In a LIQUID state of mind

Ever considered skimping on a complete meal in lieu of a glass of wine? Well, scads of young women have — as per the findings of  popular studies, Drunkorexia is the latest buzzword in the world of fad diets.

The term pertains to a dangerous pattern of forgoing meals and supplementing the ‘lost calories’ with an alcoholic beverage, in a bid to cut down on the calorie intake; and yet indulge in binge-drinking without the fear of gaining weight. We turn to the experts to delve deeper as the disturbing trend continues with startling strength…

Dr. Shailaja Shastry, counsellor and psychologist, traces the alarming fad to an underlying body image issue. “This drastic step of going without dinner and supplementing it with a drink of an odd 400 calories to lose weight reveals a deep rooted psychological issue. As a society, we are often  pressurised into looking a particular way. The reason behind going for such diets simply shows how an individual is extremely dissatisfied with their body and would go any lengths to achieve a silhouette that’s lauded in general. While it may help you control weight gain even after excessive drinking; it’s a form of abuse that’s certainly going to strip your body of the essential nutrients, resulting in major health issues,” she comments.

Shilpi Chowdhary, celebrity haute couture designer, mentions how the need to look leaner has given impetus to queer diets and eating disorders. “I’ve had a number of young girls going on for days without eating a meal just before a big event or show, fearing they’d put on weight in the wrong areas of the body. And following it up with a night of downing drinks. Also, alcohol is something that’s packed with calories. So a lot of people are under the assumption that they can opt to drink instead of eating dinner; enabling them to drink more and yet not get fat. And strangely, since it helps in controlling the calorie count, a lot of youngsters opt for it,” the designer confesses.

Terming the trend as downright absurd, Nagashree Shreyas, a 23-year- old management professional admits to resorting to crash diets, but that she’d never cross the line, “I think it’s quite natural to try something like this, especially if you want to be slim in spite of binge-drinking. But going on for days without eating solid food is not just terrifying, but can disturb your metabolism and pose bigger problems as you age. I think it stems down to how a lot of us need more awareness about how to lose weight and control calorie intake in a healthier manner,” she opines.