Avoiding Dangerous Weight Loss Practices

When it comes to weight loss, we all want it to be as quick and painless as possible. This desire for an instant solution can lead to an individual making unwise choices. Some of these unwise choices can be resorting to a restrictive diet, not staying well hydrated, and using diet pills.

Restrictive Diets

When we try to lose weight, the first thing many of us try is to drastically reduce the amount of calories we are consuming. We may even follow a diet that tells us to eliminate certain types of food entirely. This is a mistake.

In order to achieve healthy, permanent weight loss, we need to enjoy foods from all food groups. If we suddenly go on a very restrictive diet, our body’s metabolism will actually slow down in response to the (imaginary) threat of starvation. What we want to do is to follow a simple formula for healthy weight loss: Eat less, exercise more, and do it forever.

Dehydration

Did you know that drinking more water will actually help you lose weight? It’s true! Here’s how it works: One of the main functions a liver performs is to convert the body’s stored fat to energy. Another one of the liver’s jobs is to take over from the kidneys. The kidneys need to have a lot of water in order to function properly. If the kidneys don’t have enough water and the liver has to take over, then the liver’s productivity is greatly lessened. The liver simply can’t metabolize fat as well. When this takes place, your body will store up more fat.

Do make a point of increasing your water consumption. Eight glasses a day is only about two quarts of fluid. Some people prefer to drink their water cold, since the stomach is able to absorb cold water more quickly. If you find that drinking warm water works best for you, then by all means drink it warm. You may also find that when you drink more water, your appetite decreases, too!

Diet Pills

A number of people have turned to appetite-suppressant pills to aid in weight loss. This may seem like an attractive option, but using these products can lead to some dire health issues. Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), an ingredient in both appetite suppressants and cold remedies, has been found to be responsible for over 200 cases of stroke each year.

In addition to the increased risk of sustaining a stroke, consumers of diet pills also can experience such side effects as irritability, insomnia, fatigue, high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, and seizures.

In addition to the health risks associated with their use, diet pills are not a permanent solution to the issue of losing weight. Often, a person who chooses to use these types of products will end up gaining back all the weight he or she has lost.

It’s not quick or easy, but it is possible to reach your goal of losing weight in a safe manner. Make gradual changes to your lifestyle and keep in mind that these should be considered permanent. Avoid a restrictive diet, keep yourself well hydrated, and don’t resort to diet pills. Your health is too important to risk.

Rebecca Crystler is an experienced weight loss expert who has helped literally hundreds of overweight people get back into shape. If you want to learn much more about how to avoid dangerous methods to lose weight and learn more about what actually works, be sure to visit Rebecca's site Definitive Weight Loss for a whole lot of useful information on losing weight.