Ideally you lose weight at a rate of 0.45 to 0.90 kilos per week. You got it – just under a kilo per week. If you lose weight at a faster rate, you risk losing fat as well as muscle and your energy levels suffer. As a result you cannot increase your activity level or your exercise intensity.
When you lose weight fast, you will gain it back even faster. Find out why …
What happens when you lose weight fast?
On a diet of less than 1050-2000 calories per day
- your body will burn fat as well as muscle
- your metabolism slows down
- your energy levels drop
- you feel deprived from a number of foods
- your diet is not sustainable.
Eliminating certain foods may fast-track your weight loss, for a while. But can you live without these foods for the rest of your life? Or will you live your life on a yo-yo diet?
You will not manage to keep up a low-calorie diet for a long time. And when you go back to your regular calorie intake, you will gain even more weight because your body gets used to functioning on a slow metabolic rate.
Low-calorie diets, crash diets and similar diets are counter-productive.
How can you lose weight and keep it off?
The only way you can lose weight and keep it off is by making small changes towards a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle remains with you – you do not “come off” it, as you would a diet – it grows on you and becomes a part of who you are.
Go for it – small changes are achievable and they result in big changes which you will be able to keep up.
10 small changes that will improve your lifestyle
- avoid crash diets
- do not skip breakfast
- drink plenty of water
- snack on fresh fruit and nuts
- too many low-fat or low-calorie foods add up
- grill or steam your food – do not fry it
- do not sip your calories
- avoid fast foods
- set yourself realistic goals
- increase your activity level / exercise.
How long has it taken for you to pile on your excess weight? I promise it will take you less to lose it, but do not expect it to disappear in a month.
My thanks go to WebMD.com and Google images
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