Articles on Weight Loss | Topic: weight
by Ardelle McLaughlin
Weight loss can be a difficult journey for even the most dedicated among us. Many people resort to the diet du jour or diet supplements to lose weight, while others rely on an old stand-by: the low calorie diet. While it's true that reducing the amount of calories you consume in a day is an important step toward losing weight, many people take this formula to the extreme. Rather than follow a sensible diet filled with a variety of foods, some of the more desperate dieters among us go for extremely low calorie diets that sometimes border on fasting. In a strange way, these types of fasting diets make sense: what better way to reduce your caloric intake than to stop eating, right? Sure, this will work for a short amount of time. You probably will lose a few ounces right off the bat, and if you keep it up, you will probably notice you've shed a couple of pounds.
So if fasting works, why is it not a good idea to pursue this weight loss option? In short, fasting is a bad idea all-around because it is unsafe, difficult, and perhaps more to the point, simply doesn't work in achieving permanent weight loss.
Why Fasting Doesn't Work
Fasting often seems an attractive weight loss option. Much has been written and said about popular juice or fruit fasts. Some claim that fasting is an excellent way to cleanse your body of fat toxins and other pollutants. While some types of fasting may work as a temporary method of cleansing the body's organs, it is simply not a viable method for safe and permanent weight loss. In fact, most types of fasting do not even aid in helping clear the body of toxins. The opposite may actually be true. Some studies suggest that fasting may actually encourage a healthy build up of ketones, which cause stress on the kidneys and other organs.
First, fasting doesn't work in achieving long-term weight loss because it depletes much of the body's energy and nutrients. What happens after a period of extended fasting? Your body becomes slow, your energy level is low, you feel week and lightheaded, maybe even dizzy. You step on the bathroom scale and note that you have indeed shed a few pounds. It was difficult, you tell yourself, but it was worth it.
| Bit of History |
Personal example carries more weight than preaching.
|
|
But did you really lose weight? Most of the time, what you experience after a period of extended fasting is not true weight loss. Most of the time, you have merely lost water and muscle, and not the true culprit: fat. In fact, most of the weight you lose on a fasting diet is water weight. Moreover, when you inevitably start eating again, you quickly lose this weight back.
Perhaps most ironically of all, fasting has been proven to actually slow a person's basal metabolic rate. How can this be, you may ask yourself? Wouldn't consuming fewer calories help your metabolism out? Actually, fasting will cause your metabolism to slow down because it goes into 'starvation mode.' Because it is not being fed as normal and may not be receiving enough nutrients, your body may react as if preparing for impending starvation! This means that your body will hold on to every calorie it encounters, instead of burning it. Your body will be focused on conserving energy in case this 'starvation mode' should continue.
If Not Fasting, Then What?
Sadly, there is no easy way to eat weight. Almost all effective weight loss regimes involve a lot of consideration and commitment. The most successful weight loss programs focus on establishing healthy eating habits and a lifelong dedication to some form of physical activity. Instead of fasting, opt for a reduced calorie diet that is rich in different colors of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and calcium-rich foods. An easy way to get active is to make a list of all the things you like to do. This may include playing basketball with friends, rollerblading (or roller-skating), playing tennis, or just taking the dog out for a walk. Just remember that fasting is never a good way to achieve weight loss, and that even a short-term period of fasting can harm your body forever.
|
We strive to provide
only relevant articles on our website. If
there is a specific angle on weight loss that you would like us to cover, please contact us here.
Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Weight Loss No-No - Fasting is a Fast Way to a Later Binge Session" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by HealthExerciseSports.com. |
Backyard Sports
By Phillip Cotton
When I was growing up, most of the kids in the neighborhood were not that into sports. It was a farming community, and there were so many places to explore that a lot of people did not bother joining the sports teams....
Old Arthur Is Kicking In? Try Water Exercising
By Gadar Valdez
Old Arthur Is Kicking In? Try Water Exercising We all know that exercise is an important part of remaining healthy. However, when our joints refuse to play along, exercise is transformed from a fun and invigorating enterprise into a test of how much pain we can endure....
Switching Habits – Quit Smoking and Start Moving
By Patrick Patterson
Because nicotine acts as an appetite suppressant, many smokers who try to quit also face the prospect of gaining weight. To increase the health benefits of quitting and also reduce your risk of weight gain, why not put down the cigarettes and pick up good exercise habits at the same time? Battle the Bulge As mentioned above, smokers who are trying to quit may gain weight due to the fact that smoking affects your metabolism....
|
