As a GP I sometimes find myself helping people pick up the pieces after they’ve been doing rapid weight loss diets.
I completely understand why people want to lose weight really quickly, really I do. But before you decide to tackle your weight problem in this way, take a minute to check out the potential consequences and think about whether you could handle it.
Loose Skin Folds
These days I see this problem more after someone has had bariatric surgery, for example a gastric band. But it can also happen with rapid weight loss diets.
When you lose weight too quickly, your body can’t keep up with the pace of change, so you can end up with some really unsightly skin folds.
If this happens, the only way around it is surgery. The result isn’t going to be brilliant, you’re unlikely to want to be seen in a bikini.
If you have loads and loads of weight to lose it is better to it at a pace your body can keep up with. That way your skin has time to adjust and shrink with you. You’ll avoid these horrible skin folds.
Rebound Weight Gain
When you choose to do one of the rapid weight loss diets it’s just not sustainable, it’s impossible to keep going! You might think you’ve failed, but you were set up for that failure by something your body can’t thrive on – so it will push back and get you eating again. It’s inevitable!
Some patients tell me they will just do these rapid weight loss diets for a while, to get them started. But this is more than enough to do the damage, and set you up for rapid weight gain. 
Rapid weight loss diets are restrictive. Obviously they restrict calories – this slows down your metabolism, so you burn calories slower – a bit counterintuitive really, considering your aim.
This effect is long lasting, so when you start eating it’s incredible how quickly you can plonk the weight back on again. Basically you’ve made your body into a super efficient fat storing machine!
Also with restrictive diets you tend to miss out on micronutrients. Supplements are no substitute to real food. This, along with the calorie restriction leaves you feeling run down and tired.
Lost Muscle Mass
When you severely restrict calories your body breaks down your muscles BEFORE it breaks down fat for its energy needs.
Along with the tiredness you feel, you tend to be less active, further reducing your muscle mass.
Rapid weight loss diets cause you to lose muscle mass. But where are the majority of your calories burned up? Your muscles!
This increases you ability to gain weight very, very quickly when you start eating again.
Gall Stones
Rapid weight loss diets seems to be a cause of gall stones. This can lead to horrendous pain under the right side of your ribs when you eat.
This problem is much more common in yo-yo dieters.
Low Blood Pressure
Excess weight often causes high blood pressure. Weight loss can bring this down.
However, by doing rapid weight loss diets your body hasn’t got time to adjust, and your blood pressure can come down far too fast.
This happened to a patient I know. She passed out at work and ended up in hospital with a broken arm!
This is especially important to consider if you’re on any medication for high blood pressure.
Rapid Weight Loss Diets – A Better Way!
Losing 1-2lb per week will allow your body to adjust to the changes. You’ll avoid the skin folds, and you won’t wreck your metabolism (making your body better at making fat).
This may sound like a small amount but it adds up to a potenial of 7.4 stones over the course of a year!
By joining Uber Slim you can find out exactly how to lose your excess weight, and keep it off.
Kick the rapid weight loss diets into touch, and nurture your body and health by learning how to lose weight in a way that will make you feel younger and more energetic than you have for years.
Come and join us on Uber Slim!
Have a fantastic week.
Dr Julie
PS I’ve put together this free video course to help you lose weight – click below and start getting it straight away
