Liquid Diets

Liquid diets are quite popular, especially among celebrities as they claim rapid weight loss and more often than not, prove to be right. However, the question on everyone’s minds when they embark upon these diets is- are these diets healthy and once you lose the extra weight, do you keep it off?

Liquid diets are consumed by two types of people- one who is looking to lose weight and one who are undergoing some kind of surgery. When carried out for the latter purpose, that is, due to a medical situation, liquid diets are undertaken for a short period of time and this diet is strictly supervised by a professional or a doctor. When the liquid diet is consumed for medical purposes, it is usually before a particular surgery or medical intervention wherein the patient is required to stay away from solid food but is still essential for him/her to consume a particular amount of calories for the purpose of energy. One such medical procedure is a colonoscopy which requires the person to have a digestive tract that is completely void of solid food. However, as mentioned above, the patient must consume some calories in order to survive during that particular time frame. The liquid diet is then recommended. 

Naturally, if you do not consume sold food for a particular period of time, it is obvious that you will lose weight. Therefore, liquid diets are also recommended to those dieters who suffer from extreme obesity. However, this diet is rare and should be following as a last resort.

Liquid Diets are usually initiated by those dieters who want to lose small amounts of weight rapidly and over a short period of time. Liquid diets in these cases involve the consumption of nutrition drinks. These drinks included in the liquid diets are usually in the form of milkshakes that consist of a number of proteins and other components and are to be consumed at least 5 times a day. During the process of liquid diets, the dieter is allowed to consume one solid meal every day. Naturally, liquid diets help the dieter to lose extra weight as they are extremely low in calories- the daily consumption of calories being about 1,200 calories or less. An example of a liquid diet is Slim Fast which is a very popular liquid diet because apart from milkshakes, it also includes other products such as snack bars, packaged meals along other diet aids.

Disadvantages of Liquid Diets

Liquid diets are undoubtedly extremely tempting as they lead to rapid weight loss without too much effort on the dieter’s part. However, due to the same reason, they also provide a number of disadvantages: 

1-Every individual must consume an average number of calories on a regular basis to remain healthy and to survive. However, the liquid diet does not provide these calories as it is an extremely low-calorie diet. One must always consult a doctor or a professional before going ahead with a liquid diet. If one does not consume a certain number of calories, they automatically become prone to a number of health problems. The body may shift into starvation mode which can lead to a large number of medical problems, some of which can prove to be incurable. 

2-Due to the lack of fibers in the composition of these milkshakes that constitute the liquid diets, the dieter does not consume the required amount of fiber that is essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system. This can lead to constipation and a severe bout of diarrhea. 

3-Even though these milkshakes are high in a number of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, they also lack the necessary macronutrients that are required for the proper functioning of a number of organs. A number of proteins and fatty acids are missing from these “nutrition shakes”.

4-The effect of liquid diets, though immediate, is definitely not permanent. Once the dieter begins to consume solid food on a regular basis, all the lost weight comes back with a vengeance. The dieter may also end up putting on weight as a result.

 

The healthiest and the most long-lasting method of losing weight is combining a healthy and balanced eating plan with physical activity. Alongside, the dieter must also get enough sleep, drink lots of water, and keep stress at bay.