7 Bad Side Effects Of Crash Dieting

We would all like to tone arms, and we would all like to do it fast. In this day and age, we expect lightning quick results.

You may think that crash dieting is an effective way to get toned arms ASAP. Unfortunately, the female body resists such extreme dieting and you could end up worse once you resume normal eating. So here are 7 reasons why crash dieting does not work to tone arms:

1. Not enough nutrients. In our society it’s hard to get enough nutrients even with a surplus of calories. So a massive decrease in calories can put you at risk for being malnourished.

2. Weak bones. Bone density is very very important for the female body. As levels of estrogen change with aging so does the risk for fractures. And not getting enough calories also increases the risk of bone related issues.

3. Muscle loss. Muscle mass will be your best friend for getting rid of that arm jiggle. Now we’re not talking about bodybuilder levels of muscle here! Nonetheless, massive drops in caloric intake will produce massive reductions in lean muscle tissue.

4. Decreased secretion of arm-fat-burning hormones. Hormones are the most powerful substances in your body. If they are not working for you, you’re missing out big time. Decrease calories by more than 20% and expect a suppressed hormonal output.

5. More sickness. Being sick is not fun by any stretch of the imagination. Being sick will set back your sexy arm mission by leaps and bounds. And to fight off sickness, your immune system needs a bare minimum amount of calories. My worst cases of flu and fever came when I was dieting too hard.

6. Reproductive system shutdown. It’s quite common for gymnasts to lose their period because they don’t eat enough (to make weight) and they exercise a lot. Without enough calories coming in, the female body will shut down its reproductive organs.

7. Mood swings. The female body needs calories (and carbs) to stay mentally balanced. A massive drop in calories increases your risk for depression.

In my opinion, extreme caloric restriction is not worth it. Even if you do lose a lot of arm fat, it’s most likely to come back once you start eating normal again. This has happened to me multiple times in the past! A far better (and sustainable) approach to tone arms is to follow a balanced diet so that your body doesn’t shut down.

Writer Katherine Crawford, an exercise physiologist and former brachioplasty sufferer, instructs on how to get rid of flabby arms. Figure out how to get sexy arms by visiting her blog with advice on how to avoid a brachioplasty procedure now!