Is it possible to live on 500 kcal a day? Overview of the most popular low-calorie diets

“The issue of weight loss, relevant for many people who want to get in shape, becomes even more important before the holidays. So it’s no surprise that with such a demand now you can find a variety of diets and ways to lose weight for every taste. And one of the most popular methods of weight loss can be called low-calorie diets”.

To explain this is easy: they are simple, do not require compliance with special rules, except for the specified caloric content, their creators promise results in a short time, and positive reviews only contribute to the desire to try a new diet.

Only all these advantages lose meaning in front of just two disadvantages – they are harmful to health and do not provide a long-term result. We tell you how a diet of 500 kcal affects the body.

Why is there no diet for everyone?

The very idea that there is a calorie diet suitable for everyone, contradicts the principle of individuality of each of us. The fact is that the calorie count depends on many factors: gender, age, level of motor activity, body composition and others.

For example, consider two girls who want to lose weight:

• the first has an age of 30 years, height – 170 cm, weight – 70 kg, she actively trains three times a week and prefers to walk;
• the second is 45 years old, 165 cm tall, weighs 64 kg, attends yoga classes once or twice a week, and travels exclusively by car.

In the first case, the calorie requirement will definitely be higher for both weight maintenance and weight loss. Even if the first girl is transferred to a diet with calories suitable for the second, it will not be enough for her.

About 500 kcal diet is not worth talking about at all: a diet with such calories will not satisfy the body’s need for energy even to maintain important vital processes occurring in a state of rest.

How are low-calorie diets harmful?

As mentioned above, severe restriction of caloric intake affects the simplest processes that ensure the vital activity of the body. Therefore, the consequences for the physical state of a person will be very serious.

Changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota

The microbiome includes the communities of bacteria in our body, most of which live in the intestine and perform functions such as immune development, defense against pathogens, fat storage and vitamin synthesis.

In addition, the gut microbiome influences sleep quality: it interacts with the brain, affecting sleep in three ways: endocrine hormone release, nerve transmission and immune activation. Whether sleep deprivation is caused by psychological stress, night shift work, inflammatory diseases, jet lag, or simply lack of it, there is a direct connection between the gut and the brain.

This connection is bidirectional: if the gut microbiome is not properly nourished through a quality diet and lifestyle, changes in microbial composition can cause sleep deprivation. This rule works both ways.

Development of sarcopenia

This is a condition characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. A distinction is made between primary and secondary sarcopenia. In the former case, it is not caused by any other underlying cause other than age, while in the latter it occurs in other situations, including malnutrition and various diseases. Its main consequences are falls, fractures, postoperative complications and increased mortality.

What are the dangers of combining diets?

Not all people who favor low-calorie diets follow solely the principle of calorie counting. Some people combine low-calorie diets with other diets, thus creating even more negative consequences for the body.

If we talk about nutrition on 500 kcal in combination with additional rules for the composition of the diet, then we can distinguish several options.

Vegetarianism

People who adhere to this diet may experience difficulties with sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D into the body. The mineral is important for building bones, making up about 99% of the total stores of the entire macronutrient in the body.

Its recommended intake is easily obtained by including dairy products in the diet, but there are a number of health risks if they are excluded. Of course, there are also a number of non-dairy sources of calcium, and their consumption can remedy the situation, but with a low-calorie diet.

In addition to calcium, to build a strong frame, getting enough vitamin D is key. It is essential for proper absorption of the mineral, and low levels of it can accelerate bone aging. Following a vegetarian diet also increases the risks of deficiencies in other nutrients, especially iron and vitamin B12.

Atkins diet

This is a diet built on reducing carbohydrates in the diet. This diet limits their daily intake to about 20g of leafy vegetables in the initial phase and gradually increases the amount throughout the maintenance phase.

The harm of the Atkins diet is that over time, many people find it difficult to maintain a low carbohydrate diet.

As the regimen progresses, the amount of these nutrients can be moderately increased, but a number of foods remain off-limits, creating psychological stress. Since the diet allows unlimited saturated fat and cholesterol, it can be dangerous for people with heart disease. Those with kidney problems should also treat it with caution.

Detox diets

These diets usually involve a juice-based diet lasting a few days or weeks. Consuming a small amount of calories can lead to dramatic weight loss and adversely affect your health.

The risks increase even more if a person is exercising. In addition, when a person doesn’t get enough protein or calories, they can lose muscle mass and experience dangerously low blood sugar levels, which can lead to unconsciousness.

Low-carbohydrate diets

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, so diets that severely restrict them can affect the desire to be physically active and increase feelings of fatigue during exercise.

Such cyclical weight changes can be particularly dangerous for men who are prone to developing gallstone disease: weight fluctuations and strength training increase the risks.

Psychological implications

Anyone who has experience with diets knows that at a certain point there is a strong stress caused by dietary restrictions. It is this condition that leads to the fact that most people give up trying to lose weight, not withstanding the rigid framework, gaining weight back, and sometimes even more.

In addition, social difficulties arise: a person on a diet prefers to eat alone, refuses to meet with friends, going to restaurants, his behavior and mood change. Even vegetarian diets that have an image of health benefits have consequences in the form of increased levels of depression.

Therefore, before you start to reduce weight by a certain methodology, you need to assess not only the physical, but also the psychological consequences.

How to lose weight correctly?

The main rule for healthy weight loss is related to expectations: you will have to give up the desired quick effect. It is necessary to understand that a qualitative result and the absence of negative consequences for the body is possible only if:

• competently designed diet, including proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
• normal calorie deficit, which is calculated individually for each person;
• psychological comfort;
• physical activity.

And the important thing is the absence of abrupt changes in weight: with rapid weight loss reduces not fat, but muscle mass, so the appearance of the person suffers.

The best way to reduce and maintain weight is to choose a diet that can be followed for a lifetime. Of course, this will take time, the acquisition of new eating habits, perhaps the help of a nutritionist, but only in this case the result will really surprise you.