Page 35 - Women’s Health - Australia (February 2020)

metabolism

New year, same old crap. From kilojoule
counting to swearing off carbs, you’ve
probably been there, done that and bought
the two-sizes-too-small T-shirt. And yet, here
you are again, typing in ‘best diets for quick
weight loss’ with the enthusiasm of a jaunty
Instagram quote about smashing goals.

(less than three weeks), AT could
be reversed within a couple of
weeks of normal kilojoule intake.
But beyond the short-term misery, Do It
could crash dieting do long-term BouncingBack
damage? In the research world, the That said, let’s check out another RIght
closest comparison is the VLCD study, from the journal Obesity,
Aim for
(very-low-calorie diet), which which looked at participants in Three 20 to 30g
involves eating 800 calories (3347 weight loss TV show The Biggest need-to- per meal.
kilojoules) or fewer per day – usually Loser (they trained daily for four knows
as a liquid diet shake with added to six hours on 4200 to 5000 for max SWITCH IT UP
vitamins and minerals. VLCDs are kilojoules). Researchers discovered benefits University
only recommended under medical their resting metabolic rate dropped LIFT IT of Tasmania
research
supervision, and for 12 weeks at by around 2000kJs more than Strength found that a
most. Spoiler alert: they lead to might be expected by the eventual train while two-weeks-
weight loss – but that’s not all. change in body composition. Six dieting and on, two-
In a 2016 review of VLCDs by the years on, it remained about 2000 you’ll retain weeks-off
Obesity Science & Practice journal, kilojoules lower than predicted, more of your diet resulted
lean muscle
researchers reported fatigue, even though most participants mass, one of in greater
weight
dizziness, cold intolerance and hair regained a lot of the weight. the biggest loss than a
loss as key side effects, as well as Crash diets aren’t a long-term contributors continuous
an inflated risk of developing more fix, and can backfire – compared to kilojoule diet. Nice!
serious issues, such as gallstones. with a standard low-KJ diet, there’s burning. GET A CHEER
Long-term complications can also minimal difference in weight loss PRO TO GO SQUAD
arise from a lack of basic nutrients. after a year. Aiming to lose 0.5 One Having a
high level of
Reality Check to 1kg a week should limit AT. downside support from
If you’ve crashed in the past,
of dieting
As for your metabolic rate, this is exercise (especially strength is a rise others can
determined by your age, gender, training) is your friend. Science in hunger be crucial in
weight loss
hormones.
height and, yes, weight and body also indicates that alternating a Adding more maintenance,
composition. While any weight sensible low-kJ diet with regular protein can says research
loss does reduce it (a smaller body breaks is more likely to keep help knock from the
burns fewer kilojoules), it’s thought you lean long term. Bingo. wh ’em down. Journal of
crash diets exacerbate the drop Behavioral
Medicine.
due to ‘adaptive thermogenesis’
(AT). This means your body PLAY THE
defends itself against weight loss LONG GAME
by reducing kilojoule burn so it Fast weight
runs more ‘efficiently’. Research loss plans are
seductive,
in the journal Future Medicine 449 but a slow
suggests that the more severely kilo drop
you restrict your kilojoules, the is just as
harder AT kicks in, thus making THIS IS THE MILLION- effective, say
scientists
crash diets counterproductive.
PHOTOGRAPHY: STOCKSY AT kicks in, but one 2015 study INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA. University.
at Canada’s
DOLLAR VALUE OF THE
We’re not yet sure exactly when
York
WEIGHT LOSS SERVICES
published in The American Journal
SOURCE: IBISWORLD
of Clinical Nutrition found that if
extreme dieting was short term

FEBRUARY 2020 womenshealth.com.au 35