What You Must Know About Crash Diets That Work

During the course of 20+ years of being a personal trainer, many clients have inquired about crash diets that work. Generally, I explain to them that crash diets can result in rapid weight loss. However, most crash diets have some built in limitations that can be problematic. I also help my clients understand what those limitations are, so they can make an informed decision on whether or not they want to participate.

Most crash diets that work, either drastically reduce caloric intake, or signifficantly restrict dietary choices. In both cases, the body must "gear" itself toward a period of severe deprivation. As human beings are Mammels, we have certain bulit in mechanisms that regulate how we burn calories during periods when are food intake is low.

A good example of these mechanisms at work occurs during hibernation. Many mammels go long periods with very limited food consumption. In order to keep hibernating mammels alive, their metabolisms have evolved toward a drastic slowdown during these periods.

It is nature's way of preserving the species.

Interestingly enough, a similar metabolic slowdown occurs during the course of many crash diets. In fact, many individuals report little or no weight loss during many lengthy periods of severe caloric restriction. The fact of the matter is that the metabolism gets slower and slower the longer the crash diet is followed.

Most crash diets that work, work well in the beginning, not as the diet progresses.

What makes matters worse is that after an individual returns to "normal" eating, the body eagerly stores fat in an effort to "arm" itself against another period of deprivation.

It is exactly the same process built in to our 'wild" cousins! They will actively replenish fat stores ater a long winter of hibernation.

This process is part of the reason why so many crash dieters gain back MORE than the weight they lost, after going off the crash diets.