Is It Better To Lose Weight Fast Or Slowly

Being overweight or obese is a no laughing matter!

It negatively impacts our quality of life and can cause serious health conditions. Since obesity is on the rise, the need to lose weight has become more common in the population and many individuals start different weight loss plans. Some of these diet plans promise slow weight loss, while some strict plans aim at losing weight fast.

So which type is best?

If it is recommended to lose from one to two pounds per week, that can be considered slow weight loss. In this case it can take several months and even years to lose considerable weight.

On the other hand, stricter weight loss programs only last for a shorter period of time during which one can lose a reasonable amount of weight.

It is better to take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of both choices to try to make up our minds.

Slow weight loss programs help you lose weight safely.

You need to follow the plan for a long period of time. This can help you establish healthy habits that may last long such as exercising and an healthy diet.

By knowing the healthy alternatives to your current more unhealthy habits, you can start following a healthier life style. The result is often a weight loss that can be sustained for a long time since you’ve made the choice to live a healthy life, presumably for your entire life.

Fast weight loss can be motivational and encouraging to keep going if you don’t have the persistence needed for the slower options. You will lose enough weight in a short time and so people can quickly notice the difference in your appearance.

This will encourage you as what you are doing is worth it and you can keep doing it. Also fast weight loss programs can be more tolerable since they last for a shorter period of time, so you don’t have to follow the changes for so long. In many cases, people were found to comply more with a faster plan that with a slower one.

However, a fast weight loss diet can have many drawbacks.

If you have decreased your food intake to a large extent, you may face health problems such as dehydration or nutrients deficiency. Also fast programs usually include a very strict diet and strenuous workouts that are so hard to keep doing for a long time. Hence the experts suggest that you are more likely to regain the weight you lost quickly and even put on more weight later.

Fast weight loss can also lead to a loss in the muscle tissue. That is because our bodies can only burn so much fat in a day or week, and thus they may resort to using muscle tissue for energy. Losing such muscle tissue can in turn cause the body to burn fewer calories on a daily basis, and thus make further weight loss even harder.

A fast weight loss may cause your skin to get loose and lagging in some areas and you get that extra skin, especially if you’ve been obese for a long time. Your skin won’t have enough time to get stretched once again.

Faster weight loss still has its advantages. Some clinics offer a faster regimen plan in the first few weeks of the diet plan then shift to a slower pace. This can ensure that you feel the difference and feel motivated to go on with your diet plan. More people can comply when they see how they look better and when others start to compliment them.

Fast weight loss can also be life-saving in conditions where obesity has led to fatal risks. However in such situations these programs have to be carried out under medical supervision. The patient needs to follow the instructions and to receive some medical care when needed.

Slow weight loss can help you live a healthy lifestyle whereas the changes with a faster alternative could be more temporary. Also a slow weight loss does not cause a decrease in muscle tissue and the skin can look firmer.

Some practical studies have shown that both ways brought about similar results where the obese individuals lost similar weight and regained also a nearly similar amount of weight after some time. However more people have followed their plan in case of a quick weight loss program while more people have quit in case of a slow weight loss program.

There are different factors to assess when determining the program that suits an overweight person. The patient’s health condition and compliance are key elements in choosing a suitable regimen.