With diet culture having a firm stand in many societies around the world, people have resorted to following restrictive diets with the aim to lose weight, and this, health experts believe, is mostly because they want a quicker solution. Dr Evariste Ntaganda, the cardiovascular disease officer at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, says people will resort to this approach without even consulting a specialist because they’ve been told it is a shortcut to losing weight. “What they don’t know is that these so-called restrictive diets come with side effects that might be linked to risks of physical and mental health. Subjecting yourself to refraining from some foods is not the best idea when it comes to losing weight,” he warns. He notes that choosing to stay away from certain foods will always give one the feeling of deprivation, which is not good as it can eventually lead to overeating. Another important aspect to think about before jumping on this approach, he says, is that one might end up cutting out necessary nutrients needed for their body. He explains that there are numerous nutrients the body needs for it to function properly, therefore, keeping it from them for a specific time is not healthy. Miguel Clement Mutali, a trained fitness instructor and sports therapist working at Kigali Marriott Hotel, says it’s also risky to be on a restrictive diet while exercising at the same time. He says that from studies, it is evident that the body’s ability to refill muscle stores decreases by 50 per cent if you wait to eat just two hours after your workout, compared to eating right away. For instance, he mentions that it is evident that calorie restriction, especially when combined with physical exercise, can increase stress hormone levels which may lead to bone loss. Mutali says that in some cases, people like doing away with foods such as dairy and carbs, forgetting that milk in the first place is a nutritional powerhouse while carbs help in fueling your workouts as the body needs fats as well. “My advice is that for those who feel like they need to do away with certain foods because they want to lose weight, finding out from nutritionists or an expert on what they should do is vital to avoid any health effects that might arise due to this,” he says. Dr Ntaganda advises that instead of restricting yourself from certain foods, try to consume every type of food in moderation, adding that everything starts from there. He explains that this is so because every food type ranging from carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins to minerals works differently in your body, and when you try to deprive yourself, it means you are putting yourself at risk of developing other conditions. Also, if you decide to go gluten free, it means your body is missing out on essential nutrients like fibre, iron and other vitamins. Science states that when someone adopts a diet in which food intake is significantly reduced, it translates to the body not getting enough nutrients to satisfy their hunger or to sustain energy levels. Also, not only can this result in nutrient deficiencies, but it may also manifest itself as secondary symptoms such as dehydration, digestive problems, heart issues, muscular cramps, difficulty concentrating, and many more. In addition, it’s recommended that people should understand that while it is not a quick fix, permanent weight loss requires time, and that developing mindful eating habits is important to maintain a healthy weight.
