According to the CDC, 32 to 35 percent of adult men and women in the United States are obese. Knowing these statistics it is crucial that American's take charge of their lives and develop healthy weight loss programs. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, weight loss should occur at a rate of 5 to10 percent per week to avoid health risks. It is important to avoid unhealthy weight loss and diet plans that can actually cause more harm in the long term. Healthy weight loss is about lifestyle changes that include healthy food choices, physical activity and energy balance.
Starvation and Disordered Eating
According to the Alliance for Eating Disorders, eating disorders affect about 24 million Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide. Among these are bulimia and anorexia; two of the top disorders that affect men and women who are looking for quick weight loss. Both of these disorders are extremely unhealthy, leading to fatigue, loss of mental capacity, heart complications, electrolyte imbalances and even death. Persons suffering from these disorders should see a doctor or professional immediately.
Fad Diets
Diets that advertise quick weight loss pop up all the time. Whether they call to cut out all carbohydrates, all fats or to drink only grapefruit juice for weeks at a time, none of these diets are healthy. Although fad diets may result in weight reduction, the body needs a balanced diet including all food groups in order to function correctly. According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, a healthy diet should be made up of the most nutritionally rich foods from each food group. MyPyramid.gov can help you identify choices that incorporate all food groups to provide the essential vitamins and minerals that make up a healthy diet and enable weight loss at a normal level.
Leaving Out Physical Activity
Failure to incorporate the recommended 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day results in more dietary and calorie restrictions to maintain a healthy weight. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines provides suggestions on how to balance the calories consumed in food with the amount of physical activity needed for healthy weight loss or maintenance. Aside from burning calories, physical activity also increases muscle mass which in turn increases the body's metabolism. It also improves other aspects of the body's health including improved cardiovascular functioning, brain functioning and more.
Yo-Yo Dieting
Dieting ups and downs, also referred to as "yo-yo dieting," is common among people who are looking to lose weight for a specific occasion or have irregular eating habits. Individuals typically starve themselves to drop weigh fast and then go back to over-consumption and quickly put on weight again. The problem with this tactic is that an inconsistent diet can decrease the body's immune system and cause various psychological and health problems. According to Women's Fitness, this type of irregular diet can also increase body fat with each up and down "cycle" making it more difficult to lose weight and keep weight off in the future because of the fat stores.
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