Weight Loss - Fast is Slow

We live in the age of instant gratification. Everything must happen overnight. This is not surprising as the internet age requires things done at dizzying speeds. Unfortunately, our bodies have not evolved to allow such drastic changes. The same goes for someone trying to lose weight. When trying to lose weight, slow is fast and fast is slow.

Fast is Slow

When it comes to losing weight, fast can be extremely slow. You may be asking by now, how this is possible. That is because fast weight loss is never sustainable. One is only able to sustain weight loss if the weight loss is attributed to the loss of fat. Unsustainable weight loss is attributed to the loss of water and muscles. Water loss is not very useful as the body will try to restore hydration levels once more water is available. Muscle loss can actually be detrimental to long-term weight loss. Loss of muscles result in a sluggish metabolism. The more muscles loss, the slower the metabolism. The slower the metabolism, the easier it is to regain weight. The slower the metabolism, the faster one would regain lost weight.

Another major factor for failure in fast weight loss methods is the inability to cultivate the correct habits. The reason someone is overweight in the first place is due to unhealthy habits. Unhealthy eating with irregular or no exercise has probably resulted in the extra weight. These habits have to be eradicated first before the fat can be burnt. Any quick fix method that results in temporary weight loss will not be sustainable as the bad habits will cause the weight to come back with a vengeance.

Weight loss follows the law of the farm. Just like the process of pregnancy takes 9 months, the process of losing weight must also take its due course. Nobody gained weight over night. Gaining weight is a process of months and sometimes years. Reversing the process or losing weight should also be given adequate time.

Fast Weight Loss

Fast weight loss could include any form of starvation diets that cut calories down drastically. Some of these starvation diets that I have seen lately include the cabbage diet, lemonade diet, liquid diet. Any diet that tries to achieve weight loss by reducing calories drastically and does not have an element of exercise incorporated should be avoided like the plague.

There are also other fast weight loss methods such as diet pills or drugs. None of these provide a permanent solution. The results are temporary and never sustainable.

Slow is Fast

Weight Loss - Slow is Fast

Those who are patient are able to get tremendous long-term results. These are the people who get long-term and sustainable weight loss. Long term weight loss comes from first inculcating the correct habits.

Inability to inculcate the correct habits are the main reason why most people get rebound weight gain. They look for short cuts. One such habit that a lot of people avoid is the habit of exercise. Another is the habit of eating wisely. In order to sustain weight loss, one’s awareness level has to be raised. All this takes time. It also takes time to lose fat. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) advocates losing 1 to 2 pounds of weight per week. That is about the maximum amount of weight that an adult body can burn.

Slow is fast and Fast is Slow

I have seen lots of people trying to lose weight fast and yet end up at the same weight a few months after losing it. This becomes an endless downward spiral. Based on the 1 to 2 pounds of healthy weight loss advocated by the ACSM, one can easily lose 30 to 50 pounds per year. Yet people look for quick fixes and end up at the same weight or heavier after a whole year of dieting and deprivation. But they just never learn. Once the weight is back on, they look for the next quick fix available. Just remember, when it comes to weight loss, slow is fast and fast is slow. This is correct weight loss.