Reaching a healthy body weight promotes physical health, emotional wellbeing, positive energy levels and a longer lifespan. Attempting to do so through a weight loss diet is not likely your best option, however. While Americans spend over $40 billion annually on dieting and diet-related products, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), diets rarely lead to success and pose numerous risks. If your doctor has approved weight loss, aim instead for a balanced, healthy dietary lifestyle and regular exercise.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Diets that restrict calories or particular food groups severely make it difficult to meet your daily nutrient needs. While dieting, you're likely to consume too little calcium, according to NEDA, which increases your risk for bone fractures, stress fractures and osteoporosis. Consuming too few antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to colds, the flu and other illnesses. Deficiencies of the mineral iron can cause dizziness, headaches, confusion and a rapid heartbeat. A diet insufficient in fat can reduce absorption of certain nutrients and lead to lethargy, depressive moods, dry skin and brittle hair and nails.
Gallstones
Gallstones are pebble-like deposits that form in your gallbladder. Diets that induce rapid weight loss, or more than three pounds per week consistently, can heighten your risk for gallstones, according to the Weight Control Information Network. Gallstones can block areas in your gallbladder and cause sudden, intense abdominal pain or pain on your back between your shoulders or in your right arm. If your symptoms are severe, your doctor may suggest surgical removal of your gallbladder.
Reduced Metabolism
Your metabolism is the rate at which your body converts food into energy. When you diet, your body may hold onto food you consume and slow your metabolism down to compensate for insufficient food intake. This state, known as "starvation mode," according to NEDA, can lead to gradual, potentially permanent weight gain. A reduced metabolism also makes it more difficult to lose excess weight and easier to gain weight while consuming lower amounts of calories. A slow metabolism may also cause tiredness, physical weakness and low moods.
Heart Problems
A healthy, balanced diet helps ensure heart health. Dieting, on the other hand, may increase your risk for heart disease, particularly if you partake in yo-yo dieting -- losing and gaining weight repeatedly. Severe calorie restriction can also cause heartbeat irregularities, according to the Weight Control Information Network, a condition that can become fatal. If dieting leads to dehydration, or you combine excessive exercise with dieting, you may develop electrolyte imbalances -- unhealthy levels of important salts in your body that support proper heart function. Consuming excessive amounts of stimulants, prevalent in energy drinks and diet pills, can cause rapid heartbeat and may increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.
Emotional Distress
Dieting often causes a sense of deprivation. You may be restricted from some of your favorite foods or normal food quantities and have a difficult time dining with non-dieting friends and family members. Dieting is also linked with low self esteem, anxiety, low body image and depression, according to NEDA. Since carbohydrates promote production of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, low-carbohydrate diets may reduce your ability to experience relaxation or pleasure. Low blood sugar, which can occur from eating too little or skipping meals, can also trigger depressive moods. If your diet fails to produce desired results or you have difficulty sticking to strict dietary rules, you may experience frustration, self-doubt and disappointment.
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