The Lemon Detox Diet Is Not a Smart Weight Loss Method
Fasting has recently emerged as a new, hip weight loss method. In southern California, one of the dieting capitals of the world, a rising approach to weight loss is making the rounds, partly to conceal the fact that the dieter is indeed dieting. Fasting, particularly the lemon detox diet has become all the rage for quick and comparatively easy weight loss. When done right and for the right reason, fasting is an effective method of body detoxification and cleansing. When pursued for days and even weeks at a time, fasting for the purpose of weight loss can be a very risky undertaking.
For centuries, fasting has been used with great success in caring for various health problems and cleansing the body of toxins. Weight loss is a normal side effect of juice fasting, in light of the fact that that no solid foods have to be processed by the body and overall calorie consumption is very low. Weight is lost because 1) water retention goes down, 2) trapped gas in the digestive track is unblocked, and 3) toxins that are stored in our body fat are purged. We don’t necessarily burn fat on a fasting program, we are purging our fat cells of stored toxins, so our fat cells become smaller.
The chic set in southern Cal have learned about this, and fasting has become the new dieting. And while the results are most definitely desirable (in addition to weight loss, you get all the other gains of purifying your body — more energy, clearer skin, better concentration, a feeling of well being, and a reduction in various symptoms ranging from body aches to constipation), fasting for extended periods will do far more harm than good.
What our bodies really need is nutrition, not starvation. Many of us already experience unknown nutritional deficiencies. Our bodies need a regular supply of nutrients to function and sustain health. Starvation or extreme calorie reduction will in the end cause imbalances in the body that will, at best, set up an assault of food cravings, the dieter’s worst nightmare.
The promise of fast weight loss can be very alluring, but weight loss at any cost is utterly dangerous. There are several healthy ways in which to achieve rapid weight loss, and there are healthy, sensible long term approaches to eating that will, if you stay to it, shed the pounds and keep them off.
