Negative Calorie Diet Plans: Are They a Good Idea? 


                                


by Federico Andre Orlich 



        One of the newest hypes in dieting is the so-called "Negative Calorie Diet Plans," which, some claim, can make you lose extremely large amounts of weight (as much as 14lbs per week). But what exactly are these plans? Do they work? Are they even safe?

        The principle behind negative-calorie diets, is that the dieter should eat mostly foods that provide lesser calories than the body consumes by processing such foods, but which can make you feel full. For instance, let’s say you eat a meal that fills you up and provides a total of 100 calories, but your body will eventually burn 150 calories just by digesting and metabolizing this meal, so you actually lose 50 calories just by eating this meal. The type foods recommended for this diet are watery vegetables which are made mostly cellulose or fiber and which are rich in vitamins, minerals and water, and have very little nutritious value from carbs, proteins and especially from fats. Lettuce, tomato, broccoli and carrots would be good examples of these foods. The main idea would be to fill up as much as possible on these foods, so the body doesn't get the minimum caloric requirement to replace lost calories during the day, while the person doesn't feel hungry due to fasting.

        Even though in principle these diet plans might be effective in shedding relatively large amounts of weight quickly, they pose some serious dangers to the person's health, and might not actually produce the desired results. Some of the most dangerous consequences of following a diet of this type could be loss of muscle mass, loss of bone tissue, damage to organs, diseases such as anemia, chronic joint pain, chronic fatigue, etc. On top of that, you might actually be keeping the fat, instead of losing it, while you actually slow down your metabolism.

        One of the biggest misconceptions in weight loss is that the more you cut down on calories, the faster you lose weight. What most people don't realize (and many fitness experts forget to tell you) is that when you drastically cut down on your caloric intake, your body goes into what's known as "starvation mode." Simply put, when you cut down too much on calories, your body "thinks" there's not enough food available to survive and as a defense mechanism, it will try to save as much energy as possible by slowing down its metabolism. And guess, what's the last thing the body will use as an energy source? That's right: the fat. The main reason for this is that fats are the hardest nutrients to break down, while at the same time they have the largest caloric value (while 1g of carbs or proteins contains 4 calories, 1g of fat contains 9 calories, which is also the reason why fat is harder to burn). That's why it's not recommended to cut down too much on calories at once. So, even though the principles of a negative calorie diet plan might work in theory, they might end up being a disaster in the practice.However, it would be a great idea to consume these "negative calorie" foods to help with cravings, in between meals, or just to help you add bulk to your "real" meals.

        It is always very important to understand how your body works and what the medical implications are, before you decide to try any type of weight-loss or fitness program. This is why no fitness program is a good substitute for expert advice from a qualified physician or health professional. Remember that every day we hear of new programs and systems that promise us to lose weight, build muscle and look like Hollywood stars and, most of the time, we will never hear about them again, simply because they do not do what they promise to do. So, when it comes to losing weight, the most important advice I could give to you is this:   If you want to achieve a goal, you MUST do your research on the topic, become familiar with the terminology and truly understand what you're facing. If you are truly serious about a goal you want to achieve, you need to understand every aspect about it and take the time and effort to research every aspect of it before you can achieve it. Even though some methods might work really well, you will still have to make an effort. And you should always consult with a qualified physician before you try a new fitness program. There are no such things as "Magical Solutions" to your problems, but solving them doesn't have to be an impossible task, either. As a matter of fact, it could become a lot easier than you think if you just have the right information.


        If you want to know how to create a proper weight-loss or weight-gain program that is right for you, or simply want more information on dieting, exercising, muscle building and general fitness, you can check out the Weight Control sub-category under the Physical Development Category for some great, step-by-step fitness products specifically designed for a wide range of individual needs. Please, take your time reviewing and comparing each product, so you can find the one that best suits your needs.


About the Author

Federico Andre-Orlich is a Self Improvement researcher and author on topics ranging from the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of Self Improvement. He is the founder and owner of Your Self Improvement Store; a site dedicated to providing a wide variety of materials for Self Improvement, Self Help and Self Development, in a number of different formats, such as PDF e-books, MP3 files and other downloadable and non-downloadable formats, as well as articles and other useful links. His articles are featured on Ezinearticles.com and other ezine publishers.