1. Having two glasses of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner will help you lose weight

Many dieticians recommend people to take this up as a challenge on Facebook and other social media, and are very proud when people lose weight after following it. But, this is a poor practice for more than one reason. Firstly, drinking water just before meal time may only suppress your appetite for a short time and you will end up with cravings later. Also, filling your stomach with water dilutes your stomach acids, which are key to nutrient absorption and protein synthesis in the body. Even if you are eating a healthy diet, lack of sufficient stomach acid can render all of it useless. You are not only what you eat, but also what your body absorbs. That’s why how and when you eat it is as important as what you eat.

TIP: Avoid having water at least 20-25 minutes before and after meals. Having water immediately after meals may make you feel bloated. During meals you can have a few sips of water if required.

2. Checking your weight on the weighing scale

I used to once weigh myself every 15 days, till I realised the folly of doing that and stopped. The weighing scale has nothing to do with how healthy you are; your health is reflected by several parameters and not on the number you see on the scale.

The better signs of a healthy body are: how good you feel, how much energetic you have, and what kind of diseases [if any] are you suffering from. When you are successful in taking care of your body and mind, the by-product is optimum weight, high energy and an overall good feeling.

TIP: If you want to lose weight, put aside the weighing scale and buy clothes that you want to fit into. Weight loss [or gain] is not always apparent on the scale. You may lose fat and gain muscle, which will make you look leaner but may not show on the scale.

3. Eating less to lose weight

Eating less of the wrong foods is good but eating less of everything is not. Our body needs certain number of calories to carry out its essential functions of pumping and supplying blood, digestion, respiration etc.

The recent fad of having meal replacers to reduce calorie intake and lose weight is not healthy solution and is not in the interest of your health in the long-term. These meal replacers also have a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners, which can lead to other problems like insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance and nerve problems.

TIP: Portion control is the key. Eat a mix of different foods so your body gets the nutrients from them all. Avoid or restrict calories from packaged and processed foods.

4. A fat free diet is the best

Fats form an important part of our body. They not only protect our vital organs, but are also important for absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K. However, it is important to have the right kind of fats.

Fats in the form of nuts, seeds, dry fruits, ghee, avocados and filtered or cold pressed oils are considered healthy fats, as opposed to fats from refined oils, trans fats and hydrogenated vegetables oils, which are generally present in packaged foods.

Lack of healthy fats in the body leads to insufficient absorption of fat soluble vitamins which, in turn, can cause bone issues.

TIP: Add nuts and seeds to your salads and veggies; you can also have them as a snack.

5. No carb diet is the quickest way to weight loss

Whenever someone is keen on a no-carb diet, I ask them, “Then what will you eat?”; they name 4-5 foods that they will eat in repetition. Not only is that boring because of its monotony, but also is also not a healthy practice.

It is necessary to understand that every body is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all weight loss solution that works for everyone. Before following any kind of diet, it is necessary to consult a nutritionist & a dietician to know your body’s unique needs.

To me, a zero-carb diet seems like an unnatural way to eat. Certainly, the simple or “junk” carbs like sugar, cakes, ice-creams, pizzas etc have no nutritional value and hence are called empty calories; avoid them totally. But there are healthy carbs too, which contains a world of good nutrients.

TIP: Rather than totally eliminating carbs, go on a “right carb” diet. Munch on fruits and vegetables which healthy carbs—they contain complex carbohydrates, fibre and proteins too. That way your diet will be interesting and healthy too.

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Hence, detox diets—and even weight loss diets—require us to forgo some food groups. While some diets restrict carbohydrates, others say no to sugar or salt, still others forbid caffeine intake.

But evidence suggests that whenever our body observes the lack of supply of a particular ingredient, it reacts in a certain way, sometimes even violently. Let us have a look at the withdrawal symptoms of various food categories.

Withdrawal symptoms of a detox diet

Caffeine detox

Tea/coffee are the most targeted food group in a diet. A lot of people are addicted to tea and coffee and sometimes have several cups a day. On completely discontinuing tea or coffee, some changes take place in the nervous and vascular system, as the body tries to get rid of the poisons and realign its systems according to the new regime.

“Caffeine in coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks is habit-forming. It therefore creates dependability and withdrawal signs show up when it is stopped,” says Sheela Krishnaswamy, an independent diet, nutrition and wellness consultant.

Withdrawal symptoms of caffeine

The first symptom to manifest is a headache that stays for 2 – 3 days. You may also experience pain in the stomach and joints, which subsides after 3 – 4 days [the time taken by the receptors in the brain to be free of caffeine consumption]. Clogged sinuses and a running nose are other symptoms. For many people, tea and coffee work as a laxative, so constipation too is a common occurrence. Besides that, you may feel irritable and drowsy.

Cure: Take a couple of analgesics and ample rest. Having a very small amount of tea or coffee may also alleviate the symptoms. Switch to herbal teas or decaffeinated brews.

Cola detox

Soft drinks can be the primary source of calories and sugar for you. According to dietician Joanne Larsen of dietitian.com, there are nine teaspoons of sugar in each 12 ounce [355 ml] can of soda.

Caffeinated soda and energy drinks may contain other stimulants too, which may make you feel nervous. Reducing or eliminating caffeinated soda and energy drinks with stimulants should reduce feelings of nervousness.

