There’s probably nothing that’s quite as confusing as the world of weight loss.
Every new fad diet promises that you’ll lose more weight with less effort than ever before. But is that really possible? The answer is no.
If you want to lose weight healthily, it’s important to follow guidelines for healthy weight loss. But the good news is that you don’t have to study nutrition to know what’s what.
All you have to do is follow these tips to avoid unhealthy ways of losing weight.
Avoid unsafe calorie deficits
When you’re trying to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, you may be tempted to take on a severe calorie deficit. And while it’s not going to have any major impact in the short term, eating too few calories over time can increase your risk for abnormally low blood pressure and slow heart rate. You may also experience heart rhythm abnormalities and become more likely to develop an eating disorder.
Most experts recommend eating a 2,000-calorie diet, but if you’re trying to lose weight, you may be able to safely cut it down to 1,500 depending on your body type and activity level. If you have any questions, be sure to talk to your doctor to determine a safe calorie deficit.
Skip the diet pills
If you’re looking for a magic pill to help you lose weight, you’re already in the danger zone. Diet pills are notoriously unhealthy because they are designed to “game the system.” Even prescription diet pills are usually unhealthy because they don’t work alongside your body’s natural fat burning and weight loss systems. But the real danger with prescription weight loss pills is that they can be addicting. They may or may not be effective, but no diet plan should lead you towards prescription drug detox.
Unfortunately, there are no magic pills. So if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Focus on whole foods
If any diet plan allows you to eat things you can only otherwise have on cheat days, you might be toeing dangerous territory. Some diet plans have entire lines of products to support them, and they’re often processed foods contained with artificial sugars and lots of ingredients we can’t pronounce.
While this may or may not help you lose weight, it’s definitely not healthy in the long run. Eating for health is about much more than avoiding certain types of fats or cutting calorie intake.
If you want to lose weight, you will probably have to adjust your caloric intake. But being healthy has nothing to do with calories. Health is about getting the appropriate balance of nutrients and macronutrients for your body.
Take caution with fasting
Fasting can have many health benefits, including weight loss, but it’s not for everyone. Fasting can be dangerous for certain people, and if you’re thinking about it, you should probably talk to your doctor first.
And even if you get the green light, be sure you’re not fasting for long periods. Most people can handle a 16:8 intermittent fast without any issue. That’s 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour eating window.
But it can get dicey for some when you begin to fast for consecutive days at a time. It’s not that fasting is inherently bad for your health, but you need to ensure you’re eating enough nutrient-dense foods and getting enough protein to sustain your health while you’re fasting.
Stick to tried-and-true weight loss methods
Just because a diet is new doesn’t mean it’s going to be unhealthy. But until there’s enough research to support a certain style of eating, it’s probably best to find a different diet.
Even the keto diet is relatively new, but the research is mounting in its favor.
If you want to ensure you’ll stay healthy while losing weight, stick to weight loss methods that have been around for many decades. And be sure to exercise. Exercise is a great way to boost health, burn calories, and lose weight.
Once you decide it’s time to lose weight, it’s natural to want fast results. But usually, the quick fixes are the diets that can be unhealthy. And if you’re unsure about what’s what, always talk to your doctor or nutritionist.
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