Masaba Gupta calls quick weight loss ‘the new epidemic’

Masaba shares her views on quick weight loss (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram)

“One that will cause not just physical but mental damage to a whole generation. How is it that we went from being inclusive and ‘loving ourselves’ to jabbing diabetes drugs to lose weight? You have 24 hours in a day. Take out those 45 minutes to move your body for the rest of your life. You literally have 24 hours in a day,” she said.

Concurring with Masaba, Dr Gaurav Jain, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi said that aiming for quick weight can be dangerous as it can harm your physical and mental health in several ways. He shared some such ways:

Nutrient deficiencies: Rapid weight loss diets are often very restrictive and may not provide enough essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies that can cause health problems.

Dehydration: Losing weight too quickly can lead to dehydration, which can cause headaches, dizziness, and other health problems.

Muscle loss: Rapid weight loss diets can cause your body to lose muscle mass along with fat. This can make it harder for you to maintain your weight loss in the long run, as muscle is more metabolically active than fat.

The experts suggested focusing on making sustainable lifestyle changes rather than relying on quick fixes (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Gallstones: Rapid weight loss can increase your risk of developing gallstones, which can cause severe abdominal pain and require surgery to remove.

Mood changes: Rapid weight loss can also affect your mood and lead to feelings of irritability, anxiety, and depression.

Hormonal imbalance: It can lead to irregularities in menstruation, hair loss, loss of libido and energy, and thyroid dysfunction.

Dr Pranav Honnavara Srinivasan, Consultant, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Oncology, Bariatric surgery, and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, Sparsh Hospital added that restrictive weight loss plans cause tremendous stress on one’s body. “The body’s metabolism slows down and there is a loss of important muscle mass rather than losing fat mass. When you try to starve, you lose out on important nutrients like vitamins and minerals which can lead to problems in the future like osteoporosis, low immunity and hair loss. There are many other side effects of losing weight rapidly including dehydration, gallbladder stones, electrolyte imbalances, headaches, dizziness, constipation, and menstrual irregularities.”

Adding, Mansi Gulati, Yoga Expert, Manasvani, said, “One should always avoid pills because they can have a lot of side effects which, in the long run, can give you health issues. We may bounce back the weight more than what we have lost.”

Dr Jain, too, advised against consuming such pills. “Many of these pills contain ingredients that can have serious side effects, including heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and liver damage. Additionally, these pills often do not address the underlying causes of weight gain and may only provide short-term results.”

So, how should one approach their weight loss journey? The experts suggested focusing on making sustainable lifestyle changes rather than relying on quick fixes. “This can include making changes to your diet and increasing your physical activity levels. It is also important to set realistic goals and to seek support from friends, family, or a healthcare professional if needed. Additionally, it can be helpful to address any underlying emotional or psychological factors that may be contributing to your weight gains, such as stress or depression,” Dr Jain said.

Agreeing, Gulati said that a healthy weight loss journey is one in which you go the slow way by losing 2-3 kg in a month. “With a proper balanced diet and exercises in combination with walking, strengthening and yoga, you can work wonders and go slow and steady,” she said.

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