Xiao Shushen fainted after skipping lunch, doctor says: Over-dieting

Artist Hsiao Shu-shen, who was once imprisoned for drug abuse, weighed 75 kilograms when she was released from prison in July last year. Some media reported that she was actively losing weight in order to make a comeback, adopting the "not eating after 3 pm" diet and exercising. Although she successfully lost weight to 52 kilograms, she fainted last week due to low blood sugar. Doctors say that dieting is not a healthy way to lose weight. Low blood sugar can cause shaking, sweating, and even fainting. If you can't control your hunger, you will often binge eat.

Artist Hsiao Shu-shen, who was once jailed for drug abuse, is pictured on the left recording a song she created shortly after her release from prison last year. She was actively trying to lose weight because she had gained weight, and adopted the "not eating after 3 p.m." diet. Although she successfully lost 23 kilograms, she also fainted due to low blood sugar. (Photo taken from Hsiao Shu-shen's Facebook)

Media reports said that Hsiao Shu-shen adopted a weight loss plan of not eating after 3 pm, which caused her body to experience abnormalities. She felt dizzy after walking a few steps, and even fell in the toilet when she got up in the middle of the night. After seeing a doctor, she learned that it was because she ate too little, which led to low blood sugar. Therefore, she relaxed her diet in the past two days.

Dieting is a myth that harms your health and makes you hungrier

Dr. Xiao Dunren, a gastroenterologist specializing in weight loss medicine, said that indeed many people adopt the "not eating after noon" method to lose weight, but "dieting" is not a healthy way to lose weight, it is too intense and is not recommended. He pointed out that because the stomach empties about 4-6 hours after eating, blood sugar will begin to drop, so people should originally eat a main meal about every 6 hours.

If you keep your body on an empty stomach for too long, in addition to feeling very hungry, you will often eat too much and become obese if you eat again at this time. If you resist eating, your blood sugar will be too low and you will shiver, sweat, feel dizzy, or even faint, and over time your body may even develop ketoacidosis.

Late-night snacks should not exceed 100 calories

Dr. Xiao Dunren said that a low-calorie balanced diet and normal distribution of three meals are the principles of healthy weight loss. In addition, it is generally not recommended to eat midnight snacks when losing weight. He said that if you have dinner at around 7 o'clock in the evening and go to bed before 12 o'clock, you will not feel hungry before going to bed.

However, if you need to go to bed later because of work or study, you may feel a little hungry. It is not recommended to resist eating at all. However, the calories of the midnight snack must be controlled within 100 calories. For example, eating 1 serving of fruit (60 calories) plus 1 bowl of miso soup (30 calories) can satisfy your hunger before going to bed without gaining weight.