Should popular diets be followed? What are the risks?

Many of us want to lose the extra weight we’ve accumulated over years in just a few weeks. Recently, some popular diets have emerged, promising rapid weight loss and have become very popular. However, just as every easily achieved success has a negative consequence, these diets can cause temporary and permanent harm after prolonged use.

Starting with the most popular, protein diets, these diets involve unlimited consumption of protein sources such as meat, chicken, fish, yogurt, milk, and eggs, while simultaneously prohibiting all carbohydrates, including essential carbohydrates necessary for vital metabolic functions. While significant weight loss is observed in these diets, considering the cost-benefit analysis, it’s impossible for a person to live solely on protein for their entire life, and eventually, a return to a normal diet is inevitable. The weight lost quickly is often regained, and then some. Constantly gaining and losing weight results in what we call the “yo-yo effect,” where the initial weight increases even further each time. For example, an individual weighing 75 kg starts a diet and loses 10 kg. After stopping the diet, they regain 14 kg. Now weighing 79 kg, the individual diets again and this time loses 8 kg. They stop the diet and regain 13 kg. Now this individual weighs 84 kg. This process continues, and as a result of improperly conducted diets, the individual’s weight gradually increases.

As weight regain begins, the individual may continue with a protein-based diet out of fear of returning to a normal diet. Long-term protein diets have even more serious consequences than simply increasing your weight. They can lead to hyperuricemia, gout, kidney stone formation, bad breath, cardiovascular blockages, excessive cholesterol, osteoporosis, organ damage, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hair loss, brittle nails, weakness, joint and muscle pain, liver disorders, and even death as a result of all these.

In conclusion, these diets can be done for a short period (maximum 1 week) or for a few days to surprise the metabolism during a healthy diet. However, to avoid sacrificing your health in the pursuit of weight loss, the best decision should be made by your doctor, not you. Diets are practices carried out with the support of a specialist and are entirely personalized. Just as every individual is different, their nutritional programs should also be different. Any diet program that is claimed to be applicable to everyone should be examined for any underlying flaws.