Independent Articles & Videos About:

1. Rapid Weight Loss Diets
2. Fad Diets

When Fast Weight Loss Becomes Unhealthy

You've made the decision to lose weight as quickly as possible. You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously. At this point, you may be wondering how much weight you can lose in a given week and whether fast weight loss can be dangerous for your body.

There are a number of things that can affect your weight loss. For instance, family history, or genetics, can play a significant role. Also, your weight loss may depend upon how much exercise you're engaging in, as well as how much stress you are under. Your metabolism, or how quickly you burn calories, can also have a major effect.

Theoretically, you could lose as much as 20 pounds a week. However, much of that weight could be water weight. That means that, once you go off your diet, you are likely to gain much of that weight back. Also, unless you engage in strength training, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, since about ¼ of the body's weight consists of muscle. It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.

Nature has a way of protecting the body against excessive weight loss. If, for instance, your calorie count suddenly drops, your body will compensate for the fact by reducing your metabolic rate. As a result, you'll need fewer calories to maintain your weight. This explains why some people lose weight up to a point and then cannot lose any additional weight, no matter how hard they try.

If you lose weight quickly, there's a good chance that your health will be jeopardized. For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones. Also, you may experience loose skin as your weight goes into free fall. Perhaps most distressing of all, if you experience rapid weight loss, there's a good chance that you will gain the weight back again. This is because it is very difficult to maintain a healthy diet regimen. You may find yourself falling back into your bad eating habits after a period of deprivation.

Fast weight loss also places you at greater risk for an eating disorder. You may be tempted to starve yourself, leading to anorexia. Or, because your food cravings are so great, you may want to binge and purge, leading to a case of bulimia. This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician's care. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm to your body than good.

Although the body has the capability of shedding a great deal of weight over a period of time, most medical experts agree that one should not expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week in order to remain healthy. This can be disappointing to a dieter, especially one that needs to lose about 50 pounds. However, doctors believe that the go-slow approach is best for long-term weight loss. Otherwise, you could end up with a number of health problems you weren't anticipating.

There are a number of approaches you can use to lose weight. For instance, you might follow the Atkins plan, the Zone, or the diabetic diet. You might try Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict's prescription for losing weight. However, it is vitally important that you accompany your diet plan with an effective exercise routine. One of the best exercises you can do, in fact, is the easiest--walking. It has been said that you can lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone.

As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution. It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term. In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps the best advice is to be patient. Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water. That way, you should be able to slowly lose weight--without jeopardizing your health in the process.

As a Teacher of Sport and Physical Education, Tony Robinson has a keen interest in Health and Weight Loss issues.

Beware of Diet Fads When Trying to Shed Pounds

It might be actresses such as Suzanne Sommers and Jane Fonda, or models such as Christie Brinkley or Kathy Ireland. It seems that a number of celebrities today offer their own weight loss programs. The programs are appealing because we see these various svelte celebrities and we want to have bodies just like them. The celebrities are also highly likable, so we have a predisposition to be accepting of their products.

However, did you ever stop to think whether these celebrities have any nutritional training? Do they have medical training? Is the information that they offer nutritionally sound? Or is it just a good sales pitch?

Nutrition experts Annette B. Natow and Jo-Ann Heslin, authors of the book Get Skinny the Smart Way, say that consumers should be leery of celebrity-inspired diet books. They point out that such books are often based upon nutritional fiction and that, while the diets outlined in these books may result in short-term weight loss, they can be far from healthy in the long run. Therefore, you might consider passing up the celebrity diet books and opting for those written by nutritional experts instead.

But celebrities aren't the only ones preaching fad diets. For instance, there's the so-called grapefruit diet which recommends consuming a grapefruit prior to each meal. Another fad is the cabbage soup diet, which requires you to consume all the cabbage soup you can handle. Other fads call for eating all the eggs you can...consuming only raw foods...or fasting every other day. Such diets are not only based on nutritional misinformation--they can also be dangerous.

