when you reduce your calories to lose weight you run the risk of falling short on key nutrients. that's why choosing nutrient-rich foods is particularly important when you're dieting. fortunately some of the foods richest in nutrition -- fruits vegetables and whole grains -- also happen to be low in fat and calories. they also tend to be higher in fiber. so they help fill you up even when you're eating less to lose weight. even on the healthiest diet however you may fall short on nutrients over time. the nutrients that are most often in short supply are iron and calcium. but if you're dieting to lose weight over an extended time you may run a risk of falling short on other nutrients. taking a multivitamin can help ensure that you meet your basic needs while you try to lose weight. but remember a pill is no substitute for a healthy nutrient-rich diet. “dieting” typically entails food restriction in both the amount of food as well as the type of food that you consume both of which could potentially lead to malnourishment if done incorrectly. the good thing is that the types of food that you should be restricting on a healthy diet typically don’t offer you much nutritional value anyways which is why you would want to restrict them in the first place. you shouldn’t have to worry about nutritional deficiencies when dieting so long as you’re eating a balanced diet with a variety of different foods and as long as you’re not following a very low calorie diet. be wary however of some diet plans that severely restrict certain foods or food groups altogether. some of these diets may have varying degrees of merit but it’s best to consult with a dietitian or doctor before undergoing major dietary changes to help distinguish between helpful and harmful dietary practices.
i'm dieting to lose weight. should i worry about falling short on key nutrients?