Losing weight is not easy, and it takes commitment. Losing just five to 10 percent of your body weight results in improved blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels. When someone is trying to lose weight, it’s natural to want the process to get over quickly. But, people who shed a few kilos slowly and steadily are more likely to maintain their weight loss. Right now, mono diets are the trend in weight loss. Even though these diets are devoid of strict restrictions and exercise regimes, it is important to analyse their safety.
WHAT IS A MONO DIET OR MONOTROPHIC DIET?
In the mono diet or monotrophic diet, the person eats only one type of food for several days and weeks. This type of diet does not have any official rules or regulations. There are different varieties, such as banana or egg mono diet. However, these claims are not backed up by science, and there are several reasons why the diet should not be tried. Let’s look at the pros and cons of a mono diet.
- Those in favour of a mono diet claim that it can lead to quick and easy weight loss.
- A mono diet is an easy diet to follow and eliminates most of the planning and thinking that usually goes into dieting on a regular basis.
- The intake of less calories in a mono diet may help jump-start their weight loss journey in the short-term. For some people, this may lead to an increased motivation to continue with their aim to shed a few kilos using a more balanced and high-intensity exercise program.
Risks related to mono diets
- If you chose to eat only one food for a day, the caloric intake plummets dramatically. In addition to rapid water loss and bloating, there is also loss of muscle mass over time.
- It promotes food cravings. Avoiding certain foods, in reality, can result in a desire for the foods you cannot have. This can rebound and lead to overeating.
- Rapid weight loss may also cause gallstones, electrolyte imbalances, constipation, headaches, irritability, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, and dehydration. Mono diets can lead to fatigue, malnutrition, fatigue, and muscle loss.
SHOULD MONO DIETS BE TRIED OUT?
Mono diets are not sustainable because they are restrictive and lack essential nutrients. It can cause health problems if essential macro- and micronutrients are not provided. A mono diet is a strict no.
