I’ve tried just about everything when it comes to dieting—not because I was overweight, but because I have a deep passion for fitness. I’ll be honest: I love looking good and staying shredded. I won’t sugarcoat that.

Over the last 15 years of lifting and dieting, I’ve experimented with countless diets, techniques, and methods. Through all of this, I’ve developed a solid understanding of what works and, more importantly, what definitely doesn’t.

Ironically, what “works” in the short term is also the worst way to diet: crash dieting.

Let’s break this down.

What is Crash Dieting?

Crash dieting is essentially drastically cutting calories to achieve quick results. The fundamental rule of dieting—calories in vs. calories out—says that you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns in order to lose weight.

In theory, this works. And, technically, it does. But, like most quick-fix solutions, it ultimately leads to disaster.

Why Is Crash Dieting So Popular?

Crash dieting is popular for one main reason: social media. We’re constantly bombarded with images of the best physiques, creating unrealistic standards for what our bodies “should” look like. Add to that the culture of instant gratification—whether it’s food delivery, online shopping, or streaming services—and people are wired to want quick results in every aspect of life, including fitness.

Crash dieting promises those quick results, so people naturally flock to it.

Why Doesn’t Crash Dieting Work Long Term?

While crash dieting works for immediate weight loss, it falls apart when it comes to sustainability. Here’s why:

1. Bad habits are hard to break: If you’re overweight, it’s usually due to years of unhealthy habits. The body you have now is a direct result of those patterns. Simply cutting out food doesn’t magically erase those ingrained habits.
2. Your body fights back: When you suddenly reduce calories, not only are you fighting your habits, but your body is also fighting against you. Extreme hunger sets in, making it incredibly hard to stick to the diet.

The result? Most people yo-yo back to their original weight—or worse, gain even more. That’s why crash dieting is often referred to as yo-yo dieting.

And beyond weight gain, crash dieting promotes a negative mindset. Short-term fixes rarely lead to long-term success, and that’s true here as well.

The Downsides of Crash Dieting

Crash dieting doesn’t just fail long-term; it also comes with serious consequences, especially if you’ve built an overweight body through years of unhealthy eating habits. These habits are deeply ingrained, making crash dieting not only ineffective but also more harmful in the long run.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Drastically cutting calories often leads to deficiencies in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and protein. People frequently eliminate major food groups in their attempt to reduce calorie intake. However, this leaves the body lacking the essential nutrients it needs to function properly, which can significantly worsen overall health.

Muscle Loss

When you crash diet, yes, you will lose weight, but it won’t be just fat—you’ll likely lose muscle too. This happens because your body, in a state of calorie deprivation, starts breaking down muscle tissue for energy. Losing muscle also means your metabolism slows down, making it harder to keep weight off in the future.

Physical Health Consequences

Severe calorie restriction puts your body in distress, especially if your weight gain was caused by years of poor eating habits. The stress from crash dieting can lead to issues like fatigue, hair loss, a weakened immune system, and in extreme cases, even heart problems. For those who are already nutritionally compromised from bad eating patterns, these physical consequences can be even worse.

Metabolic Slowdown

Crash dieting is a surefire way to damage your metabolism. After years of eating poorly and putting on excess weight, suddenly cutting calories puts your body into survival mode. Your metabolism slows down, making it harder to lose weight in the long run. Even if you lose weight through crash dieting, the likelihood of regaining it—and even gaining more—is extremely high.

Mental Health Struggles

Beyond the physical effects, crash dieting can severely impact your mental health. The restrictive nature of crash diets often leads to feelings of stress, anxiety, and emotional turmoil. Constantly fighting against your body’s hunger signals—combined with the ingrained bad eating habits—can make the experience feel like an uphill battle. Add to this the potential for developing eating disorders and body image issues, and crash dieting becomes a mental strain as well as a physical one.

The Way You Should Diet

After all this talk about what not to do, I’m obviously not going to leave you hanging without a solution. In this section, I’ll share an easy step-by-step process to help you lose weight and begin with a simple, sustainable diet structure.

Before we start: No, I’m not going to tell you to follow a specific diet like keto, paleo, or vegetarian. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: A specific diet isn’t the key. The key is simply reducing your calorie intake, increasing your cardio, or doing both.

With that in mind, here are the steps to start your diet journey in a sustainable way.

Step 1: Cut Out Processed Food

If you’re consuming a lot of processed food, this is going to be the biggest return on investment (ROI) for your diet. This is your 20% effort that will give you 80% of the results. Cutting out processed foods will make a huge difference.

Step 2: Work Out

Yep, just work out. There’s no way around this. You need to increase your metabolism so that your body becomes more efficient at burning fat. Working out itself may not burn as many calories as you’d expect, but it turns you into someone who burns fat more easily throughout the day.

Step 3: Walk More

Most people today barely walk, which makes sense because many jobs are desk jobs. Unless you work in construction or have a physically demanding job, you’re probably not walking enough. Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps each day to keep things moving.

Step 4: Eat Whole Foods

After cutting out processed food, replace it with whole foods like vegetables, meat, and fruits. No one gets obese by eating whole, natural foods—unless you’re deep-frying everything, of course!

Step 5: Eat More Protein

To feel more satisfied and full, make sure you’re eating a good amount of protein with each major meal. Not only will this keep you fuller for longer, but it will also speed up your recovery from workouts and help you build muscle.

If you follow these steps, you will absolutely lose weight in a sustainable way without making things too complicated for yourself.

Hope you enjoyed the article!