We all want to lose weight fast. There is a wedding, or a holiday or a party soon and our clothes will not fit. No problem, we are told. We can lose 30 pounds in 30 days, or even 10 pounds in 3 days – easy. Well, it can be done – but is it a good idea? Not really. You can harm your health doing it.
There are a lot of pills on the market which make impressive claims. Some decrease appetite, others increase calories burned. There are those which block absorption of dietary fat. The problem is we do not know enough about their side effects. A few pills are banned by the American FDA, but what about the others? It is all a grey area. If you do use pills to lose weight do your research first. Try to find out what they do and if there have been any problems with the ones you propose using.
So what are the dangers of fast weight loss? These include.
Dehydration caused by mainly losing water weight and also the possibility of diarrhoea.
Gallbladder and gallstone problems.
Tiredness and lack of energy.
Cramps through reduced sodium and potassium levels.
Muscle loss, as the body uses its own muscle to produce energy.
When it undergoes fast weight loss your body tries to protect itself from famine and slows down its metabolism, thus burning fewer calories. This in turn prevents it losing weight, as it is adapting to a lower calorie diet. You have abused your body by becoming fat, now you are abusing your body by trying to lose weight too quickly.
There is nothing wrong in losing weight. In fact there is a lot right in doing so, but you must do it the right way. You should lose weight with a combination of exercise and a healthy diet. This is the way to go, but it is not an instant solution.
Start by cutting out fats, sugars, fizzy drinks and junk food. Do not just decide not to eat them. Ban them from the house. Instead eat fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, lean meat and oily fish such as mackerel. There are plenty of recipes available which show you how to use these ingredients in imaginative and appetising ways. The Mediterranean diet is one of the best available.
You must exercise, walking, swimming, or cycling are all good if you do not like going to the gym. Start by exercising for half an hour a day and after two or three weeks work up to an hour a day. This can be split into half an hour morning and half an hour evening if that is more convenient. This way you should lose 1-2 pounds a week. If you are losing more reduce the exercise. You will then lose weight without any of the problems of fast weight loss diets and become fit and healthy in just a few months. That is plenty fast enough.
About the Author
Peter Stockwell is a writer, walker and author of the Senior Walking Fitness Blog, helping all ages to achieve lifetime fitness.
For more articles, tips and help on any aspect of diet and fitness visit
http://www.seniorwalkingfitnessblog.com
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