Quick Weight Loss Diets – Is it Real?

Quick Weight Loss Diets
 
Who was the world’s first dieter?  Did Eve look down at her belly or thighs and think, “Wow I need to drop 10 pounds, fast!” 

That may be an exaggeration, but quick weight loss diets have probably been around nearly that long.  Although it is widely known and accepted that “fad” diets deliver only temporary results, the search is still on for that miracle diet:  weight loss that is fast, easy and permanent.

There are definitely certain steps you can take to maximize weight loss.


Feed Your Furnace

Think of your metabolism as your personal furnace.  Years of yo-yo dieting can reduce that furnace to a smolder, meaning you don’t burn enough calories to lose weight.  While most weight gain is caused by eating too many calories, if you’ve stalled your metabolism you may need to consume more calories for a time in order to stoke the fire to its calorie-burning optimum.

You’ll need to figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is roughly how many calories your body needs to complete its daily tasks.  There are numerous sources on the web for BMR calculators that take into account your activity levels during the day (i.e. sedentary job or physical, gym rat or couch potato), your age, gender and current weight.

Armed with the calculated results, make sure to consume enough calories, and do your best to get them from lean protein, unprocessed fruits and veggies, nuts and whole grains.  Don’t be alarmed if you gain weight initially; this is your body’s way of readjusting and repairing.  Once your BMR is reset and your body is healthier, you will find the pounds beginning to drop.

By continuing to eat a balanced diet of the foods mentioned, and then adding exercise, it’s completely realistic to expect weight loss of a pound, or even two, per week.

Move Your Body
Exercise plays no role in the typical quick weight  diet.  Instead the dieter loses weight by eating very little.  THat may melt off some initial pounds, but as soon as normal eating resumes the weight comes back, usually more than was lost.  In addition to slowing down the metabolism as already described, that type of rapid weight loss and gain can also wreak havoc on your health in other ways.  The healthiest way to lose weight is to combine a balanced, healthy diet with exercise.

It is widely agreed that combining cardio-vascular workouts with strength training  is the most beneficial way to exercise.  The addition of yoga is exceptional, especially for those with a very stressful lifestyle.  It is possible to see tremendous improvement to your fitness level and body shape with just 3-5 hours of cardio, and 1-2 hours of strength training per week.
There really is no downside to adding exercise to your weight-loss plan.  The benefits to your overall health are indisputable:  improvements to mood and sleep;  stronger, leaner muscles; it even reduces your chance of developing conditions like heart disease and type II diabetes.  Quick weight-loss diets can adversely affect your health in nearly all these same areas.

Don’t Starve Yourself

The tabloids are rife with tales of the Hollywood actress who lost a ton of weight for her latest role by sipping only lemonade laced with cayenne pepper and maple syrup.  Six months later, those same tabloids run photos of the same actr,ess who ballooned up after filming was complete, but somehow we fail to make the connection between “crash diet” and “balloon”.

Just because someone is famous for looking good doesn’t make him or her an expert in healthy weight loss.  That type of dieting is extremely stressful to your body. You could find yourself hungry, dehydrated, grouchy, with no energy and heavier than when you began.  And that’s if you’re lucky!  Even worse, you could damage your metabolism, making it so sluggish that it’s impossible to lose weight.

To reach a healthy weight, you need a healthy body.  That means a body that receives nutritious food, is well hydrated, moves often, and gets enough rest.  That body becomes a lean, fat-burning machine.