crash diet

American  

[krash dahy-it] / ˈkræʃ ˈdaɪ ɪt /

noun

1. a severe limitation of food intake or food selection intended to help someone lose a lot of weight very quickly.

   A crash diet that completely eliminates some food groups is likely to do more harm than good—and unlikely to result in realistic weight loss.

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verb (used without object)

1. to severely limit one’s food intake or food selection in order to lose a lot of weight very quickly.

   It’s better to lose weight slowly and keep it off than to crash diet and gain it all back.

Etymology

Origin of crash diet

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

It's exactly like a crash diet.

From Salon

When the dancer used a dangerous and unsustainable crash diet to become skinnier than he had ever been, he was praised.

From Washington Post

A global pandemic is not the time to start a crash diet or otherwise pressure yourself to control your weight.

From New York Times

In a subgroup analysis of the crash diet participants, 15 genes related to the extracellular matrix were identified, and 8 more associated with stress response.

From Scientific American

Healthy living shouldn’t be a crash diet.

From Los Angeles Times