Conventional dieting does not seem to work for most people, based on the fact that a staggering 60 percent of Americans are obese. Sometimes you have to try unconventional weight loss methods to break out of dieting plateaus or the vicious yo-yo dieting effect. These extreme weight loss techniques are not for everyone, and you should always consult your doctor before beginning a new diet program. Consider a few unconventional weight loss methods to achieve your fitness goals fast.
Fasting
Fasting is a controversial and unconventional method for losing weight. "The Miracle of Fasting" recommends a one to three day fast for beginners, drinking only distilled water. However, you can also fast by restricting your diet to foods that do not heavily tax your digestive system. For the duration of this fast you eat only fresh fruits and vegetables and a handful of unsalted nuts every time you experience hunger pangs.
Liquid Diets
Many unconventional weight loss programs call for liquid diets, where juice and water or protein shakes are the only nutrients ingested. This dieting method is considered very extreme and should not be undertaken by anyone with health problems or without the supervision and approval of a doctor. Taking in five or six small meals from protein shakes or liquid amino acid supplements could lead to extremely fast weight loss. However, the safer way to do this is to use these supplements as snacks between whole food meals to help elevate metabolic rate, according to "The Fat Burning Bible."
Cyclic Ketogenic Diet
Many people are familiar with the low-carb diet method for losing weight, popularized by the Atkins Diet protocol. Few dieters, however, have heard of the cyclic ketogenic diet, which bodybuilders and fitness competitors often use to get extremely lean fast. To do this diet you follow the low-carb protocol for five days straight, eating less than 50 gm of carbohydrates per day, preferably in the morning before or after working out. After five low-carb days, you load carbohydrates for 48 hours by taking in 100 to 300 gm of carbs per day for two days. This method allows you to maintain more muscle and keep your metabolic rate from slowing down in response to extreme dieting.
Eating More Fats
Very few people would think to take in more fats as a diet aid. However, many fats can actually help you burn fat faster, according to "Homemade Supplement Secrets," which recommends using flax seed or fish oil and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to help your body burn more fat. Medium-chain triglycerides from coconut oil also have a thermogenic or fat-burning effect on the body, according to "Supplements 101." Dietary fats that help to burn fat include olive oil, peanut butter, almonds and other nuts, and avocados, according to "The Fat Burning Bible."
Cheating on Your Diet
There are two instances when cheating on your diet will actually help you to lose weight faster. Following a principle from Nick Nilsson's "Muscle Explosion," known as a nutritional slingshot, you can actually prime your body for more fat loss. One way to do this would be to purposely increase your caloric intake for two or three days before starting your diet. This elevates your metabolic rate so that when you begin cutting calories and restricting your diet, you will be burning more fat. Another way to cheat for weight loss success is to have a cheat meal every week to fight the body's natural instinct to decrease its metabolic rate in response to dieting.
References
- Muscle & Fitness: The Ultimate Supplement Handbook; "Supplements 101"; Jim Stoppani
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "Homemade Supplement Secrets"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "The Miracle of Fasting"; Paul C. Bragg; 2009
- "Muscle Explosion"; Nick Nilsson; 2008
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