Rigid diets assure weight loss failure

Q: I’m on a weight loss diet, and my friend keeps warning me about the risks I’m taking. That seems nuts since being overweight is what’s really risky. Are there dangers to losing weight?

Benita F., Phoenix

A: Achieving and maintaining a normal weight is not risky — it’s essential for improved health. But crash dieting or yo-yo dieting, well, that’s a whole ’nother story. Weight loss should be done by adopting new habits for a lifetime, not following extreme or rigid diets that virtually guarantee failure.

— Research on “The Biggest Loser” contestants showed that extreme dieting slows metabolism far more and for a longer time than ever realized. And a metaanalysis of studies found dieters regain over half of what they lose within two years.

— Crash dieters can lose muscle strength and develop a slowed heart rate, electrolyte imbalances, decreased oxygen utilization, restricted brain power and depression. They also throw their hormones off-balance making weight regain even more likely. In the extreme, you can see hair loss, sleep disturbances and disruption of the menstrual cycle.

— As for yo-yo dieting: One study found that it doubles the risk of heart attack, stroke and death for folks with heart disease.

And repeated failure to reach a weight goal is strongly associated with developing a binge eating disorder.

Better choice: A slow, effective change in your nutrition and physical activity patterns.

— Give up (permanently) one unhealthy food a month for six months: soda one month, French fries the next, then red meat, fullfat dairy, processed meats, and sugar-added foods and beverages. That’ll give you room for fatty fish, skinless poultry, five to nine servings of fruits and veggies a day, 100% whole grains and legumes.

— Start walking, headed to 10,000 steps daily or the equivalent. Add in aerobics, cycling, swimming and two days a week of strength training. Just move it.

You can lose weight safely — and with lasting benefits to your health and happiness.