Don’t Get Fooled by “Lose Weight Fast” Plans

The internet is full of "lose weight fast" plans that are really just scams. They promise quick results, but they don't work in the long run. If you're struggling with your weight, you've likely seen advertisements for quick ways to lose weight:

“Lose 10lbs in 2 weeks!”

“Get the 30 pounds in 30 days diet plan!”

These ads are designed to lure the desperate into buying the latest weight loss supplements and products on the market. The truth is rapid weight loss plans don't work. The fastest way to lose weight is not the best way to lose weight because there are no shortcuts to success for healthy weight loss. In this blog post, we'll talk about how "lose weight fast" plans are deceptive and what you can do instead!

The problem with "lose weight fast" plans

"Lose weight fast" plans might seem like a good idea when you have a big event coming up or just want to jumpstart your weight loss journey. The issue is that these rapid weight loss plans often have dangerous side effects. These side effects might not become apparent until after you've lost some weight. Additionally, rapid weight loss plans aren't designed to work in the long run. The weight you do lose is temporary, and programs that cause rapid weight loss do so through crash dieting.

Crash diets can be defined as any diet that is used for the sole purpose of rapid weight loss. They usually consist of a very-low-calorie and food-restricted diet, paired with unnecessary supplements, and high volume workouts. They are also designed to be short programs in duration, only a few weeks or months long. These behaviors cause people to lose weight quickly but they also result in:

• Gallstones

• Loss of muscle tissue

• Loss of bone mass

• Deregulated metabolism

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Weakened immune system

• Bodyweight rebound

• Impaired intestinal function

• Electrolyte imbalance

• Heart arrhythmias

• Kidney damage

Aside from the bodily harm a crash diet may cause, there are also major psychological consequences. People who engage in crash dieting programs are more likely to develop disordered eating attitudes and become pathological dieters.

According to this research by the National Eating Disorders Association, 25% of pathological dieters will develop a full-blown eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder.

If a weight loss plan puts a person's health at risk and doesn't provide maintainable results, it's a bad plan. You're better off not attempting to lose weight at all than putting your money and time into a "lose weight fast" plan that sets you up for long-term failure.

Why diets don’t work and what to do about it

Most people who lose weight on a crash diet eventually regain the weight, plus some extra pounds. There are many reasons why diets fail, but one of the biggest problems is that most crash diet programs are based on unrealistic and unsustainable behaviors. Diets that require you to severely restrict your food intake or completely give up certain foods are not likely to be successful in the long run. This is because they ignore the psychology of dieting.

It is unrealistic to expect anyone to adhere to strict food rules and dieting methods for a sustained amount of time. If you're constantly feeling hungry or deprived, you're more likely to "cheat" on your diet or give up altogether. Long-term restriction mindsets around food could also trigger binge eating.

The best way to lose weight is slowly and consistently over a longer period of time. It is better to consistently lose half a pound a week for ten weeks and maintain your health and sanity than lose 5 pounds in a week, "fall off the wagon", and gain all the weight back the next week.

Weight loss can happen reasonably and sustainably. Those who have the patience to learn about this process have the longest-lasting weight management success!

Related Blog Post: How Does Weight Loss Really Work?

The best diet for weight loss is one that puts you into a slight caloric deficit while considering your personal preferences for food and exercise.

If you love carbs, don’t try to adhere to a low-carb diet.

If you have a hectic schedule, don’t choose a workout program that requires training 6 days a week.

If you are on a limited budget, don't subscribe to multiple gym memberships, a supplement subscription, and do all your shopping at Whole Foods.

It’s not to say any of these options are bad or that one day they may not serve you. But, if you want to get better in time, focus on starting where you are now. Consider what your personal preferences are, and how they play a part in your future success.

Why weight loss is not as easy as it seems

Weight loss is simple but not easy.

The physical process of weight loss is simple. Manipulating our energy balance with the good ol' eat less, move more will typically put our bodies in the caloric deficit it needs to trigger the metabolism of body fat for fuel.

But we aren't robots. Disregarding the human experience is the biggest mistake people make when approaching weight loss. We have an array of emotions, psychological needs, and complex social and cultural standards to adhere to.

It's hard to go for a morning run when it's cold outside.

It's hard to cook a nutritious dinner after work when the Domino's app is reminding you you've earned a free pizza.

It's hard to take up space in the weight room, pack healthy lunches for work, monitor your step count, get enough sleep, remember to take your vitamins, and on and on... All of it is hard!

