Is Fast Weight-Loss Healthy?

Sorry to disappoint you, but the answer is a big, fat NO! It is a fact that most women would love to find a quick and easy way to shed a few pounds. However, there is no such thing as the magic pill, at least not yet.  I’m well aware that there are hundreds of products out there promising fast weight-loss. It is an impressive selection that goes from pills to shakes to shots. Their advertisements are everywhere, targeting women who are unhappy with their appearance, yet not confident that they can change it alone.

The weight-loss industry uses this lack of confidence to lure you into buying their products. They make it seem easy and painless. What they fail to tell you is that the promised weight-loss will come from loss of muscle mass and water. This means that even though the number on the scale is dropping, you are not burning a single gram of fat. Sadly, this only worsens your body composition profile since it reduces your lean body mass[1] while maintaining the original fat mass. Even more disturbing is the fact that you are saying bye-bye to your hard-working, calorie-burning muscle fibers. Keep in mind that when you lose muscle mass, your metabolism automatically slows down, which means that you’ll be burning fewer calories. This is counterproductive since your primary goal was to burn more calories in order to lose weight.

So, forget about crash diets, vitamin shots, and appetite suppressants, and start focusing on what has been proven to work: exercise, healthy eating, and behavior management. Oh, and don’t fool yourself. It is a long process. However, it pays off in the end because not only will you become leaner; you will also become a healthier person.

When it comes to exercise, your goal should be to build tolerance slowly, rather than trying to do it all at once. Long-term should be your mantra. If you feel that you can’t sustain your current program for more than a couple of months, you are probably doing too much too soon. Start with small; maybe one group class per week, then build up from there. A common problem is that many people believe that if they are not exercising at their peak every day, it is not worth it. That’s so far from being the truth. Any exercise is always better than none.

The same principle applies to your dietary habits. Many women still believe that they must starve themselves in order to lose weight. That’s why diet books are so popular. However, if the diet plan offered is impossible to maintain for more than a few weeks, it is totally worthless. That’s because once you go back to your normal eating habits, you will regain the weight you lost. Thus, aim for small sustainable changes instead. You may start with something as simple as replacing whole milk with low fat milk. Repeat the chosen behavior until you are completely comfortable with the change. Then, and only then, you may move on to the next behavior. The goal is to create healthy habits one at a time.

Finally, in order to succeed, you must be able to sustain those habits in the long run. That’s where behavior management comes into play. We usually don’t realize how a single aspect of our life could reverse our progress in a snap of the fingers. Consider the following situation. Imagine that you’ve been exercising and eating healthier for a couple of months. Suddenly, something happens in your life and you are thrown off balance. Let’s say a family emergency. Naturally, your priorities shift to the problem, and you can’t seem to find the time (or energy) to do your regular workout. You feel stressed out and start looking for comfort in foods laden with fat and sugar. The whole situation overwhelms you. You feel like a failure and end up throwing in the towel. Unfortunately, these things happen quite often. This means that you should be prepared to face adversities. Your long-term success depends on how well you can manage your own behaviors.

The bottom line is: when it comes to lasting weight-loss, slow is the way to go. If you focus your energy on being healthy rather than being thin, you’ll be more likely to succeed.

References

Bryant, C., et al, eds. ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Manual. The Ultimate Resource for Fitness Professionals. San Diego: American Council on Exercise. 2007.

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