If you are desperate to lose weight, speak to your doctor about options. When you are obese or overweight with medical problems, you may be eligible for aggressive treatment to drop the weight quickly. Never do a fad diet or fast to get skinny quick. These diets are not nutritionally sound and are not intended for long-term use.
Very Low Calorie Diets
Very low calorie diets are medically supervised eating plans recommended to overweight and obese patients. On this plan, you typically consume approximately 800 calories per day through meal replacement shakes, soups and bars. The diet is typically only followed for 12 weeks with an average weight loss of 3 to 5 lb. weekly, according to Medline Plus.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is typically only recommended to women more than 80 lb. overweight and men more than 100 lb. overweight. If you are suffering from sleep disorders or have type 2 diabetes, you may be eligible for surgery if you are under that amount. Examples of bariatric surgeries include gastric banding, gastrectomy and gastric bypass. These surgeries limit the amount of food you are able to consume and the weight typically comes off rapidly. You must follow a low calorie diet and exercise regularly for the surgery to be successful.
Considerations
If you are desperate to lose only a small amount of weight in a short period of time, integrate a diet and exercise routine to get rid of excess water weight. "Fitness" magazine recommends an interval workout that helps you sweat a lot the day before an event. For 45 minutes, alternate between high intensity cardio moves, such as jogging in place and jumping jacks -- and strength training exercises, such as pushups and crunches. Drink eight glasses of water per day to dilute sodium in your blood and prevent water retention. Additionally, high intensity forms of exercise such as running, rollerblading and jumping rope can burn large amounts of calories in a short period of time. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you weigh 160 lb., you'll burn 913 calories per hour rollerblading, 986 calories an hour running at 8 mph and 730 calories per hour rope jumping,
Warning
Talk to your doctor about side effects associated with very low calorie diets and weight loss surgery. Complications associated with bariatric surgery include infection, hernia, malnutrition, nervous system damage and weight regain. Very low calorie diets carry a risk of gallstones, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation and stomach upset. High intensity exercise may need to be avoided if you suffer from a medical condition.
Member Comments