According to MayoClinic.com, most doctors recommend diet plans that encourage slow, steady weight loss of up to 1 or 2 pounds a week. Diets that require extreme efforts to achieve quick weight loss can lead to nutritional deficiencies and are not sustainable. Losing and gaining weight back may be just as unhealthy as being overweight.
Benefits
Quick weight loss may be warranted when your health is in imminent danger due to high blood pressure or diabetes. When self-monitored diets continuously fail, a medically supervised quick weight loss program may be in order. According to MayoClinic.com, a very low-calorie diet that utilizes commercially prepared liquid supplements can help you get started and provide immediate medical benefits. Doctors typically recommend a quick weight loss program if your body mass index is higher than 30 or you have serious complications and your BMI is over 27.
Potential
Doctors at the American Heart Association report that vegetarian diets that include essential nutrients can provide a healthy alternative for dieters. Vegetarian diets typically are lower in saturated and trans fats, which translates into lower caloric consumption. Doctors recommend keeping sweets and fat intake to a minimum and eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables on a vegetarian diet. Unrefined grains and fortified cereals are the most effective grains to eat on the diet, and fat-free or low-fat dairy is recommended for optimum health and weight loss.
Function
Doctors at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine agree that vegetarian diets are the healthiest options for dieters. They also recommend using diets that are high in fiber and low in cholesterol to prevent heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes. The committee rates diets based on the amount of fiber, cholesterol and fat the diet calls for.
Details
A diet that earns a five-star rating from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has less than 30 percent of total calories per day originating from fat, with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fats. A five-star diet includes at least 25 g of fiber each day and fewer than 50 mg of cholesterol and requires you to eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruit every day.
Warning
In addition to avoiding saturated fats, MedlinePlus, the website for the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, warns that diets high in sodium can be detrimental to your health. While the body requires salt to operate efficiently, too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure. Recommended daily servings of salt should not exceed 2.4 g per day, which is the amount typically found in just 1 tsp. of table salt.
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