How to Lose Weight Fast

In the great weight loss struggle, claims of how to lose weight fast appeal to individuals, but it’s important to take a good long look at the facts.

Problems with Quick Weight Loss

Some weight loss plans claim that they can help you not only lose weight but lose it at lightening speed. Whether or not a weight loss plan can help you shed pounds quickly is one issue. A whole other issue is whether or not you should lose those pounds so quickly.

Countless health texts, research studies, and fitness experts note that losing weight quickly can be dangerous. And maybe worse for people struggling with their weight, these quick loss plans don’t tend to work for the long term. In other words the quicker you lose weight the more likely it is that the pounds won’t stay off. Experts have noted that gradual weight loss is preferred to rapid weight loss because when you lose weight fast you may lose lean body mass. The point of weight loss is to lose fat not muscle. Muscle actually helps burn fat so by losing weight rapidly you are losing your body’s own personal defense against fat.

There are many reasons why quick weight loss is not a good long term solution, but most of the time what it comes back to are habits. Habits for combining diet and fitness for a healthy lifestyle, and in correlation long term weight maintenance take time to develop. While anyone can pop a diet pill, it’s known that that’s not a long-term healthy way to live. What takes longer is learning about how to live healthfully for life using activities like cutting calories, exercise and healthy eating.

Problems with Fast Acting weight Loss Pills

People looking for ideas about how to lose weight fast often turn to pills. The allure of diet pills is intense and most pill advertisers’ claims are the reason. Health and super speed weight loss without hunger is a typical claim of the average fast weight loss pill. Most research shows though, that the typical weight loss pill delivers none of the above and at the very least not for the long-term.

Experts with the Mayo Clinic have put together an invaluable resource article for people considering loosing weight quickly with weight loss pills. The Mayo Clinic resource covers various pills, the pros and cons of pills, and how they work. The article also reaffirms the fact that, “There's no magic bullet for losing weight. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is through indefinite lifestyle changes: Eat healthier, low-calorie foods, watch portion sizes, and engage in regular physical activity.”

Problems with Fasting for Quick Weight Loss

Fasting, or the act of not eating, can provide quick weight loss but at the risk of your health. Both short and long term health can be harmed by fasting. Your body is deprived of nutrients and your metabolism will slow down. The body won’t be able to create new enzymes, blood cells, and other body components needed to be healthy because it will lack necessary nutrients and energy. On top of that, you will likely be one cranky person as well.

Research from years of various studies show that human bodies can tolerate short term fasting. What the body cannot tolerate is long term and or frequent fasting. In as little as 24 hours most people fasting will lose integrity in their intestinal wall lining. One study by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (J. Polivy, Psychological consequences of food restriction) shows that food deprivation such as fasting leads directly to incidences of overeating or binge eating when food finally becomes available.

To learn more read; Dangers of a Very Low Calorie Diet

How to Lose Weight Fast: Does Anything Work?

No matter what you hear there is no magical weight loss pill, fad, or gimmick that safely answers the question of how to lose weight fast. In the future, maybe; but currently it’s impossible to find a peer reviewed study about a proven plan that provides fast, healthy, and long term weight loss.

That said there are some healthy options that can help speed up weight loss. These ideas won’t necessarily make you lose weight at super speed but they will help you lose pounds quicker when combined with a healthy diet and exercise plan.

• Water: Water is a huge weight loss helper. The best thing about drinking tons of water when you’re trying to lose weight is that it fills you up and lessens hunger cravings. Another perk is that in the beginning, water provides a quick drop in weight – quick enough to keep you motivated during those first few hard weeks of a new diet and lifestyle plan. Drinking eight or more glasses of water a day will result in actual noticeable weight loss especially in your face.
• Weight lifting: Weight lifting more than other exercises increases muscle mass and muscle is a fat burning machine. Incorporating weight lifting into your life will help to speed up weight loss. Learn more at Natural Choice Directory.
• Choose smart exercises: When you need to lose weight any exercise is a smart exercise. However, there are some exercises that deliver more calorie burning bang for your time. For instance per hour riding a stationary bike at a moderate pace burns more calories than jogging at a moderate pace. To see an extensive list (over 600 activities) of activities and calculate how much they’ll burn for your body weight visit, Bodybuilding.com.

Lastly, the biggest help for quicker weight loss is support.

Not only is it safer to lose weight on a plan you discuss with your health care provider but it’s also one key to maintaining weight loss. Always talk to your health care provider about your weight loss needs, ideas, questions, and plans..