According to the Centers for Disease Control, since 1980, the levels of obesity in the United States have tripled in children and doubled in adults. One of the best ways to address this issue is through dieting with a goal of weight loss. In some cases, rapid weight loss may be needed to help prevent health issues from occurring; however, when practicing rapid weight loss techniques, it is important to also practice safe dieting methods.
Step 1
Talk to your doctor first. Before starting any diet in which you plan to alter the amount of calories you are consuming or the amount of exercise you are performing, you should contact your doctor. Your doctor can help you plan a weight loss regimen that is both safe and catered specifically to your individual health needs.
Step 2
Stay away from complete fasting. Although you can achieve weight loss through fasting, it can be dangerous. Also, in almost every case, you will gain back the weight you lost from fasting the moment you break your fast. Complete fasting can also lead to problems with eating disorders, such as anorexia. Eating a low-calorie balanced diet, while exercising on a regular basis, will help you still lose weight at an accelerated rate, without the dangers of drastically cutting your calorie intake.
Step 3
Increase your vegetable intake. One of the easiest ways to cut calories from your diet, while still feeling full and getting the daily nutrients you need, is to increase the amount of vegetables you consume. Not only do most vegetables contain a negligible amount of calories, they also contain high levels of fiber. This can keep your blood glucose levels balanced, as well as can help you feel fuller for longer between meals.
Step 4
Consider a multivitamin. When cutting down the amount of calories you consume to lose weight, the loss of essential minerals and vitamins can often be an unwanted side effect. Even the weight loss process itself can be limited if your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to create energy and function. Taking a daily multivitamin can ensure that any nutrients lost from your new diet will still make it into your body through the vitamin supplement.
Step 5
Realize the dangers of eliminating certain foods completely from your diet. For example, a popular diet trend is to completely remove carbohydrates from the diet. Unfortunately, carbohydrates are a very important part of how your body gains energy to burn fat. The same can be said for fats. Instead of cutting these foods completely, find healthy alternatives. For carbohydrates, focus on complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains) that provide the carbohydrates you need, but without many of the unhealthy aspects of processed grains or sugars. For fats, cut saturated fats from the diet, and instead focus on healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in foods such as salmon or olive oil.
Step 6
Take advantage of the calorie-burning powers of exercise. Losing weight is all about creating a calorie deficit. To lose 1 lb. of fat, you need to burn at least 3,500 calories more than your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is the amount of calories your body uses while completely at rest. By creating part of your calorie deficit through exercise, you can increase the amount of calories you eat in your diet. Mixing both exercise and diet gives you a much better chance of losing the weight faster, without compromising the health (and comfort) of your body.
Step 7
Drink lots of water. A great way to increase the amount of weight you lose while dieting is to drink plenty of water. According to the American Heart Association, any diet should include at least 2 quarts of water each day. You should increase this number for any times that you exercise during the day.
Step 8
Realize your limitations. If you begin to feel overly tired or sick, or if your health changes in any negative way, you should both stop your calorie restrictions and see your doctor as soon as possible. Your body needs a specific amount of calories to function, even when completely at rest. Cutting your intake below these levels can eventually cause health problems. Find a balance in your diet that both lets you lose weight and allows your body to function properly, without robbing it of the calories it needs to survive.
Tips and Warnings
- Consistently monitor your health when striving for rapid weight loss. There is a fine line between dieting and developing an eating disorder.
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