Lightning diet - that's really behind it

What is a lightning diet?

A lightning diet is a radical diet that aims to shed pounds in a very short time. A lightning diet can last 48 hours, 3 days or 7 days and is based on a strict eating plan. Often mono diets are used, which mainly consist of one specific food.

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Course of the diet

There are numerous diets known as the lightning diet. All of these diets have in common that only one food or one food group may be consumed in the specified period. The nutrition plan is very radical and one-sided. The cabbage soup diet, the rice diet, the potato diet and the fruit or vegetable diet are popular. With a lightning diet, alcoholic beverages, sweeteners, sweets, fried foods, gratinated foods, etc. are strictly avoided. Sweetened drinks are prohibited and, at best, coffee should be avoided. At the same time, at least two liters of water should be drunk every day in order to stimulate the metabolism. As the name suggests, the lightning diet only lasts for a short time, usually between two and seven days. Some lightning diets also specify a strict exercise program in order to maximize the success of the diet.

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Advantages and disadvantages of a lightning diet

One benefit of dieting, and the reason lightning diets never go out of style, is radical weight loss in a very short window of time. Few other diets shed the pounds so quickly. However, the lightning diet has many disadvantages. Many people complain of constant hunger and nasty food cravings. If a one-sided lightning diet is carried out over a longer period of time, deficiency symptoms can occur because the body is permanently lacking important vitamins (vitamin deficiency), nutrients and trace elements. In addition, if there is little protein on the menu, muscle mass is reduced instead of the desired fat burning. Due to the strict menu, many people tend to "overeat" after the diet and the dreaded yo-yo effect occurs. The lightning diet is unhealthy and causes numerous side effects such as poor concentration, tiredness, decreased performance and inner restlessness.

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Side effects

As part of a lightning diet, symptoms of permanent hunger, mental and physical exhaustion are to be expected. Many people suffer from tiredness, decreased performance and difficulty concentrating. The reduced performance makes implementation in everyday work very difficult. The one-sidedness of the foods and dishes makes sticking to the lightning diet very difficult and can lead to cheating and premature discontinuation of the diet.

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Risks and Dangers

Lightning diets often have side effects: food cravings and a constant feeling of hunger. This can result in a tendency to snack or abandon the diet while dieting. The one-sidedness makes perseverance very difficult for many people. Inefficiency and exhaustion can limit everyday life, sporting activities are often limited or impossible and there is a risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). These risks make everyday implementation much more difficult. It becomes dangerous if a one-sided lightning diet is carried out for more than a few days, as deficiency symptoms can occur and in the long term even dangerous.

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Where can I find recipes?

There are innumerable forms of lightning diets that focus on different foods. Once you have decided on a diet, you can find a lot of recipes on the internet. Depending on the one-sidedness of the respective lightning diet, there is a differently large selection of recipes for the lightning diet on the Internet. There are also plenty of diet books that contain recipes for the appropriate diet and provide tips for perseverance.

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How much can I lose weight with this form of diet?

The aim of the lightning diet is to lose as much weight as possible within a few days. With a lightning diet of up to 7 days, a weight loss of 3 to 5 kilograms is often promised. However, a large proportion of this weight loss on the scales is just water washed out. Nonetheless, it is entirely possible for many people to lose two pounds in a week of radical lightning diets.

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How can I avoid the yo-yo effect with this diet?

The lightning diet is unsuitable for losing a lot of weight quickly and maintaining weight. As part of a lightning diet, the body switches its metabolism to the back burner in order to achieve its “target” despite the low calorie intake. If you eat a radically different diet for a few days, low in calories and low in fat, and if you lapse into old, possibly unhealthy eating patterns after the diet, the yo-yo effect is inevitable. To prevent the yo-yo effect, one should slowly taper off a lightning diet and gradually add more foods to the menu. The lightning diet should be understood as an introduction to a permanently healthy, balanced diet. Exercise is also effective in preventing the yo-yo effect.

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Medical rating of the lightning diet

It is promised that you can lose 3 to 5 kilograms of body weight in a period of two to seven days. However, such a loss of adipose tissue is unrealistic. In the first 2 days, mainly water is flushed out and the metabolism is changed. You lose a few pounds quickly, but at a high cost. The side effects are often very pronounced. Food cravings and difficulty concentrating make the implementation of the diet in everyday working life very cumbersome. The lightning diet is also extremely unhealthy, as a one-sided menu cannot provide all the necessary vitamins, trace elements and nutrients. The lightning diet should therefore by no means be carried out longer than specified. In the long term, deficiency symptoms such as poor concentration, anemia and poor performance can occur. A lightning diet is suitable for up to three days in order to stimulate the metabolism as part of a permanent change in diet. A lightning diet should not be carried out for longer, the yo-yo effect often follows and leads to a diet-yo-yo effect vicious circle.

What alternative diets are there to the lightning diet?

Lightning diets are popular for losing as much weight as possible as quickly as possible. If you want to lose weight sustainably and maintain your desired weight permanently, other diets that can be done over a longer period are better. Mild diets are low-carb diets. These diets can be incorporated into everyday working life and are very compatible with sport. The dreaded yo-yo effect is less likely and weight loss is healthier. Examples are the low-carb Atkins diet, which consists of different diet phases and promotes a fitness program, or the food combining diet, which combines certain food groups on the menu. In order to lose weight in a healthy way and to maintain the desired weight permanently, you should change your diet to a permanently healthy, balanced diet after each diet. Regular exercise is effective in getting the body in shape and maintaining weight.

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What is the cost of a lightning diet?

The costs of a lightning diet are heavily dependent on the foods allowed. Exotic fruits like pineapple (pineapple diet / fruit diet) are more expensive than the rice diet, where the rice can be bought cheaply in large quantities. If you want to lose weight with a radical shake diet, you buy the powder once and mix it with water or low-fat milk. If you compare that you would otherwise eat different meals three times a day, you might even save money with a lightning diet.

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Lightning diet without exercise - does it work?

Losing weight without exercising can work well on a lightning diet. In order to be active in sport, the body needs energy, even if energy is consumed during sport. With a lightning diet, the basal metabolic rate is kept low. Sport is less easy to implement with a lightning diet, as performance is significantly reduced due to the low calorie intake. At the same time, the lack of exercise also means that less energy is consumed. A lightning diet works through the minimal intake of calories, the body uses up its reserves and switches to fat burning on its own.

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How does it work for working people?

The implementation of a lightning diet is often very difficult for working people, as the menu is very one-sided and provides little energy. In order to remain productive in everyday working life despite dieting, you should think carefully about which lightning diet you choose. Pineapple tastes good, but is less filling than rice or potatoes. It can therefore make sense for working people to choose a high-carbohydrate lightning diet. It is best to prepare lunch for the next day and warm it up in the office. If you do not eat out, there are fewer silly thoughts and the carbohydrate-rich foods are more filling than a fruit or shake diet.