Is Fast Weight Loss Safe?
If fast weight loss were possible, successful, and permanent few of us would be fat. Fad or crash diets are not the way to go when it comes to weight loss. Weight loss associated with these diets is the result of water and protein loss, the last two things you want to lose.
Like anything else it’s necessary to get to the root cause of the problem. Losing weight is more than calories in – calories out. Factors like declining metabolism, elevated insulin levels, and over consumption of pre-packaged foods containing high fructose corn syrup all play a role in gaining weight. Not getting enough of the right kind of exercise is another factor.
Hormone Levels
A major factor contributing to weight gain that is overlooked is the importance of maintaining optimal hormone levels. If your hormone levels are sub-optimal, and you are already overweight, you are going to continue to struggle to lose weight until those hormone levels are optimal. And, there’s a huge difference between hormone levels that are “normal” and those that are “optimal”.
Several studies looking at thyroid hormone, growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogen repeatedly show that individuals who have levels of these hormones in the upper third of normal enjoy a better quality of life and suffer less from chronic diseases including obesity.
Hormones regulate our metabolism. The higher our metabolism the more calories we burn. Hormones enable us to build and maintain muscle. The more muscle we have the more calories we burn. As we age our hormone levels decline leading to a slowing of metabolism and a loss of muscle mass.
Insulin and Weight Gain
Insulin is a hormone that is released in response to carbohydrate consumption. Insulin moves glucose and other nutrients into the cell. It also tells the brain that you had enough to eat. If insulin levels get too high, though, it converts extra calories into fat and prevents the burning of fat for calories.
Eating low glycemic carbohydrates will prevent excessive elevation in insulin. If you avoid white bread, white pasta, white potatoes, white rice, and alcohol, there’s a pretty good bet, that you’re eating low glycemic foods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup is a liquid sweetener that is found in just about everything these days. Its use took off in the 1980s and the ever increasing consumption of high fructose corn syrup parallels the ever increasing rate of obesity. High fructose corn syrup gets converted to fat in the liver. Plus, it does not provoke the release of insulin, which on the surface might sound like a good thing. But, as mentioned earlier, insulin tells the brain that we’re full. That feedback is lost with consumption of high fructose corn syrup leading to a tendency to overeat.
High fructose corn syrup is found in soft drinks, thirst quenchers, condiments, salad dressings, baked goods, and just about anything else that is pre-packaged.
Exercise: Metabolic Stimulator
Finally, exercise boosts metabolism, but what is not well known is that strength training and high intensity interval training boost metabolism better than the standard aerobic exercises we’re told to do. Learn more about boosting your metabolism with exercise in “Exercises to Lose Weight”.
Fast weight loss? If you follow the above recommendations you will notice weight coming off relatively soon. It may not be as fast as you want, but it will be safe and easier to keep off.
Related articles include “Healthy Weight Loss“,”How to Lose Weight“, and “Anti Aging Hormones“.
