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In theory, we shouldn't just understand the word "diet" as a way of eating for a specific period of time. Most often, we hear about weight loss diets in this context. However, there's much more to this concept than that. For example, lifestyle, nutrition, physical activity, or mental health. Despite this, many wonderful diets have been and continue to be created that can lead us to our dream figure in a very short time, but can also lead to devastating well-being and health. Why is it that so many people fall into this trap? The answer is not clear, although humans are lazy by nature. Following this lead, in this age of fast-paced lifestyles, we expect the best results in a short time. We present diets that, despite their popularity, can be very dangerous.
Copenhagen Diet
Losing weight is theoretically child's play. Eating very little is enough to enjoy weight loss in a short period of time. It's very likely that the creators of the Copenhagen Diet followed this example, as did all diets that have extremely limited calorie content. It assumes that we consume 500 to 900 calories for 13 consecutive days. While each of us needs a different amount of calories in our diet, it's extremely low. In fact, you can lose up to 10 kilos in those 13 days. Also, which may be a big plus for many, you're allowed to eat almost anything as long as you stick to these calorie criteria. The Copenhagen Diet isn't effective because weight loss is the result of dehydration, not fat burning. Prolonged use can bring with it many negative side effects. Moreover, water isn't the only thing we lose. Muscle is also broken down because the proteins it contains are used to provide the body with sufficient energy. In addition, the body requires less energy immediately after losing weight, so the lost pounds will quickly return if a losing weight person suddenly starts a traditional diet. This type of diet is also associated with significant deficiencies. We're talking about proteins, carbohydrates, fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. In general, it has virtually no positive effect on our health. Its use for long periods of time is not possible unless we want to develop serious health problems. It is simply a form of starvation.
Juice diet
The juice diet was very popular at the time and gained many followers. It consisted of consuming only all kinds of juices for a certain period of time. Originally, it was intended to detoxify the body and was intended to last no longer than five days. The problem was that even in such a short period of time, let alone with long-term use, it didn't have such a positive effect on the body. As with the Copenhagen diet, the calorific value left much to be desired. In fact, it was very low. In addition, the fiber from raw fruit has a much stronger effect on the digestive system than that found in juices. The long-term consequences are more serious. If you don't get enough protein—even for just a few days—it can lead to muscle loss. It's also worth noting that during fasting, your metabolism slows down. The body switches to energy storage mode. Weight loss itself can occur, but it is only an apparent effect. This is due to factors such as the loss of water, muscle mass, and glycogen. After such a diet, we can be sure that the yo-yo effect will occur and the extra kilos will return twice as strong.
Kwasniewski's diet
In some ways, this diet may resemble a ketogenic diet, but only seemingly. It is simultaneously high-fat and low-carbohydrate. That is, it is based on the assumption that the basis of human health is an adequate, i.e., large intake of fats—especially of animal origin—with a simultaneous reduction in protein intake and a reduced amount of carbohydrates. This is where the first mistake arises. The Kwasniewski diet is characterized by a high amount of saturated fat. It is also very low in fiber, which can cause problems with the digestive system, especially intestinal peristalsis. A large amount of saturated fat puts a great strain on the liver, which is responsible for its metabolism. The rapidly rising cholesterol level, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, is considered particularly dangerous. In addition, people who followed the Kwaśniewski diet complained of weakness, drowsiness, impaired consciousness, chest pain, and dehydration. Experts have described it as a harmful diet. Also worth mentioning are potential kidney problems associated with its use. Despite the correct calorific value, it is classified as a nutritional deficiency. This refers to carbohydrates, proteins, but also vitamins and minerals.
Intermittent fasting
It's impossible to list all versions of this type of eating. It generally involves restricting food intake for a specific period of time. Some fast for 8 hours, others for 2-3 days. After this time, we eat relatively normally for a certain period. For many people, the strenuous adherence to the prescribed times of intermittent fasting can be a disadvantage, leading to disruptions related to the digestive system or general nutrition. It's very likely that after the fasting period, we will take full advantage of the resulting eating window. This is one of the disadvantages of this type of diet. It leads to extremely irregular eating. It's safe to say that almost all of us practice something like intermittent fasting. After all, we don't eat during those few hours of sleep. The problem arises when it lasts longer. Skipping meals all day can have negative effects on our bodies. It's much more effective to simply reduce the calorie content of meals throughout the day than to go from extreme to extreme. An interesting fact may be the fact that this type of diet has gained popularity in South Korea. K-POP diets, the diets of local pop stars, are famous there.
Baby food diet, i.e. a jar diet
The diet was especially popular in the United States. It involved replacing traditional meals with ready-made baby food available in jars. It may sound strange, but it's worth noting that such meals are very low in calories. This is what has encouraged weight-loss seekers to turn to them. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of diets isn't solely determined by the number of calories. Baby food, by its very nature, doesn't require chewing and contains almost no fiber. Because of this, the brain doesn't receive information about satiety. But a solution was found. The solution was to chew food very slowly to stimulate the satiety center without having to eat more food. This diet is therefore deficient, but also very unhealthy. Constant snacking between meals isn't the only problem with this diet. Due to the low amount of fiber, the entire digestive system malfunctions, and constipation, bloating, and flatulence can occur.
Why are these diets so popular?
As we mentioned in the introduction, there's no definite answer to this question. However, it's worth paying attention to the common point of the above-mentioned diets: They offer spectacular results in a short time. Unfortunately, in many cases, this depends on people who are focused on losing weight. These days, appearance is very important, and not everyone has the self-denial to do it in a healthy way. Moreover, not everyone has the appropriate knowledge on the subject. In the age of the Internet and the information that surrounds us, it's problematic to filter out the reliable ones.
Summary
The diets presented here are just a drop in the ocean. Such diets are constantly being created, and some can actually be beneficial for our health. For example, the Mediterranean diet , the vegetarian diet, or the DASH diet are worth mentioning. However, let's be careful and avoid repeating unhealthy patterns. We know that the desire to lose weight in a short time can be extremely tempting, but let's put our own health first. We should begin our adventure with a diet under the supervision of a specialist, doctor, and nutritionist .
