With the explosion of the lockdown-friendly home exercise programs and availability of online video sessions, working out and shedding some extra weight became sort of a trend that many people started following and wanted to be a part of during this lockdown period. For some people this lockdown has really helped them in getting a proper shape, while most still trying to endure the pandemic induced stress and is so obsessed with the idea of getting their body in shape that they are pushing all their boundaries and resorting to methods that promise quick weight loss results like intermittent fasts and Keto diet plans. Now, while people are amazed at its extraordinary results, at the same time they are forgetting about the consequences that follow by suddenly exposing your body and metabolism to such rigid and harsh conditions.
In such a case, the questions that are being raised are of utmost importance- Are people working towards getting a body which is fit for the ‘Gram’ or is in accordance with the social media trends and metrics?
Are people becoming more conscious and healthier or are they just obsessed with the idea of being in shape as a part of the ‘productive culture’ that they are pushing their limits and doing things beyond their capacities just to shed some extra kilos instead of planning to be fit and healthy?
Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet in which we have to drastically cut down on our carb intake. It can help people in losing a lot of weight but it’s highly restrictive. The basic rule while following a keto diet plan is sticking to a diet chart which allows the intake of less than 50 grams of carbs per day. This diet helps in breaking down fats to be utilised as energy by our body after reaching a state called ketosis. Although, it comes with many health benefits including rapid weight loss and improved blood sugar control, a long-term ketogenic diet may have a lot of negative effects as well which include increased risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis, increased blood levels of uric Acid, innumerable nutrient deficiencies and believe it or not, it might also make a person feel constipated at times.
On the other hand, an intermittent fasting diet allows people to eat in a time bound way and fast for the rest of the time. People manage their fasts schedules according to their needs and feasibility. They might choose to eat during eight hours in a day and fast for the other sixteen hours or they can choose to eat whatever they like on the first five days of the week and severely restrict their calorie intake for the last two days. There are other variations too for this diet plan. Unlike the Keto diet, we can say that there are no food restrictions as such and people can actually eat whatever they feel like during their ‘eating’ hours. This has been one of the major reasons for the rise in popularity of this type of diet especially during this lockdown. It is less restrictive; people feel less deprived and it also imparts some hope to all those who have survived their mental breakdowns eating their favourite desserts lying lazily on the couch.
Now, the question arises ‘Can people get into good shape while having a healthy body?’ The answer is yes, but that would need a lot of time, effort and proper consultation so that in the race of having a perfect body, we don’t end up messing up our entire metabolism and functioning.
Under such circumstances, it’s kind of difficult for me to understand the reason behind people being so rigid and fixated upon the idea of losing weight amidst a global health crisis. There are many other ways in which people can be more ‘productive’ and use their ‘extra time’. The idea of utilising ‘extra time’ to lose weight or at least not gain any has now moved beyond the feeling of being productive and it has actually given us a glimpse of societal fear, societal fear of not being accepted in the way we naturally are. The frantic increase in negative comments masked in sarcasm or on self-depreciation on weight gain at a lot of social media sites by a lot of social media influencers, have not only made people uncomfortable in their own selves but have also made them doubt and question themselves and their bodies innumerable times.
A ‘perfect’ is desirable and envied by masses but it doesn’t evade the exploitative nature of a portentous social media world. Although human demand for flawlessness is insatiable, one must sometimes remember to stop the ordeal and maybe have that Aloo-Paratha that our mothers make so lovingly.
Written By Muskaan
Image Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52561757
Sources for article:
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a33502959/intermittent-fasting-constipation/
https://steptohealth.com/the-ketogenic-diet-the-benefits-and-disadvantages/
https://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/weight-loss/can-intermittent-fasting-on-the-keto-diet-help-you-lose-weight-faster-761651/
https://www.glamour.com/story/quarantine-fat-coronavirus-weight-loss