Unhealthy Vs Healthy Weight Loss Methods

Illustration 3: Pills or Meals?

Obesity is currently a trend among the old, young, men and women, especially in developed countries. The lack of education with regards to health and proper nutrition is one of the causes of obesity. Also, with the ease of getting our food ready within minutes from shops and stalls situated at every corner of the street, it would require an extraordinary amount of willpower to control our food intake. 

Alongside the increase in the number of obese people, the popularity of weight management and weight loss programmes are also increasing. With such a great market base for a lucrative business in the weight management and weight loss industry, we would undeniably be excessively exposed to the different types and methods for weight loss and weight management by a myriad of companies.

Our task now, is to unravel the types of methods used in some of the programmes and to question their effectiveness and safety for our consumption. 

Here, we have the common unhealthy ways to shed off those extra kilos.

1. No calorie diet. 

Illustration 4: Low-Calorie Diet

Our bodies need fat, especially healthy fats to burn the unwanted fats. Sadly, the zero-calorie trend is one of the most popular, leasing people to consume artificial sweeteners in the name of health and losing weight. Also, diet cokes can actually make you gain more weight.

2. Drugs and pills

Illustration 5: Diet Pill

We all know that there is no magic pill that will make you lose weight drastically overnight. Illicit and legal drugs have been used for weight loss for years. Drugs like cocaine are also often used as a quick fix for weight loss. What is common to all drugs is that when they are discontinued, the body no longer receives the effects of the drug. The consumer will also suffer from the side effects of the drug (e.g. severely damaging your heart and brain). The effect of discontinuing the drugs can lead to withdrawal symptoms and most likely regaining the weight lost while taking the drug. 

3. Fad diets

Illustration 6: Fad diets

Ever heard of weight loss or weight management programmes that restrict your diet to only certain types of food? There are a few programmes out there that promise guaranteed weight loss just by drinking meal replacement shakes everyday for at least 2 meals, or drinking just cabbage soup for a week  or to undergo the tapeworm diet. The consumers of these programmes would definitely lose weight, but they do so unhealthily. When they are off the diet, they would gain back those kilos as fast as they had lost them, resulting in a yo-yo weight loss effect.

4. Laxatives

Illustration 7: Laxatives

Laxatives are foods, compounds, drugs or supplements which induce bowel movements or loosen the stool. They come in the form of pills, powders suppositories and teas. Excessive use of laxatives in weight loss is not a new concept. Some people have been led on to believe that by detoxing and churning out excessive waste from the body means losing weight faster. In actual fact, continuous use will weaken your digestive system and can cause abdomen related complications. Short-term problems associated with laxative abuse include dehydration and hemorrhoids. Long term effects include intestinal paralysis, renal failure, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and even pancreatitis. 

5. Saunas and sweatsuits 

Illustration 8: Melt all those fats away in saunas

Saunas have been used for many years as a weight loss method. The weight lost by using saunas is entirely water weight. Saunas or sweat suits can cause deadly problems. The least dangerous effects of dehydration and increased body temperature can both become deadly if they get out of control. One extreme example of unhealthy ways to lose weight was a high school wrestler who used multiple unhealthy ways to lose weight in preparation for a wrestling meet. He took the dangerous diet supplement ephedrine while he ran stadium steps in a sweat suit in order to make weight for the next day’s competition. He was found dead the next day. Even though he had been dead for over 8 hours, his body temperature was still over 100 degrees.

As you can see, well-known weight loss methods might not be the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. We should take into consideration our daily nutritional needs as well. There are healthy ways to lose weight such as eating the right proportion of the different food groups, regular exercise, and a good night's sleep. Sometimes, the simplest and most natural method works well and is safer in the long run.

If you are interested to know more about weight management and how to start, you can contact us!