Crash Diets – Do They Work?

Dear Timi,
I’m considering going on a quick weight loss diet to get ready for a reunion. My husband says I look great as I am, but I want to lose about ten pounds, just for the event. Unfortunately, I have only a few days left to achieve my goal. Should I have any health concerns about “starving” myself just for a short period of time?

Dear Reader,
Many of my clients expect radical measures when they go on a diet. They are willing to suffer as if they were given a penance for their “sinful” indulgences. That’s human nature. But let me be clear on this: Extreme diet measures – also called “crash diets”– rarely ever work. Nor are they desirable from a dietary perspective. Generally speaking, if you feel “starved,” you will not maintain any diet over time, no matter how effective it may be.

Also, your primary goal should not be a quick fix but lasting healthy eating habits that allow you to maintain your ideal weight naturally. What you may really need is to change your lifestyle and perhaps your relationship to food. If you decide that you should lose a few extra pounds, you should go on a diet for the sake of your health and well-being, not just for one particular short-term purpose.

By cutting back just 500 calories a day from your regular food intake, you can achieve an average weight loss of one pound per week! The good news is that even small changes in your diet can add up to big calorie savings. And yes, even when you eat only healthy meals, you still need to watch your portion sizes.

One great way to improve your eating habits is to increase the quality and taste of your food. If your food is tasteless and leaves you dissatisfied, you will probably continue to feel hungry and look for more. Paying attention and savoring good tasting food will not only make you enjoy it more, it will also be a more satisfying experience beyond stilling your hunger. If you eat too quickly or absentmindedly, you won’t be able to keep track of how much you consume.

The last thing you want to become is what we call a “yo-yo dieter,” that is someone whose weight goes up and down time and again. So, lose the weight you need to, but then make every effort to keep it down for good.

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