Withdrawal symptoms of cola

Strong cravings and headaches are common symptoms. Dehydration may occur if soda is your main source of water for the body.

Cure: Switch to natural juices and decaffeinated drinks. Drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration.

Simple Carbs detox

Food items made of refined flour such as bread, cake, candy, pasta, noodles, and white rice are associated with a higher incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even breast cancer. And eating refined carbs, over time, results in almost certain weight gain.

Withdrawal symptoms of refined carbs

The first week is miserable, with a feeling of fatigue and acute craving for carbohydrate-rich food. You may feel constantly hungry and irritable or even experience nausea.

S K Thakur, a senior gastroenterologist, explains, “When your source of income dries up, you utilise assets like gold and silver. Similarly, when the intake of carbohydrates gets restricted, the body starts using the stored fats.” This process is called ketosis. As a result, the insulin levels in the blood drops, stabilising the blood sugar and the body loses weight. After the first week, the person starts to feel better and the craving pangs reduce.

Cure: Drink plenty of water to enable fat metabolism. Eat protein-rich foods like eggs and dal. You can take a teaspoon of good quality MCT oil or even pure coconut oil — it helps ease your cravings for carbs. If you feel nauseous, take adequate rest. “Substitute refined flour with complex carbs such as jowar, bajra or nachni to help you feel fuller without the negative effects,” suggests Mukerjee.

Salt detox

Salt is a chemical compound consisting of sodium, which is detrimental to health. While reducing salt intake is good, when a person drastically restricts his intake of salt for an extended period of time, the old accumulations in the body are excreted through the skin and kidneys.

Withdrawal symptoms of salt

In the initial days, there may be a salty taste in the mouth. “Cramps are initially experienced as salt is removed from the diet or rapidly excreted from the body,” adds nutritionist Honey Khanna. Other withdrawal symptoms include high blood pressure, lethargy and drowsiness, and excessive urination [as salt is water retentive]. In extreme cases, you may experience hypernatremia [electrolyte disturbance in the body] and fits.

Cure: Reduce salt intake slowly. Replace regular salt with rock salt or low-sodium salt.

Meat detox

Meat eaters have a high acid content in their body. When they stop eating meat, the body attempts to revert to the healthier, alkaline condition.

Withdrawal symptoms of meat

As the acids leave the body through the pores, they leave behind a disagreeable smell, foul breath and a bitter taste in the mouth. You may also experience some hair loss and muscular weakness. Once all the acid has been neutralised, these symptoms disappear.

Cure: Consume lots of fruits, vegetables and fluids.

Dairy detox

Milk is considered by many as a complete meal in itself. However, some people become lactose-intolerant and have to cut down on milk. Milk contains tryptophan [essential amino acid], which is sleep-inducing.

Withdrawal symptoms of dairy

Lack of sleep, lethargy, grogginess, mood swing, and headaches are common. You may also experience ailments like multiple bowel syndrome and chronic constipation.

Cure: Replace regular milk [cow or buffalo milk] by soy milk. “By completely eliminating dairy products from our diet, we deprive ourselves of calcium, a mineral that’s imperative for strong bones and teeth. This is an open invitation for diseases like osteoporosis at a later stage in life,” explains Deepika Malik, executive director, LifeCentury, and a qualified Ayurveda practitioner. You can also meet your calcium requirements with the help of supplements.

Sugar detox

Many dieticians treat sugar as slow poison. Not only does it promote weight gain, but it is also deadly for a person with diabetic tendencies. In many ways, what seems harmless is actually a cause of diabetes, obesity, and a variety of other problems.

“We take sugar withdrawal as seriously as addictions to substances like alcohol or drugs,” says Malik.

Withdrawal symptoms of sugar

Due to low blood sugar levels, the first symptom is acute craving for sugar and sugar products. Next is fatigue, in the absence of the energy boost sugar gives.

Depression, anxiety and mood swings may be experienced as sugar enhances these emotions too. It is also common to experience headaches, similar to the ones experienced in caffeine withdrawal. Other withdrawal symptoms include drowsiness, skin rashes and throat discomfort. In extreme cases, fever with tremors, unconsciousness and seizures are observed.

Cure: Cut off sugar slowly instead on stopping all at once. Switch to fresh fruits, salads and nuts.

Fat detox

A major chunk of our population suffers from obesity. The prime suspects are our fat-intensive diet and sedentary lifestyle. However, fats also provide many of the necessary vitamins. Embarking on a fat less or low-fat diet, reduces the level of vitamins like A, D, E and K in the body.

Withdrawal symptoms of fat

All problems related to the deficiencies of vitamins A, D, E and K manifest. You may also suffer from dryness of skin and hair, itching, weakness of bones, and night blindness.

Cure: Eat good fats like almonds and walnuts and fresh fruits.

A word of caution about detox diets

While going on any type of diet, reduce in stages instead of imposing a total stop on the consumption of any food item. “If you are cutting down on the consumption of above foods, you can avoid some of the symptoms by doing it slowly. If the craving persists, substitutes can be used,” suggests Khanna. Some withdrawal symptoms like that associated with wheat/caffeine withdrawal might require medical management.

■ This article was last updated on 18^th February 2021

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