For instance, let's take a closer look at the cabbage soup diet. No major health organization has endorsed it. Moreover, the American Heart Association disapproves of it, noting that it can actually harm you. Promoters of this diet say that you can lose as much as 15 pounds a week by following it--what they don't say is that most of that weight is water weight. Once you begin eating normally again, you will see your weight rise once more. Some of the side-effects of the cabbage soup diet include a feeling of weakness, stomach pains, and diarrhea.

Yet another questionable diet approach is what's known as food combining. Such a diet assumes that you are overweight because you are not eating the right combination of food. The requirements of such a diet can seem quite arbitrary. For instance, you might be told that you can eat a banana only in the morning. This is rubbish, since your stomach can deal with a variety of different foods at one time. The idea behind such a diet is to eat food with fewer calories, but there are other methods you can use to accomplish the same goals.

Some companies even claim that you can shed pounds while you dream. They say that, if you use their product right before bedtime, you will lose weight. In actuality, no company can make such a claim with any degree of credibility. It is impossible to burn a large number of calories while snoozing. In other cases, you may be tempted to try to lose weight by consuming special milkshakes or candy bars. In essence, these products are just milk and candy with certain vitamins and minerals added. However, one rarely feels satisfied after consuming these products.

As a result, you may find yourself actually consuming additional calories during the rest of the day. While you might be able to theoretically lose weight in the short-term, you'll find it difficult to maintain the weight loss over the long haul.

The fact of the matter is that there is a great deal of money that can be made through the sale and marketing of diet products. As long as America has a large contingent of overweight people, companies will try to make a profit off of overeating. It is up to you to be savvy enough to recognize a diet fad when you see it and opt for a different approach to losing weight. You'll find that there are really no short-cuts to weight loss. Any successful diet program takes time, patience, and determination, along with a willingness to change your eating patterns.

As a Teacher of Sport and Physical Education, Tony Robinson has a keen interest in Health and Weight Loss issues.

Weight Loss Scams - What Have You Got To Lose!

There are literally Thousands of weight loss plans and equipment on the market today.

Some are genuine in their promise of weight loss. Some although sincere in their promise, are flawed in their design. There are others that are blatantly fake.

Analysts predict that the cost to dieters, desperate to loose weight will reach 35 billion dollars a year in the United States alone. While the cost is rising, the increasing numbers of people are becoming obese. Hyperactive salespeople advertising to as many as they can to try their product sell diet Plans that claim large amounts of weight loss in very little time. Dieter who are obese and are desperate to loose weight join these programs and take the products.

Some lose weight, but almost all regain the weight they lost. Shows on cable Television with over zealous salespeople who promise that you can lose all the weight you want while you eat everything you want are outright lies and should not to be believed.

Everyone wants a quick weight loss cure, but there is no easy path. It doesn't matter what they are trying to sell you, whether they are trying to sell you fat absorbers, fat burners, cellulite pills, it's all a great scam that will have them collecting millions of dollars and the dieter with nothing.

Every year, new weight-loss books appear on the bookshelves, and magazines run thousands of articles on the subject.

Millions of people have proven that it is easier to gain weight than to lose it.

It has been proven time and time again that weight-loss attempts by following weight-loss diet plans may succeed for a short time but experts feel that dieter are setting themselves up for failure. There is no such thing as rapid weight loss diets. None of the weight loss plans printed in or on television, have had any proven long-term results. In the end, experts believe that using common sense will result in a healthier dieting experience.

Weight loss experts all agree that it is impossible to sustain weight loss, a well balanced diet and exercise is essential.

The medical community, food industry, dietitians government health and diet businesses are all watching helplessly as Americans continue to consume excessive amounts of food and become increasingly obese. Because this epidemic of obesity there has been an increase in heart disease, diabetes, and several other weight related health issues.

It is widely felt through all communities that there are weight loss plans and programs that will prey on the overweight and obese. Knowing what their insecurities are and taking advantage of them.

Experts warn consumers who are considering a weight loss program should do research on the subject, speak to their physician or seek out reputable companies and fitness centers that have knowledgeable staff members who can answer any questions you may have.

IIS is a team of researchers and writers dedicated to providing valuable, fitness information and research.

The Mayo Clinic Diet: No Good!

