Extreme Weightloss Methods

Weight loss is the epitome of a goal that is simple in principle but difficult in practice. Achieving steady weight loss requires disciplined diet control and exercise to burn more calories than you consume every day. Extreme weight loss methods can be a tempting alternative to healthy eating and exercise for those who don't want to wait for results.

Crash Dieting

Crash dieting is an extreme weight loss method in which the dieter limits calorie intake to levels far below normal. A crash diet might consist of eating only salads and fruits, which typically have low amounts of calories, for a few weeks. Some crash dieters might even forgo food all together, and consume only liquids for days at a time. By severely limiting caloric intake, the body is forced to burn fat in order to have energy to continue operating. Crash dieting can cause fatigued and can be counter-productive to weight loss because it may prevent you from being able to exercise to burn calories.

Diet Pills

Another extreme weight loss technique is to use diet pills or supplements. Diet supplements can induce weight loss in a number of different ways. Some pills, such as chitosan, function by reducing the amount of fat the body absorbs from food. Other supplements such as ephedra and hoodia suppress the appetite, which helps the dieter control portions and consume fewer calories. Dietary supplements can be an effective way to reduce caloric intake, but they often come with undesirable side effects. Pills that reduce fat absorption may cause diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, the long-term effects of many weight-loss supplements are not fully known, which makes using them risky.

Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is a category of surgical procedures aimed at inducing weight loss in the patient. Bariatric surgery is usually reserved for obese people whose weight may directly inhibit quality of life or whose weight is of great concern to health. Bariatric surgery typically involves closing off part of the stomach to reduce the effective size of the stomach, which makes the patient feel full much faster, causing them to eat less. Bariatric surgery should be viewed as a last resort to weight loss to be used when other dieting and exercise plans have failed. That said, bariatric surgery can be a great way for very heavy people to lose weight fast and have an improved quality of life.

Considerations

Extreme weight loss can be dangerous and unhealthy and should be pursued with caution. The best way to lose weight is to do so gradually through portion control and regular aerobic activity. This allows the body to slowly acclimate to changes without being severely deprived of nutrients. Another drawback of extreme weight loss methods is that they are often unsustainable and stopping can result in rapid weight gain.