What Is Extreme Liquid Diet That Shane Warne Followed And Its Impact On The Body

Australian legend and former leg-spinner, Shane Warne passes away at the age of 52. It was suspected that the legendary cricketer suffered a heart attack, but, according to the autopsy reports, Warne died because he was on an ‘extreme’ liquid diet. Shane Warne had reportedly been on a liquid diet for 14 days in an attempt to lose weight quickly. In an interview, Warne’s manager, James Erskine, stated that the cricketer used to go on ridiculous sorts of diets and he had just finished one, where Warne basically only consumed fluids for 14 days. Moreover, the cricketer had always struggled with his weight throughout his life and so followed different fad diets to lose weight.

Days before his demise, he tweeted an old picture of himself, saying “Operation shred has started (10 days in) & the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago.”

What is a Liquid Diet?

As the name indicates, following a liquid diet means that you are getting all your calories from drinks. There are different kinds of liquid diets but they are all based on the same aim- to lose weight quickly. Typically, liquid diets are limited to only fruits juices, vegetable juices, or shakes and soups. People often choose to go on a liquid diet for weight loss purposes. But one shouldn’t be on them for long as they provide fewer calories and other essential nutrients. Hence, experts warn against the dangers of following a liquid diet for a long time as you’re not getting enough calories and nutrition.

Everyone needs a perfectly balanced and healthy weight loss diet to make sure that the body does not run out of essential nutrients. Therefore, a diet needs to be nutritionally balanced, sustainable, and effective. Otherwise, it could be very damaging to the body.

Negative Impact On The Body

Liquid diets are basically very-low-calorie diets (400-800 calories per day). These diets lack a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Even though Fruit and vegetable juices can provide vitamins and minerals but not up to the daily recommended amounts. Furthermore, Protein and fat are the macronutrients that are required by the body for normal growth and development. Missing out on these essential nutrients leads to poor health characterized by fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, gallstones, and heart damage. Also, not consuming whole grains, fruits and vegetables lead to developing constipation and other conditions. On top of it all, even if you succeed in losing weight quickly, the biggest challenge is the “yo-yo risk”. Yo-yo risk is piling the weight back again when food intake returns to normal.

Fad Diets

Losing weight is not a one-time thing. There is no magic trick to lose weight in a short period of time. The healthy way of weight loss is losing 1-2 pounds in one week as recommended by many physicians. The key to achieving this is by changing eating habits and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Although there are different types of diets claiming to be the solution for quick weight loss, however, there is no hard and fast rule for weight loss. Each person has different needs and what works best for one may not work for the other. 

Moreover, extreme diets are not a sustainable solution, they can lead to some health risks as well. Look for a diet that is not too low in calories and contains plenty of protein and fiber. Adopt healthy eating habits and always check with a general physician or dietitian before starting a diet.