Losing weight and keeping it off can seem like a never-ending struggle, which may be why people are drawn to diets and plans that promise quick weight loss. Unfortunately, some weight loss methods can be very bad for your overall health, even if they help you shed a few pounds. The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy foods and increase the amount you exercise.
Losing weight and keeping it off can seem like a never-ending struggle, which may be why people are drawn to diets and plans that promise quick weight loss. Unfortunately, some weight loss methods can be very bad for your overall health, even if they help you shed a few pounds. The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy foods and increase the amount you exercise.
Smoking
Smoking cigarettes can increase your metabolic rate, or the amount of calories your body burns, according to a booklet published by Smokefree.gov. Smoking can also make you less hungry. Unfortunately, though, taking up smoking in an effort to lose weight is a very bad idea. The nicotine found in cigarettes is addictive, and you may not be able to quit, even after you have reached your weight loss goals. The health risks of smoking far outweigh any weight loss benefit. According to Smokefree.gov, the increase in your metabolic rate from smoking actually increases your risk for heart disease.
A Cleanse Diet
Consuming nothing but a specially prepared juice for a week or so may sound like it will be effective, but the health risks of a detox cleanse diet are great. Plus, there’s the risk that you will get so hungry on the diet that you break down and eat whatever is in sight. According to a report from MSNBC, cleanse diets can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels, the levels of potassium and sodium in your body and can weaken your immune system. Constantly going on cleanse diets can lead to muscle loss, since you are not getting the protein, vitamins or minerals your body needs to function properly. When you are on a cleanse diet, you may be irritable and unpleasant to be around. You may also spend a lot of time visiting the bathroom because of the amount of liquid you’re consuming as well as the laxatives you may take.
Starvation Diets
Skipping meals, drastically reducing the number of calories you eat or foregoing food altogether may seem like a good way to lose weight. After all, you are supposed to cut the number of calories you consume to shed pounds. When you deprive yourself of needed calories, however, you also deprive yourself of needed nutrients and vitamins, leading to health problems down the road. Starving yourself to lose weight can also have the opposite effect. When you don’t take in enough calories, your metabolism slows down to make up for the lack of energy the body is receiving, according to MayoClinic.com.
