Rapid Weight Loss – Is It Safe?

Jo Ann — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:03 +0000

Partly because of confusing messages we get from magazines and TV, many people are not sure if rapid weight loss is safe, or if they might suffer serious health problems by losing weight too quickly.

Television programs that show doctors who promote rapid weight loss as being safe are large contributors to the confusion. It seems we can watch a 500 pound person lose 100 pounds in a short time and therefore improve their health. However, we don’t always hear what happens behind the scenes.

In many cases quick weight loss may be encouraged due to serious health issues that already exist. If a person suffers from diabetes or heart disease, for instance, they may be told to lose the weight quickly to save their life. This needs to be done correctly, however, with a physician’s guidance.

A relatively active person needs more than 2,000 calories daily just to exist. When someone who is severely overweight suddenly cuts their food intake to less than they need to maintain a healthy weight, their body is going to use what is available to keep the person alive. Unfortunately, the body does not only choose fat to burn, muscle can be lost as well.

As the body uses stored tissue for the extra calories it needs, more muscle is lost. At the same time, through the natural aging process, most people who are inactive lose muscle tissue. The end result might be that although you finish your weight loss program weighing less, you now have a higher percentage of body fat.

Losing weight too fast can also upset the body’s metabolism. This is what causes a person to regain the lost weight easily. The body thinks it is being starved and tries to protect itself by keeping the pounds you would like to get rid of.

Keep in mind that when following rapid weight loss diets, a person will lose valuable fluids quickly. This might account for a larger loss reflected on the scale, but it isn’t true weight loss. Rather, this could mean you are becoming dehydrated, and dehydration is something that should be avoided during weight loss.

If you are under the care of a physician who insists that a safe option for you is to lose weight rapidly due to health concerns, consider getting a second opinion. If another physician agrees that your best option is to lose weight quickly, you may be on the right track.

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