There are some dangerous ways to lose weight that you should avoid, as they can backfire on you and result in significant health issues. There are many options you can opt for when losing weight, such as maintaining a healthy diet or exercising. However, you must be cautious to ensure the method you opt for doesn’t harm your health.
Dangerous Fast Weight Loss Methods
Starvation
Starving yourself and slashing down your calories to an extreme low is one of the dangerous ways to lose weight fast. It can deteriorate your muscles and lower your metabolism. Excessive calorie restriction also leads to a shift in body fat percentage, which can raise the risk of acquiring conditions such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Don’t reduce your daily calorie intake to under 1,200 unless under medical supervision. Reach this daily calorie intake to get enough energy to fuel your activities and sate your hunger. Rapid weight loss also leads to a risk of rapid weight gain with more fat and less muscle.
Skipping Meals and Cutting Out Certain Food Groups
People usually decide to skip a meal as a way to lose weight. If you skip a meal, you get exhausted and can miss out on essential nutrients your body needs. Some people skip breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Skipping meals makes you experience low moods and can increase your cravings. These cravings can make you turn to high-fat and sugary foods that lead to weight gain.
Also, cutting out carbohydrates is done to shed some pounds, and it is vital to remember that all food groups contain essential nutrients that your body needs. Eliminating food groups doesn’t help you get the balance right, and you end up having detrimental impacts on your body.
Using Supplements That Haven't Proven To Be Safe
Supplement companies need to prove the efficacy and safety of their products before releasing them into the market. Some of these supplements are not safe for consumption and have dangerous health repercussions.
Using Cleansers and Detoxes
The only thing that cleansers and detoxes do is to reduce water and stool weight. It can be hazardous as it’s associated with dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Losing plenty of fluids without medical supervision is dangerous, and it can be risky if you’re not eating. Cleansing can interfere with its natural processes.
Drinking Weight Loss Shakes
Drinking weight loss shakes is excellent for breakfast or lunch as it gives you energy for the day ahead. You can use protein shakes, but they must be a reliable nutrition source. These shakes reduce water weight and aren’t endorsed by doctors. If you only rely on these shakes for long, when you return to eating solid food, you will gain weight.
Purging
Purging involves the process of forcing yourself to throw up. It can be done by binge-eating, throwing up all the food after you become overly full. These risky and harmful habits are ubiquitous and present significant health risks that open the door for eating disorders. It can also result in health issues such as death from an electrolyte imbalance.
Excessive Exercise
Excessive exercise can wear down your body severely, increasing the possibility of injury. You should only engage in strenuous aerobic activity for 30 minutes five days a week. You can alternatively opt for creating a caloric deficit through a healthy diet in combination with a balanced diet and exercise for weight loss.
Using Laxatives
Laxatives are a common, dangerous way to lose weight as they clean your bowels of all contents. The problem with laxatives is that the body becomes dehydrated and dependent on laxatives to defecate.
Extreme Weight Loss Methods
Over time, there have been dangerous ways to lose weight fast. One such option had been to smoke cigarettes to curb hunger when trying to lose weight. Another option is the chewing diet, which involves chewing each bite of food 32 times and spitting out what’s left.
Although it’s a dangerous but effective way to lose weight, these diets are restrictive and unsustainable in the long run. These restrictive methods are challenging to maintain, considering the constant cravings and food deprivation. It can lead to rapid gaining of the weight they just lost.
Avoid Dangerous Fast Weight Loss Methods
These dangerous ways to lose weight are not a fix-all solution, and you should embrace healthy practices such as diets and exercise.
