Are You Losing Weight the Unhealthy Way?

     For many, the phrase "healthy weight loss" can be a little bit confusing. After all, healthy weight loss implies that there is unhealthy weight loss. Being overweight is a substantial health risk, though. So how could losing that extra weight ever be unhealthy?
Of course, it is true that excess weight can create a lot of health problems. People who are overweight are more prone to developing severe medical issues like heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. They are also more likely to experience breathing-related health problems such as obstructive sleep apnea and asthma.
What most people don't realize is that rapid weight loss can be just as dangerous. Yo-yo dieting can actual damage your blood vessels and increase your chances of having a heart attack. Fad crash-diets can also lead to severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. What is worse, this kind of dieting lowers your metabolism and makes it harder to keep weight off long-term. When you crash diet, chances are you won't lose much actually body fat. All you stand to lose is a bunch of water weight, your healthy metabolism and your long-term health.
Just like there is not successful "get-rich-quick" method of getting out of debt, there isn't any quick-fix to losing weight. You didn't get to your current weight in a few weeks, or even months. Don't expect to correct the problem in that amount of time either.
Bariatrics is the field of medicine which focuses on preventing and treating obesity. This isn't a new science, by any means. Bariatric medicine has been around since the 60s. In the last 50 years we've learned a lot about what causes obesity. The core tenants of healthy weight loss, eating healthy and exercising, haven't really changed over the years, though.
That doesn't mean that there aren't safe medical means of helping you lose weight, though. Modifying the way your diet and activities are crucial aspects, but there are medically safe dietary supplements and medications that can help, especially during the initial period of achieving your ideal weight. In some cases surgery may even be a recommended course of immediate treatment.
These medical aides are not a solution in and of themselves, though. They can help a person get started, but they cannot keep the weight off long-term. There isn't any pill to provide the most important aspects of a successful weight loss plan: determination and commitment. Those can only come from within.
You may be thinking, "If I had willpower then I wouldn't need help losing weight in the first place." That isn't necessarily true, though. There are a number of factors that contribute to obesity, including things like genetics, stress and lifestyle. Even improper eating has less to do with willpower than it does with habit. Fortunately, bad habits can be replaced with good.
That is why it is important to talk with a medical professional about your desire to lose weight. Your bariatric specialist and you can work together to develop a custom-fit weight loss plan that takes into account your unique physical and mental makeup, as well as environmental and other aspects. The decision to lose weight is never an easy one to make, but choosing to lose weight in a healthy way dramatically increases your chances of success without compromising your health.

1. Prev:What Plays A Part In Your Weight Loss
2. Next:Weight Loss is Torture