Pursuing weight loss takes extra work, time, and money. This is where "lose weight fast" programs get the most appeal. They sell the idea that you can take this hard process and make it easier by getting it over with faster. But crash dieting is not the easy way out. It doesn't make the weight loss process shorter. Instead, it makes the process insufferable.

In all my years of coaching, I have yet to see someone be successful by running themselves into the ground.

I have yet to see someone achieve greatness by making themselves a martyr to their fitness and nutrition regimen.

The successful people were always the ones who made small but effective behavior and lifestyle changes. The successful people never completely lost themselves while losing weight.

When you are looking for weight loss programs that really work, I don't want you to look for the one with the hardest workouts and the most restrictive food rules. That is a recipe for burnout, and burnout means starting over again.

Weight loss or fat loss?

When most people start looking to lose weight, what they usually intend to do is lose fat mass. Weight loss can come from any loss of mass on the body including muscle mass, bone density, and fluid loss. Fat loss, specifically, is reducing body fat while maintaining or increasing lean body tissues such as muscle mass and bone density.

There are benefits to pursuing fat loss over weight loss. Prioritizing fat loss over weight loss can be a healthier and more sustainable strategy. When we pursue weight loss and don't prioritize preserving or increasing lean body tissues, we risk our bodies burning through muscle mass. This can be harmful since it is an important element of your overall health.

Maintaining a healthy amount of muscle mass has several benefits, including regulating proper blood sugar levels, maintaining appropriate fat levels in the blood – such as triglycerides and cholesterol – and reducing inflammation.

Having a higher fat-to-muscle ratio is linked to the development of chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and diabetes.

Maintaining your muscle mass may also help you avoid age-related muscular degeneration, which can lead to frailty and disability.

Furthermore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. This is why men require more calories than women.

Related Blog Post: Protein Guide: How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

When choosing a fat loss program, it is also important to understand how long it takes to lose body fat at a healthy rate. A healthy weight loss rate is an average of 1% of your body weight per week or about 0.5-3lbs a week. 

Keep in mind that weight loss is not a linear process. Weight loss may happen quickly at the beginning of a program and then slow down. Additionally, weight loss may happen faster some weeks and not at all other weeks.

Don’t be discouraged if your weight loss slows down or plateaus for a few days! The process of burning fat involves several metabolic processes and it takes time to do molecule-by-molecule! Put your patience pants on and keep going!

How to lose weight (in a healthy way that lasts)

We take energy into our body through the diet in the form of calories and we expend energy through regular body processes and daily movement. If we are eating more calories than we are using consistently, this is how we gain body weight.

The reverse of this is true for losing bodyweight. We must take in fewer calories than we are using consistently. This is called creating a caloric deficit.

When you are in a caloric deficit, the body will signal the need to tap into your stored energy. This triggers the release of those fat molecules from your body's fat storage cells.

Being in a caloric deficit simply means you are taking in fewer calories than you are using, on average, over time. To get into a caloric deficit, it is a two-part formula: calories in and calories used.

One way to create a caloric deficit is to reduce the number of calories you take in through what you eat. Keeping track of your calories and reducing portion sizes will help you to reduce the number of calories you eat over time and create a caloric deficit. You only need to reduce your average daily calories by about 250-500 calories a day to create a substantial enough deficit to cause weight loss.

The other way to create a calorie deficit is to increase the number of calories you use in a day. This can be increased through how much you move throughout the day and how much you exercise. Moving your body more will use more energy over time and create a small caloric deficit.

Related Blog Post: Calories Burned Sitting vs Standing: The NEAT Way To Be More Physically Active

You’ll find that most weight loss programs encourage you to eat lower-calorie foods and exercise more. This is the principle they are based on because all weight loss comes down to this basic theory of calories in and calories out!

Don't forget about that human experience we talked about. Make sure your diet includes foods you enjoy eating, and you are moving your body in ways that bring you joy. Prioritizing your personal preferences will help keep you consistent longer and avoid the crash (and burn) part of crash dieting.

Conclusion

If you’ve been struggling with weight loss, don’t get sucked into popular "lose weight fast" plans. Most crash diet programs are based on unrealistic and unsustainable behaviors that usually lead to more weight gain over time. Instead, focus on creating a small caloric deficit through healthy habits and prioritizing your personal preferences for successful long-term weight management.

Seeking professional coaching can be one way to ensure these principles stay top of mind as we work together towards your goals! Apply today for CBM 1:1 Coaching and let's start making progress toward sustainable health and happiness now!

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