No woman can be too thin or too rich, believes designer Anamika Khanna. And with that begins the battle of the bulge (sometimes the invisible, non-existent bulge is also drawn into battle).

The victory in this furious fight sometimes comes with a non-value-added tax ? low blood pressure, anaemic conditions, skin sorrow, gynaecological issues and a host of other general health worries, hand in hand with strict weight-loss regimens.

GoodLife focuses on the lesser-known evils that you might encounter on the way to weight loss.

While we often associate high fashion with skinny women, most designers create with real people in mind; (below) Nina Manuel has a well-toned body rather than an anorexic one. Pictures by Pabitra Das

In the mind

A long-term relationship with a weight-loss plan can cause severe emotional stress, sometimes even surpassing the turmoil of a bad break-up.

“This happens because most people are weighed down by a very tough task ? the task of sustaining the lost weight,” says psychiatrist Dr Shiladitya Ray. This can lead to one of these two situations...

Situation 1: The diet plan is so deeply engraved in the system that it makes it impossible to let go.

Result: An averse reaction to food at all times. “This often leads to an anxio-depressive state due to constant pressure of maintaining the new weight you’ve achieved,” says Ray.

Situation 2: A constant desire to give in to all kinds of forbidden food.

Result: Over-the-top binges at the slightest opportunity, often surreptitiously. “This paradoxical reaction stems from temptation at the sub-conscious level,” adds the psychiatrist.

The solution, he adds, most often lies in single-session counselling. “Here the patient is explained the importance of self-motivation, judging and understanding himself/herself. It is essential for them to learn to live a life of moderation.”

Figure flaw

One tends to associate high fashion with skinny women, but the fact is most designers create with “real people” in mind. Just fabric hanging over a body sans curves is hardly ever a pretty sight.

“Never slim down enough to look anorexic and starved,” says Anamika.

Though she admits that the fashion industry is all for the-thinner-the-better look, Anamika doesn’t advocate any form of extremes. Her advice: “Don’t stress on just looking thin, instead focus on feeling fit and looking it.”

Model and choreographer Nayanika Chatterjee agrees: “It’s extremely sad that the world over the trend is tilted towards very thin girls. But I would prefer to pick a girl with awesome attitude. Her body should be toned rather than simply twiggy,” she says. A perfect example, she adds, is model Nina Manuel. “Thankfully, models today have learnt the right art to stay thin ? frequenting the gym instead of all-day starving,” adds Nayanika.

Skin sorrow

Dieting might manage to give you a thin body (proportionate or not is debatable) but hardly ever without a pack of skin-related problems.

Most common, says Dr Shikha Sharma, is skin dryness, pigmentation and hair loss. “All this is due to lack of proper nutrients and calcium in the diet plan,” she adds.

Did you know that dropping too much weight could come in the way of regular beauty services like threading? “This happens due to loss of under-skin fat, making it tough to thread,” says Shikha.

Dr Arun K. Prasad, dermatologist at Nova clinic on Sarat Bose Road, lists some more not-so-common problems that might accompany weight loss and offers some solutions.

• Appearance of stretch marks. “There’s no scientific documentation yet, but stretch marks can arise in certain situations.” Possible treatments are glycolic acid application, micro-dermabrasion or chemical peels.

• Cellulite emergence. “Cellulite is basically fibrous bands that pull the epidermis towards the subcutaneous fat layer. After weight loss, goosebump-like cellulite may appear.” Treat with mesotherapy that involves injecting certain chemicals.

• Wrinkling, quite common in the late 30-40 age bracket. “A fatter person is less likely to show wrinkles, but once the weight goes down these may suddenly come up.” Possible remedies are botox injections, derma fillers, chemical peels and special creams.