Regardless of gender, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day if you ever hope to lose weight. Most medical professionals recommend combining diet and exercise to generate a deficit of roughly 500 calories daily. After a week’s time, you can expect to see a loss of about 1 lb. of weight. Some men, however, may want greater results and turn to diet plans that offer more rapid weight loss.
Weight Loss
According to Dr. Donald Hensrud, a preventive medicine specialist with the Mayo Clinic, the main concern surrounding rapid weight loss is the measures you must take to facilitate such results. You often need to drastically restrict your caloric intake while increasing your level of physical activity to shed more than 2 lbs. a week. This isn’t usually sustainable for the long term, and the National Institutes of Health warns men from reducing their caloric intake below 1,500 calories a day without supervision of a medical professional. Your best bet is to make permanent changes to your lifestyle to take the weight off and keep it off.
Very Low-Calorie Diets
The concern with rapid weight loss doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unhealthy to lose weight quickly, especially when done right. Some doctors recommend very low-calorie diets to promote rapid weight loss. This method of weight loss is usually reserved for people with a body mass index over 30, which places them at a weight status of obese. It may also be prescribed for people with weight-related health concerns that put them at a greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Very low-calorie diets restrict your caloric consumption to as little as 800 calories a day.
Fad Diets
A number of fad diets also claim to provide rapid weight loss, sometimes offering losses of more than 10 lbs. a week. Unlike very low-calorie diets, these weight loss plans aren’t typically balanced. They often focus on restricting your intake of certain food groups, which can deprive you of nutrients essential to your health. Though you may lose weight at a faster rate, these diet plans are quite difficult to maintain for the long term. You may also regain much of the weight lost after incorporating restricted foods back into your eating regimen.
Recommendation
If you’re looking to lose a substantial amount of weight, stick with a diet you can maintain even after you’ve reached your weight loss goal. Caloric restriction combined with regular exercise is one of the most recommended forms of weight loss. Talk to your doctor or dietitian to establish the best approach for you, your health and your level of fitness.
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