Is Fast Weight Loss Safe?

When I first sit down for a consultation with a client who wants to lose weight I am always asked about how fast they can lose weight and how realistic their expectations are. The internet has made people think that fast weight loss is something that can happen incredibly quickly. Often my clients mention how they saw an advert saying they can lose seven pounds of fat in a week, or some other lofty promise.

The sheer number of people who’ve tried these diets overwhelms me, and of course they have had no effect. It really shouldn’t come as a shock to me anymore; I recently read a statistic that said in the United States over $30 billion is spent every year on gimmicky weight loss products. In my opinion, the American population is throwing away $30 billion and the companies who produce these gimmicks are nothing more than con men taking advantage of people who want to lose weight.

That said, I still have to answer the questions that my clients have and in this article I’m going to look at some of the basic advice that I give to the about how they can, or cannot, lose weight in a very short time.

The Different Types Of Fast Weight Loss

One of the most popular options you see advertised is something called the ‘very low calorie diet,’ where people dramatically reduce the number of calories they are consuming per day. A more extreme version of this is the ‘starvation diet,’ which is something that celebrities often say they are doing, although they are normally labelled as a ‘cleanse.’ It is important to realise that while these may reduce your weight very quickly they are not a long-term option, the body requires a certain number of calories to remain healthy and not consuming the right amount of food can potentially be very damaging.

Another popular fast weight loss option that is seen advertised is using supplements and pills. Many of these come with advertising that says something like, ‘taking this product removes the need for diet and exercise.’ This is the first myth that I like to dispel with clients and I tell them if you want to lose weight in a sustainable way then there is no escape from diet and exercise.

What Are The Risks?

As I have already mentioned, most of the different types of rapid weight loss diets are very short-term solutions. If you do not eat for a couple of days it is unlikely that you will suffer any long-term health consequences but if you continue to consume fewer calories than you will quickly become malnutritioned and this can have very severe long-term health consequences. If you are failing to drink enough water, these consequences can set in faster and be more serious.

As I urge my clients, I would strongly urge you to not employ a quick weight loss program over the long-term. You must set up an exercise routine and a diet if you want to be able to lose weight in a healthy way.

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Linda Hamilton

Linda is a certified dietician and life coach. After 5 years of gaining experience with the NHS community, Linda now works on a freelance basis providing nutrition and dietary advice to clients across the UK. She strives to promote positive, practical messages about food and health to treat nutrition related health problems.