The Eventual Harm in Doing Fast Weight Loss Diets

It seems everyone is on a diet of some kind or they are searching for an effective fast weight loss diet. The long term effects of rapid weight loss can be damaging to your health and discouraging to your mental well being.

Rapid Weight Loss

With the various weight loss programs and fad diets that constantly bombard us it is easy to loose sight of what is a proper weight loss per month. Most doctors agree on a loss of no more than 4 pounds a month to remain healthy. Many diets promise and deliver more than that however. Such a weight loss can cause numerous problems.

Muscle Loss

When you begin to loose weight you will generally notice a large loss the first couple of weeks. Mostly likely if you are following a healthy eating and exercise plan this rapid loss is water that is being held in your tissues. If your weight loss is more than this or if it continues rapidly you are not loosing weight and water, you are loosing muscle. Over 1/4 of your body weight is comprised of muscle and if you loose lean muscle you may have to engage in a strict exercise regime to regain it. You may never regain all of the muscle loss if you are over 40 years old.

Gall Stones

Doctors have noticed that rapid weight loss will bring on the appearance of gall stones. This has been noted especially with people on liquid protein diets and after bariatric surgery. Many people will have painful gallstone attacks they must deal with before they are diagnosed and need surgery.

Loose Skin

Skin that has been stretched over a heavy persons body needs to slowly recover. Rapid weight loss doesn't allow for this and in fact, you may need cosmetic surgery to remove skin that doesn't tighten with rapid weight loss. Most insurance plans don't allow for this type of cosmetic surgery, so the cost will be yours or you will have to live with the loose skin.

Anorexia or Binge/Purge Syndrome

Many doctors have noticed that with extremely fast weight loss the chances of anorexia developing are greater. The psychological effect of loosing weight quickly seems to bring this problem with it. People also want to loose more and become obsessed and may develop the binge/purge syndrome. Both of these conditions are dangerous and can be fatal. If not fatal, they can cause damage to your bones, teeth and heart.

Metabolic Rate

In order for your weight loss to continue and be maintained, your metabolism needs to be regulated. Rapid weight loss may change your metabolism permanently. Some doctors refer to this as 'starving causes stuffing'. You overeat then your metabolism slows down and you start to regain the weight even tho you are maintaining a calorie count of 1200 calories a day which is considered low.

Vitamin Deficiency

To achieve a rapid weight loss you generally will fast, no food means no vitamins. Even if you're taking vitamin supplements your body may not absorb them properly without food. Vitamin deficiency will cause bone loss and thinning and hair loss that may never be recovered.