US News & World Report Reports:
Quick Summary
Conventional nutritional wisdom has always recommended eating less and exercising more if you want to lose weight. In theory, this makes sense – burn more calories than you eat, and the pounds will come off.
However, crash dieting can put your body in starvation mode, which is counterproductive. In starvation mode, the body reduces its metabolic rate, which reduces the number of calories the body needs.
Key Points
- Everyone has a set point, or a weight range in which the brain wants to keep the body.
- Going into starvation mode may cause a rebound after a weight loss, causing the person to actually end up weighing more than when they started the diet.
- Why many people “fail” at weight loss has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with the way the body tries to keep itself alive.
- Sleepiness, reduced vigor, mental exhaustion, mood swings, brain fog and other psychological symptoms can also crop up if you’re not eating.
The article states:
Weight loss takes lifestyle change, not just a quick-fix diet, says Mia Syn, a registered dietitian based in Charleston, South Carolina, and author of ‘Mostly Plant-Based.’ In order to stay healthy and look your best long term, you have to make many small changes. These small changes should add up over time. Examples include watching portion sizes and making healthy swaps of higher calorie and less nutritious foods for fresh veggies and other nutrient-dense foods. There are lots of nutrient-dense foods you can eat, with fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains being particularly good choices.