Quick Weight Loss – Not All it’s Cracked up to be?

Is quick weight loss a good idea? It all depends what you
consider quick. Some people follow what used to be called
‘crash’ diets, eating next to nothing for a limited period of
time in an attempt to lose weight as quickly as possible. This
is seldom a good idea, for several reasons. First, super quick
weight loss necessitates following such a restrictive diet that
the dieter is more than likely to feel deprived – indeed, he or
she has an excellent reason for feeling this way! A diet very
low in calories is unlikely to provide adequate nutrition, so it
leaves you feeling hungry, deprived and resentful. People have
different reactions to this; some rebel, while others are
convinced that they don’t deserve to eat normally and that
they’ll never be able to, without gainin weight. In other words,
crash diets set the stage for future eating disorders.

Also, very quick weight loss seldom stays off. That’s because
most people’s bodies tend to have two metabolism ‘settings’,
probably left over from those of early humans. When food is
plentiful, it is consumed as needed, and the excess is stored in
the form of fat. But when food is scarce (like during a
restrictive diet) your body is convinced that it’s going through
a ‘famine’ time, and metolism slows down to conserve energy. If
you’re after quick weight loss, that’s the last thing that you
want, of course. And after you start to eat normally again, your
body might still think that it’s in a famine and needs to hold
on to every bit of energy it can. In fact, some chronic dieters
succeed in permanently slowing down their metabolism to the
point where they end up gaining more weight than they ever lost
in the first place. That’s because lost muscle weight can
sometimes be replaced by an equal volume of fat.

The real key to quick weight loss, therefore, is not cutting
calories but increasing activity so that you burn more of them
more quickly. Consider the fact that ballet dancers can lose up
to five pounds in a single performance – now that’s quick weight
loss! Of course, most of us will never be active enough to lose
weight that quickly, but certainly a daily workout, long or
short, can help get you on the road to quick weight loss. An
exercise program coupled with watching what you eat is
absolutely optimal in allowing you to lose weight fast. Don’t be
tempted by gimmicks or pills, though; at best, they are likely
to be waste of money, and at worst, they can be downright
dangerous.

1. Prev:Fast Weight Loss: It may be easier than you think!
2. Next:Choose from the many weight loss programs available today