Does Dieting Make People Fat - Essay Example

Dieting makes people fat Introduction Dieting is basically the process of eating food in a controlled manner to decrease, maintain, or enhance body weight. It is a process of weight loss which is used by people to get in proper body shape. Traditionally, it is a combination of physical exercises along with low fat food to reduce body fat. Weight reduction by dieting, which could be beneficial to those who are unhealthy, may well increase the fatality rate for those individuals who are healthy but are in the superstition that they are out of shape or to be precise “fat” (Nancy, 2008). Types of diet There are different types of diets which can be utilized for weight loss (Howard, 1981) Diets which are promoted to reduce weight loss can be termed into four categories. Low fat diets Low carbohydrate diets Low calorie diets Very low calories diets Low-fat diets It involves the reduction of fat in a person’s diet on a proportionate basis. The calorie intake is reduced to a large extent because low fat is consumed. Low-carbohydrate diets They are high in protein and fats but are low in carbohydrates. They are basically dietary programs that restrict carbohydrate consumption, mainly due to factors such as obesity or due to chronic diseases and health conditions. Low-calorie diets They usually produce an energy deficit of 400–800 calories per day. The core purpose of these diets is to improve the health condition and to have a youthful touch and longer lifespan on the diet taker. Very low-calorie diets These diets provide 200–400 calories per day. They do contain the required fatty acids, minerals and vitamins but to a very small extent. Carbohydrates are almost absent in such diets and mainly replaced by proteins. Significance of Dieting Dieting has a significant importance for a person who is going through this cumbersome process. It depends on the physiological conditions and also the actual results the person on diet desires. A specified diet for a woman who wants to have a lean and slim figure may not be suitable for a man who wants to lose excessive fat and tone his body to build muscles. A diet can only be successful if it is according to the needs of the follower. Dieting is not an easy way to lose weight and to be in the most perfect of shape (Healthyalberta.com) The Dieting process A natural phenomenon which occurs when a person has to impose the strict diet regime upon him is that one does not know when he has to stop. Dieting is an external mechanism which disconnects a person away from usual eating criteria and one is unable to recognize how much to eat. Because of such process one is unable to decide the optimum food to eat. Because of that there is an increased tendency to overeat that continues even after the dieting process has ended. The human body is highly prone to starvation. When as the body predicts starvation, the metabolism of the body shifts to a huge extent and in result it starts to produce more fat than normal. After a certain period of starvation, the appetite of a person increases and does not coincide until all the fat from the body during diet is regained (Dugdale, 2012). The consequences of dieting Dieting may well reduce the weight of a person in the short term but could have major consequences in the long term. Some of the major consequences caused by such unhealthy diets are as follows: Psychological effects The human mind is inherently able to detect hunger signals. When we stay away from food, there is a huge risk of starvation and as a consequence, the hunger in our body increases which forces the body metabolism to slow down to compensate for it. When one is involved in dieting, the mind forces the individual to eat more than usual to cover up the deprivation just suffered. By the end of the whole process, one eats more than before the dieting to soothe the body and emotions (Brownell, 1986) Sugar Free Foods Cause Extreme Fattening It is commonly viewed that sugar is eliminated from products of dieters to aid in weight loss. But the fact of the matter is sugar is usually replaced with artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Along with that such artificial products can cause fatal diseases such as diabetes and many dieters suffer from physical consequences such as miscarriages, kidney enlargement and liver failure among other effects. This proves that artificial products such as aspartame are toxic in nature, but still they are constantly used by people in fat free foods to loosen their weight (Gebhart & Mathews, 2006). Physiological effects Dieting can be disastrous for health due to the lack of food and possibly malnutrition and should be carried out guidance of medical experts. During low fat diets the body is unable to have enough healthy food and craves for proper nutrition. It is believed by experts that prolonged dieting could well lead to muscle contraction but many experts still dispute this. The use of short-term fasting has long been used as a form of dieting to reduce this issue (Trembley and Bouchard, 2006). Extreme diets or starvation One of the worst ways to loose weight is through crash or extreme diets. Nutritionists and health experts usually recommend a set criteria that a person can loose a maximum of 10 pounds per week. The main consequence which can be caused due to diet a crash diet is the loss of body mass, muscle and water but such starvation would never guarantee loss of fat. In these circumstances, when one deviates from consistent dieting to regular eating habits, that person has a high chance of regaining the weight back and this could be in the shape of fats. Individuals who are on such diet may have maintained the same weight but may well have a low portion of muscle but a high content of body fat. Natural disorder Dieting could be bad for health as it causes an abrupt change in the food habits of a person. If a person abruptly reduces his/her regular food intake, which is mandatory for survival, it will slow down the normal metabolism of the body which is necessary for the body to store energy more efficiently. Because of such issues people who are on a strict diet, rather starvation, schedule often crave for energy boosting foods such as chocolates but they are told to refrain from such high calorie foods as they increase body fat and the weight loss program suffers a major halt. Conclusion It is a fact that dieting is not the real solution for weight reduction. They are many other ways through which body weight of a person can be controlled which include having a well balanced and controlled diet. Along with that one should be willing to be in a balanced body shape. Learning to reproduce one and to be at the desired body shape requires dedication and motivation rather than just starving oneself to extreme limits. Crash diets and starvation will never solve the problem. Reprogramming oneself to have a healthy and balanced diet is the key to have a happy and satisfied lifestyle. References Hellmich, Nancy (2008) “Using food dairies doubles weight loss”. Retrieved: 4-04-2013. Gebhardt, S.E., Matthews, R.H. (2006). Nutrition Value of Foods, United States Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service, Home and Garden Bulletin Number 72. Lissner, L and Roe D.A. (2005). Dietary fat and the regulation of energy intake in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr, 46, 886-892. Tremblay, A., Simoneau, J., Bouchard, C. (2004). Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism. Metabolism. 43(7): 814-818. Brownell (1986) “The effects of repeated cycles of weight loss and regain in fats” physiology and behavior Dugdale (2012) “Obesity” Public medical health "Healthy Eating". Healthyalberta.com. 2006-11-23. Retrieved 2012-02-07. Howard (1981) “The historical development, efficacy and safety of very low calorie diets” INT J OBES p 195-208 Read More