If you were to ask ten people how they’d like to improve their health, chances are losing weight is on the list. With a healthy body weight comes a reduced risk of major illnesses, increased energy, a heightened sex drive, a boost of confidence, and an overall better quality of life. Naturally, you can see why this would be something everyone would want. Yet this burning desire pushes some to try advice that does more harm than good.
By Any Means Necessary
Most know that losing weight requires you to eat a well-balanced diet, workout regularly, and get plenty of sleep. However, not a lot of people realize that the journey isn’t going to be cut and dry. After weeks of jogging and eating salads with little to no results, many become discouraged and turn to measures that aren’t the safest. This “by any means necessary” attitude, unfortunately, might help them shed a few pounds, but not to the benefit of their overall health.
Unhealthy Ways to Blast Pounds
When you’re desperate to change your body image you might turn to sources that aren’t safe or reliable. Some unhealthy ways people have chosen to lose weight include:
Not eating – If food is the problem it would seem the best solution is to stop eating. This may seem logical, but it’s really unhealthy. When you stop eating you deprive your body of nutrients it needs to thrive. You may start to see the weight fall off fast, but it’s not the kind of weight you want to lose. Instead of losing fat, when you starve yourself, you’re actually losing water, nutrients, and muscle.
- Working out excessively– Regular exercise is recommended to get in shape, but too much of anything is bad for you. It puts a lot of stress on your body and can lead to an increased risk of injury, insomnia, a weakened immune system, and much more.
- Laxatives– laxatives are designed to help remove waste from the body but should not be used as a weight loss regimen. In fact, taking too many laxatives can result in dehydration. It also strips the body of things like sodium and electrolytes.
- Drugs– Illicit drugs like coke have properties known to suppress the appetite and ward off hunger cravings. Unfortunately, some people who desperately want to lose weight turn to such substances. Those who do abuse these substances experience the same symptoms as starvation and also struggle with addiction.
Healthier Solutions
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good about yourself. It’s how you chose to accomplish it that can become a problem. Even if you feel so discouraged that you’d try “anything” to get the weight off, it is imperative that you make informed decisions. Trying to lose weight fast can have severe consequences. Consider these ideas instead:
- Change Your Diet– Food is a crucial part of your weight loss efforts. Just as your body can’t survive on junk it also can’t survive on just salads. Change your diet to include complex carbs, lean proteins, fresh fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and plenty of water.
- Diversify Your Workout– Don’t just run every day. Though running is a great way to shed pounds it’s not the only exercise. Your body can get used to a particular routine and stop progressing. So, diversify your workout by trying different activities like yoga, swimming, dancing, and whatever else you like.
- Non-Invasive Weight Loss– Going under the knife is a huge step towards weight loss that comes with some significant consequences. However, there are non-invasive procedures like coolsculpting that could work. This method, for example, freezes the fat cells in stubborn areas causing them to die off.
- Get Rid of the Stress– Stress is a common cause for weight gain particularly in stubborn areas like the waistline. You can get rid of excess pounds by getting rid of your stress. Find a better job, remove yourself from toxic relationships, take some time off, practice self-love, do whatever you need to do to minimize the stress in your life.
There’s no doubt that there are a lot of ways to lose weight, but not every idea will work right for every person. Losing weight and keeping it off requires you to figure out what works best for your body and lifestyle. As you experiment with different methods, be sure that they are safe and have been approved by health experts. If you’re having trouble, consider the ideas listed above or talk with a doctor to find out if there are some underlying causes for slowed progress.
