According to Henan Guangdian Urban Channel: August 1st (interview time), Fujian. A woman, after trying on wedding dresses at a bridal shop, felt that she looked bad in every dress because she thought she was too fat. She then made up her mind to lose weight successfully before having her wedding and taking wedding photos. She recorded her progress every day and went from 135 pounds to 88 pounds in 42 days! The person involved said she cried when she became slim.
“She’s determined! She can do it, but it’s not necessary. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!” “To be honest, rapid weight loss is not good for the body” … Extreme News reporters noticed that many netizens admired her commitment but also expressed concerns that such drastic weight loss may be harmful to health.
It is ideal to lose 1-2 pounds per week for safe weight loss
Previously, there were some weight loss methods online that claimed to help you lose 30 pounds in a month, attracting many who wanted quick results. In response, scientific clarification articles were published to caution against the drawbacks of several common weight loss methods.
Crash dieting: If you feel hungry on a 300-calorie diet, it’s not too severe. But if the calorie restriction goes beyond 300 calories, especially if it’s below what your body needs for basic metabolism, then it’s considered crash dieting.
The recommended safe weight loss rate is losing 1-2 pounds per week. While crash dieting might show quick results in weight loss, it can lead to various health issues. If the body doesn’t receive enough energy and nutrients for its functions, it prioritizes vital functions like breathing and heartbeats, compromising energy for other bodily functions.
Therefore, even though crash dieting decreases calorie intake significantly, the calorie expenditure also decreases proportionately. This not only prevents fat loss but also causes symptoms like dizziness, insomnia, irritability, weakness, cold sensitivity, hair loss, sweating, anemia, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, loose skin, and amenorrhea, posing a serious health risk. By that point, sustaining the weight loss becomes difficult and it could jeopardize health and life.
Danger of rebound weight gain and harm to health from crash methods
Ketogenic dieting: This low-carb, high-fat diet has gained popularity in recent years. It involves limiting carb-rich foods like grains, potatoes, fruits, high-carb vegetables, and sugars, while allowing fatty foods like eggs, meats, fish, soy, nuts, leafy greens, and some fruits.
By significantly restricting carbs and consuming high fats, the body quickly depletes glucose in the blood, then glycogen, and starts burning fats for energy. As fat metabolism results in ketone production, this diet is called “ketogenic.” This diet’s increased fat content promotes feeling full and the ketones suppress appetite, leading to rapid weight loss in the short term, with some losing 5 kilograms in a week, boosting dieters’ confidence. However, long-term ketogenic dieting can adversely affect health, leading to ketoacidosis, dehydration, liver and kidney strain, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, loose skin, muscle loss, osteoporosis, and amenorrhea.
Intermittent fasting: This method involves cycles of reduced or no eating, causing extreme hunger followed by increased appetite. During fasting periods, individuals may suffer from mental fatigue, irritability, dizziness, headaches, daytime drowsiness, insomnia, affecting daily life. This method of weight loss doesn’t offer significant benefits but poses some health risks.
Meal replacement: Meal replacement products are popular, offering balanced nutrition with high fiber, low calories, and satiety. It’s advised to replace only one meal a day with these products. If one relies on meal replacements for all meals or long term, it’s unhealthy. The meal replacement industry is mixed, and overconsumption can lead to health issues. Rational purchasing is recommended.
Weight loss pills: Several weight loss pills that were once popular in China have been proven ineffective or have significant side effects. L-carnitine isn’t a weight loss pill; sibutramine harms the heart and nervous system; amphetamines are highly addictive and can lead to high blood pressure and mental disorders; metformin has poor weight loss effects and side effects, making it less effective than eating slightly less daily. Generally, quick-fix weight loss methods are not advisable as speed of weight loss correlates with the dangers of weight loss pills.
The only approved weight loss pill on the Chinese market is orlistat. It’s a specific gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor that blocks fat absorption, preventing the intake of fat from being hydrolyzed into fatty acids and glycerol, helping prevent fat accumulation. However, orlistat only inhibits the absorption of 30% of fat and doesn’t burn body fat, so it’s more of a fat-blocking drug than a weight loss drug.
Weight loss tea: Most weight loss teas claim to detoxify by inducing diarrhea after consumption. It’s a misconception that frequent bowel movements lead to rapid weight loss. Many contain laxatives and diuretics like senna leaf, cassia seed, aloe, lotus leaf, which may harm health. Weight loss teas mainly work by stimulating the intestines to promote diarrhea, similar to laxatives, removing water weight rather than fat. The lost water weight can be easily regained with food and water intake, leading to rapid weight rebound. Furthermore, excessive diarrhea can cause dehydration and long-term consumption can damage gut health.
Experts believe that the six rapid weight loss methods mentioned earlier will eventually lead to weight rebound and potentially harm health. To truly lose weight, a combination of a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and creating a reasonable calorie deficit is essential.
Compiled from Henan Guangdian Urban Channel, Beijing Youth Daily, Science Debunking
(Source: Extreme News)
