We are not saying that liquid diets are completely horrible and wrong, but they mostly lead to temporary achievements and permanent losses. In your effort to lose weight, liquid diets may seem like the easiest idea.
What is a liquid diet?
A liquid diet, as the name suggests, consists of liquids ranging from detox waters to vegetable juices to meal replacement shakes. None of these entities are harmful individually. But an excess consumption of any of these can lead to serious health issues. Liquids diets are usually meant for post-surgery patients as sometimes they cannot eat solid food due to the pipe inserted in their esophagus.
Read here : Do you think detox diets can help in weight loss? Here’s the truth behind them!
However, in recent years, liquids diets have entered the weight loss bandwagon. This is entirely because of the quick results it delivers. Since the calorie consumption is reduced from 1200 or 1500 a day to straight away 700 calories per day, the body tends to lose weight. But, this quick weight loss can be bad due to the nutrient deficit it can create in your body.
Let us first look at the three constituents of a liquid diet first:
Vegetables and fruit juices: Experts have often spoken about the need to consume whole fruits and vegetables. This is because when you juice them, you are also depleting a layer of nutrients out of them. Vegetable and fruit juices are low in nutrition and high in sugar and water. Therefore, if you think that including them in your daily diet and replacing them with your meal can help you lose weight once and for all, think again.
Detox waters: Detox waters are the made with addition of cut fruits or vegetables or seeds in water. You can sip them through the day. While they do up the intake of water everyday, but are not the best option in the long run. Detox waters are a great way to increase your daily liquid intake but should not be considered in place of meals of any kind.
Meal replacement shakes: The latest entry to the weight loss industry, meal replacement shakes have slowly grabbed attention in recent years. A meal replacement shake ideally contains all the constituents of a meal in a powdered form. For example, proteins, fats, fiber, carbs, vitamins and minerals. Even though many health experts recommend them but with proper meals during the day. No expert has yet specified to just be on meal replacement shakes to lose weight. Many brands are now coming up with meal replacement shakes, hence, a doctor recommended meal replacement should be taken into consideration.
Why are liquid diets bad for weight loss?
Liquid diets are a not the best option if your ultimate aim is sustainable weight loss. Achieving healthy weight which makes your skin glow, firmed and tighter and not sagging and dull is what your end goal should be. The idea is to lose weight and not look weak in the process.
Liquid diets create a nutrient and calorie deficit which can result into diabetes, thyroid, and PCOD etc. These are lifelong issues which once start can be difficult to get rid of. Liquid diets are helpful only when they incorporated with solid foods.
It is not uncommon to pass out when on a liquid diet. By being on one, you are putting your body in a state of shock and that can lead to sudden unconsciousness, which is not a good sign.
Therefore, try and liquid diet only if you plan to combine it with solid food in the rest of your day.
