Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days!
Eat as Much as You Want -- and Still Lose Weight!
Drop One Dress Size a Day!
Rapid weight loss can be quick and easy -- if you believe the advertising claims.
Fad diets and weight loss supplements promise a slimmer body in no time. In the U.S. alone, consumers spend $33 billion each year on weight loss products.
Do any of these products really produce rapid weight loss? Are they safe? And what are the risks of such fast weight loss? WebMD took a look at some rapid weight loss claims, as well as the available evidence.
Before you read this you need to know that it's relatively easy to lose 10 pounds for the average overweight person. But it won't make you any thinner. The truth be known, you carry around excess food in your digestive tract and then there's excess fluid weight. Just by clearing out that excess in your body, you will lose weight but this won't make you thinner. The body fat will still be there. The only way to become thinner is to lose body fat. Doing that you will become thinner and stay thinner. But you can't sweat off excess fat. It takes a change in your lifestyle. It's time to read on.
Rapid Weight Loss: What Is It?
So many marketers promise "fast weight loss" that it's difficult to sort through them all.
Most rapid weight loss pitches fall into these categories:
Starvation Diets
Beyonce popularized the so-called "master cleanse" diet: water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Variations of these diets have been around since at least the 1950s. They often also promise "detoxification" through colonics or enemas.
Diet Pills and Supplements
Dozens of diet supplements promise to speed up weight loss. Generally, they claim either to block the absorption of nutrients, increase metabolism, or burn fat.
Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs)
One proven method of rapid weight loss is the medically supervised very low-calorie diet (VLCD). Most of what is known about rapid weight loss comes from studies of people on these diets.
Creams, Devices, and Magic Voodoo Spells
There seems to be no end to the dubious ideas promoted in the name of rapid weight loss. Most promise to replace diet or exercise.
Does Rapid Weight Loss Work?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications.
The FDA also does not regulate claims made by over-the-counter weight loss products. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market. This means that dietary supplements do not need approval from FDA before they are marketed.
Aside from the very low-calorie diets, there are new prescription drugs that are giving new hope to obese people. You have to talk to a doctor to see if these new drugs are right for you.
In any rapid weight loss program, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food. It's the drastic reduction of calories, combined with exercise. This doesn't mean you have to starve. Changing your lifestyle is about changing the types of foods you eat. And yes, getting more exercise is a part of this. Many raw vegetables like carrots are great snack food. I'm sure you have seen the vegetable trays they sell in the grocery, changing your snack foods and drinking zero-calorie drinks plus more water can make a big difference in the calories you are consuming. When trying to lose weight you should be drinking 64 ounces of water a day. Start your diet plan by making these small changes and increasing your exercise. After a few months, I think you'll see a difference. There is no cheating allowed when you get serious about weight loss.
Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.
If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans.
Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.
Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.