In a world where fad diets are all the rage and people jump at the newest get-skinny-quick schemes, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" is nothing new. Having been around for nearly thirty years, this diet has several variances, but touts the same promise: to lose a lot of weight fast. Its name is also deceiving. It was neither created nor endorsed by the Mayo Clinic.

Each variation of the plan follows the same plan. Dieters are encouraged to eat as much poultry and beef as they please. Some variations require that the dieter eat numerous amounts of grapefruit; others, eggs. One variation warns that dieters should not skip the portions of bacon. In all of the variations, dieters are promised to lose up to 56 pounds in the period of two months.

As with all fad diets, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" promotes rapid weight loss by eating as much of an item as the dieter pleases, the most popular instance being grapefruit. It isn't a permanent means of weight loss, nor is it healthy. Most promoters of the diet even warn that it isn't safe to practice for more than a period of two months at a time.

The "Mayo Clinic Diet" does not teach a dieter how to practice moderation. It perpetuates the problems of unhealthy eating and will not help the dieter control his or her weight problems. Additionally, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" offering the temptation to "eat until you're satisfied" and not count calories should be a warning label.

The only way to permanently and successfully lose weight is to practice moderation. Following the trend of fad diets may not only cause you to gain all of the weight you've lost back (and sometimes more), it can have lasting affects on your health. Rapid weight loss, and subsequent gain, can be bad for your heart. It can also lead to other irreversible health problems.

As with all diets, you should consult with your doctor before beginning. It is almost guaranteed that this is not a diet your physician will advocate. The Mayo Clinic's name may be attached to this diet, but even they do not recommend practicing this unhealthy means of losing weight.

Melissa Williams is a wife and mother of a beautiful baby boy. She is an avid scrapbooker, card maker, crocheter, and all around creative person. She lives in Michigan, and aspires to start her own business selling handmade cards and scrapbooking services. Melissa is an author on Writing . Com ( http://www.Writing.Com/ ).

Frequently Asked Questions About Weight Loss And Diets

If you're on a diet, or considering going on one, you're in luck. We've put together ten of the most frequently asked questions about diets and weight loss and compiled them here. Enjoy!

1. How much should I weigh? Your doctor can answer that question most accurately. More important than how much you weigh is your body/mass index, which measures your height against your weight.

2. What's the best diet for losing weight? Any diet that provides all the nutrition that you need for health, and in addition, provides fewer calories than your body burns regularly.

3. How can I keep off the weight that I lose? If you lose weight gradually and re-educate both yourself and your body about food, you'll have a good start. The secret to keeping weight off is to balance your energy needs with your food intake. Eat enough calories to supply your body's energy needs, but not so many that your body stores the excess as fat.

4. What's the story with obesity and diabetes? Obesity increases the risks of a number of chronic health conditions, and diabetes is one of them. People who are more than ten percent overweight increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes substantially.

5. How do I decrease my intake of sugar? Obviously, you can decrease your intake of sugar by cutting out sweets and refined snacks, but you should also watch out for 'hidden' sugars. Check ingredients. High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both simple sugars that add lots of calories and little nutrition.

6. How often should I weigh myself? Most diet experts recommend that you weigh yourself no more than once a week. Some go so far as to tell you to throw out the scale entirely! A more accurate measure of your loss is your clothing size. If your clothing is feeling looser, you're doing great.

7. Do I really have to exercise? You don't HAVE to, but it will be a lot harder to lose weight if you don't. A half hour of moderate exercise daily is the minimum activity level for healthy weight loss. You can get it walking, running, cleaning your house - anything active burns calories.

8. What's a calorie? A calorie is a measure of energy. Foods are rated with calories based on the amount of energy they provide to the body when consumed.

9. Can I lose weight without changing my diet? Weight loss results when you burn more calories than you consume. If you only need to lose a small amount of weight and your diet is generally healthy, you can lose weight by increasing your activity level to burn more calories. If your diet is poor, or if you're more than a few pounds overweight, you really need to learn a new, more healthy way or eating, or you'll put the weight back on when you go back to 'normal' eating.

10. Should I eat fish on my diet? Unless it's expressly forbidden by your diet, absolutely. Fish is high protein, low saturated fat, and high in omega 3 fatty acids. Some doctors recommend eating as much as 10 servings of fish per week.

Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN.