adverse health outcomes and promote maximum fat loss.
Recommendations
During periods in which you restrict your caloric intake, it becomes especially important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and cramping. Furthermore, you should consume foods with high nutrient density, or foods with high nutrient content per calorie of food. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always a wise choice in this respect. Finally, your diet should have a low energy density, or fewer calories per weight of the food. Examples of these foods include salads, broth soups and fruits.
Daily Caloric Needs
You daily caloric needs are based on your age, sex, weight, activity level and genetic factors. You can calculate the number of calories you require each day with an online calorie calculator. These tools allow you to enter your personal information and some allow you to track your calorie consumption based on your dietary goals. MayoClinic.com's calorie calculator is a simple and effective tool for monitoring your caloric intake.
References
- "Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger W. Earle and Thomas R. Baechle (Eds.); 2004
- "Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Calorie Calculator
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