You can spot these diets from a mile away , if you know what you ’ re looking for . The red flag when looking for these diets ( often called fasts ) are those that have an obvious lack protein as their primary food source . Diets like the Hollywood Juice Diet , the Cabbage Soup Diet , the Lemonade Diet , etc . can definitely help you lose weight ... but trust me when I say this : the weight you lose on these types of diets is not the weight you want to lose . In fact , these diets do more bad than good because you will lose precious lean body mass in the process of losing weight . And again , when you lose that precious lean body mass , you slow down your metabolism which in turn slows your ability to lose weight . The more lean body mass you have , the more calories your body needs to keep that mass functioning properly .
Again when the body goes without protein for a length of time , it is going to get its protein needs by eating your skin for lunch and your hair for dinner . The hair and skin are the first protein stores to be attacked and if you look closely at people on protein-deficient types of diets , you will notice a lack of glow and sheen to the hair and skin . This is because the protein that keeps the skin and hair healthy and vibrant will be missing . People on these types of diets are noticeably haggard , wrinkly and dull looking .
But it won ’ t stop there . Think about it . Can you really afford to lose part of your heart , liver , brain , kidneys and other vital organs ? Do you really want to sacrifice your precious skeletal muscle that actually helps you burn fat all day long ?
I know none of this sounds too pleasant but it is a fact . When looking to lose weight , it is imperative that the weight you lose is laser-focused on body fat , rather than lean body mass . Certain diets and misinformation about nutrients can lead to protein deficiency .
If you have any of the following symptoms , chances are you are not getting enough protein in your diet :
• thin , brittle hair .
• hair loss .
• reduced pigmentation in the hair .
• ridges in fingernails and toenails .
• skin rashes , flaky skin , dry skin .
• weakness and cramps in your muscles .
• difficulty sleeping .
• nausea
• slow healing in wounds , cuts , scrapes
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