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What is the Fastest Way to Lose Weight?
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
Whether you're hoping to look your best for a friend's wedding, eager to get back into your pre-pregnancy wardrobe, or simply impatient with traditional diet plans, you may find yourself searching for the fastest way to lose weight. Although it's natural to want to drop unwanted pounds quickly, it's important to keep in mind that any rapid weight loss method carries significant risks. It is not recommended that you jump into an extreme weight loss plan without first considering all of the alternatives.
Technically speaking, the fastest way to lose weight is to have obesity surgery. Procedures such as Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding or Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y will result in rapid weight loss for the first six months to one year after the surgery. However, to qualify for this type of surgery, you must generally have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, suffer from obesity related medical problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and have a history of failed weight loss attempts. You must also agree to follow the doctor's plan for diet and exercise after your surgery.
Another method for rapid weight loss is to take medications to assist with your weight loss efforts. However, these types of medications are only recommended for people with a BMI of 30 or above or those with a BMI of 27 or above who also suffer from obesity related medical problems. In the United States, Meridia® and Xenical® are the most popular weight loss drugs. Meridia® is an appetite suppressant, while Xenical® is a fat-absorption inhibitor. Alli®, the first FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss medication, is the non-prescription version of Xenical®.
Crash diets are the final trick people use when they are searching for the fastest way to lose weight. The Lemonade Diet, also known as the Master Cleanse, is one example of this type of diet plan. While it's true celebrities like Beyonce Knowles have used the Lemonade Diet to slim down for movie roles, the plan is not nutritionally balanced and far too restrictive to be a long term solution for weight management.
If you are interested in the fastest way to lose weight, it's important to be realistic. If you went up two jeans sizes as the result of two or three years of eating poorly and not exercising, you can't expect to drop this weight in just a few months. Discuss your weight loss goals with your healthcare provider. He can help you develop a diet and exercise plan that will help you lose weight without sacrificing your long term health and well being.
Dana Hinders
Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.
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Dana Hinders
Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.
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![Rapid weight loss could pose a health risk.]()
By: Sergio MartínezRapid weight loss could pose a health risk. -
![The Lemonade Diet has been used to help people lose weight fast.]()
By: vgstudioThe Lemonade Diet has been used to help people lose weight fast. -
![In order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output.]()
By: sframeIn order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output. -
![Slower methods of weight loss are considered the safest approach.]()
By: Alexander ZhiltsovSlower methods of weight loss are considered the safest approach. -
![Proper hydration is important when trying to lose weight.]()
By: science photoProper hydration is important when trying to lose weight.
Discussion Comments
Like the article talks about, surgery to lose weight should only be done when a person's weight is a risk to his or her health or when the weight stops the person from enjoying life. Otherwise, overweight people should focus on the fastest way to lose weight naturally, such as exercise and diet.
The key to losing weight is burning off more calories than you take in. I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but when you focus on that, at least the task seems doable. By the way, I know plenty of people who have had obesity surgery and most of them are better off for having the surgeries.
The article says that the fastest way to lose weight fast is to have some type of obesity surgery. The thought of using surgery to help me lose weight scares me a little. I have read about people who had surgery that but a band around their stomachs. I'm not sure of how the procedure works, but after surgery they are supposed to eat less.
In some of these cases, the surgery went badly, and some patients really suffered afterward. I have also read about people's bad experiences when having the surgery that sucks fat from their bodies. I'm not sure the possible side effects are worth the weight lose.
It is no coincidence that the fastest ways to lose weight quickly are also the most dangerous. There is a reason that you gain weight, and when you look for an easy way to get the weight off and do nothing to correct the habits or the conditions that caused you to put on all the weight then you are not really solving the problem.
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