At the 2022 Met Gala, Kim Kardashian created the surprise by arriving on the red carpet wearing a dress that belonged to Marilyn Monroe. To illustrate the theme 'Gilded Glamour', the star chose to wear the exact same outfit that the singer wore in 1962 when she sang 'Happy Birthday, Mister President' to John F. Kennedy. Touch-ups are forbidden on this dress because of its historical context and fragility, Kim Kardashian lost seven pounds in three weeks to be able to put it on. 'It was such a challenge. It was like a role. I was determined to get into the dress. I haven't eaten carbohydrates and sugar in about 3 weeks,' she told the American version of 'Vogue' during her red-carpet appearance. She added: After the ceremony, we will go back to the hotel and eat pizza and donuts. Shocked by these revelations, the actress of 'Riverdale' Lili Reinhart has pushed a rant against Kim Kardashian and this drastic diet.
What is a draconian diet?
The draconian diet is based on a significant decrease in the number of calories ingested daily. Such a slimming program favors certain foods and excludes many others based on their caloric value and not their nutritional value. Even if this diet leads to significant and rapid weight loss, it is a source of many problems. Nutritional deficiencies not without risk for the body may appear.
Draconian diet: why avoid extreme weight loss?
A draconian diet is characterized by a very significant decrease in the number of calories ingested daily.
If it can lead to a very significant weight loss, a draconian diet can also have serious consequences on health: slow metabolism, nutritional deficiencies, or psychological disorders. We explain why it is imperative to avoid extreme weight loss.
Draconian diet: what are the metabolic consequences?
Normally, and when energy intake is standard, the body expends a certain number of calories daily to function. We are talking about energy expenditure. Energy expenditure includes basal metabolism (i.e.The energy needed for breathing and the proper functioning of organs) and the expenditure related to daily physical activity.
Counterproductive efforts
During a draconian diet, calorie intake is very markedly reduced. At first, the body loses weight dramatically, because it has not had time to adapt to this change.
However, after a few weeks and to protect itself, the body will set up certain defense mechanisms: it stores nutrients, more importantly, builds up reserves and cope with food shortages.
The infernal spiral of drastic diets
The body will naturally save itself and reduce its basic energy expenditure, I.E.The amount of calories spent to breathe, to function the organs, to maintain its posture, etc.
In the end, the whole metabolism is slowed down and this is how the downward spiral of draconian diets begins. The body resists and it takes an ever-increasing calorie deficit to continue losing weight.
Extreme weight loss and nutritional deficiencies
A draconian diet very low in calories is necessarily accompanied by a restriction in one or more categories of foods: fats, carbohydrates, or proteins.
In the long term, this dietary restriction will most likely lead to risks of nutritional deficiencies in macro or micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and trace elements). As a result, the body can no longer function optimally and is overexposed to health risks that are to be taken very seriously. In extreme cases, we talk about undernutrition.
How to recognize a nutritional deficiency?
Although each case is different, there are some warning signs that may suggest a dietary deficiency. Especially if they occur as part of an unbalanced diet or a drastic diet. Here are the main ones:
Great fatigue.
Irritability.
Pallor.
Breathlessness.
Hair loss.
Loss of appetite.
Sudden weight loss.
Nervousness.
Constipation.
Headaches.
Dull skin and brittle nails.
In some cases and when calorie restriction lasts over time, it can give rise to psychological disorders.
Increased risk of regaining weight after a draconian diet
A drastic diet leads the body to save energy and store more. We must also add to this the risk of compulsive eating. These elements explain why about 95% of restrictive diets lead to weight gain within a year of stopping the diet.
Be careful, weight regain is often more important than weight loss during the diet, which explains the famous yo-yo effect well known by many people around the world.
Weight loss: when to worry?
Faced with extreme weight loss and a person on a drastic diet, certain signals should alarm and push to consult. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of these signals:
Chronic fatigue.
Sudden weight loss and minimized by the individual.
Depressed and irritable.
Pallor and timidity.
Obsessive attitude towards food.
Obsession with weight and daily weighing.
Food is at the center of attention and conversations.
Obsession with physical activity.
Willingness to cook a lot, for others.
Food subject has become taboo.
Diets incompatible with 'normal' life
A draconian diet is often abandoned quite quickly. Once the enthusiasm for rapid weight loss has passed, it is necessary to face the facts: this type of diet is hardly compatible with a normal and fulfilling social life. Indeed, the restaurant, meetings with friends, and the pleasure of eating are often completely forgotten in favour of a meticulous diet.