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.
The sad truth is that many women have fallen under the false belief that extreme caloric restriction produces the fastest results. Perhaps you ‘re considering going on a very low calorie diet because you’re fed up with having flabby arms. But before you do, consider the following 7 pitfalls of extreme caloric restriction to tone arms:
1. Malnutrition. Many women who eat an EXCESS of calories are malnourished because their food lacks nutrient density. Put yourself in a massive deficit of calories and your risk for malnourishment is even higher.
2. Decreased bone density. Because of fluctuating levels of estrogen (among many other things) women have to be especially vigilant of their bone density. Hence the popularity of the calcium supplement viactiv. Restrict calories too much and your bones can become less dense.
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. Suppressed hormones. If you really want to tone arms, you need hormones on your side. They are the most powerful substances for burning arm fat. Unfortunately, massive caloric restriction and hormonal production do not mix well.
5. Suppressed immune system. Go on an extreme crash diet to tone arms quickly and expect a higher frequency of colds and fevers. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. The female body needs a bare minimum of nutritious calories to fight of disease.
6. A loss of period. Cut calories too much, and it’s very likely that you’ll lose your period. Without enough food coming in, the body shuts down the reproductive organs.
7. Emotional roller coasters. The female body needs a steady and sufficient stream of calories in order to produce feel good substances. Without them, the risk of depression increases. Just hang around a fitness professional whenever they’re going on a low-carb diet to see what I’m talking about.
Crash dieting is simply not worth it. There are too many risks associated with excessive caloric restriction. Furthermore, you’re more likely to gain all the weight back once you start eating normal again. If you want to tone arms, do it the right way not the quick and unhealthy way.
Writer Katherine Crawford, a fitness physiologist and former arm fat sufferer, instructs on exercise for flabby arms. Figure out how to get sexy arms by exploring her blog with shake weight reviews now!