Contrary To Popular Opinion Losing Weight Quickly May Not Be The Best Idea

We live in a fast paced society where losing weight quickly has become overly important. Everything moves quickly and everyone is on a deadline. News, entertainment and information travel around the globe at the speed of light. Everything is at our fingertips any time we choose.  But trying to lose weight quickly, may not only lead to no weight loss, but sometimes, even actual weight gain and additional health problems.

We have become used to getting what we want, whenever we want it. Standards of personal satisfaction have risen, while levels of patience and tolerance for delay have fallen like a stone. Is it any wonder that in this world of near instantaneous gratification, that losing weight quickly is every dieter's goal?

The problem is that losing weight quickly is not the best way to lose weight. In fact, a dieter who takes weight off too quickly runs the risk of many serious side effects. When you decide to lose weight, you want to make sure that you're doing it the right way. You want to make sure you're doing it in the most effective way. More importantly, you want to make sure you're doing it in the safest way.

What's the main problem with losing weight quickly? As soon as you stop dieting, or even while you are still dieting, you put the weight you've lost right back on. This happens because the body interprets the rapid weight loss and reduced caloric intake as a crisis. It goes into survival mode and begins hoarding body fat at the expense of water weight and muscle tissue.

In addition, as soon as caloric intake rises, the body starts turning the majority of those calories into fat as well. The result for the dieter is a weight loss/weight gain yo-yo.  Initially, pounds come off quickly. Then, as the body goes into survival mode, daily and weekly weight loss becomes less and less. Finally, when the dieter get frustrated with this slow weight loss and starts to eat more normally, all the weight lost is regained and more.

Additionally, losing weight quickly can injure or even kill you. Most crash and fad diets are deficient in the minerals and vitamins that the body needs to properly function. In particular, a quick weight loss can cause you to lose significant amounts of potassium.

 Potassium is the mineral that regulates electrical conductivity in the muscles, including the heart muscle. If enough potassium is lost, the heart can experience irregular rhythms and this arrhythmia can and does kill unwary dieters.

The safest and most effective way to lose weight is to combine smart food choices -  think fruits, vegetable and smaller portions - with regular, sustained exercise.

So, forget about losing weight quickly. Real weight loss comes from serious and permanent lifestyle changes, not the latest celebrity diet.