Health Guide

Dangerous Ways to Lose Weight

Thanks to the media there has been a tremendous glamorization of the culture of thinness over the last few years. The slim "n" trim girl gets the guy, the car and the riches! This is what every magazine cover or the TV commercials scream. The message to overweight people is loud and clear. You aren't wanted! Subjects of ridicule fat people often complain of suffering mistreatment at the hands of their employers, co-workers, family members and even strangers. Consider the example of this woman. She decided to go on a crash diet when a teenage boy on the bus amusedly asked her if she was pregnant or just fat. But this is where most people go wrong. In a bid to lose those ugly pounds they make five most common mistakes. Wondering what these mistakes are? Well, read on

The Blunders

Impatient to lose weight fat people often choose the easy way out. What they forget is that the extra kilos didn't appear in just two or three weeks and there is no reason to expect that they'll disappear so soon. So what are the common short routes to weight loss for such people?

Starve: Of course, it's the easiest thing to do. People think that going on a hunger strike will solve all their problems. What they don't realize is that you need to eat for a good health. You are doing your body no good by starving yourself to low calorie levels. If you think that by cutting down on your calorie intake and popping vitamin pills instead, you're doing your body good, you're wrong! Get this straight. If you cut too many calories for too long a time, your body will think that you're starving and will react by becoming miserly on the energy expenditure. In other words it will induce mechanisms which find alternatives to decrease your calorie requirement. These mechanisms can rather be harmful to your body.

Diet Pills - The Savior: So your friend recommended you this diet pill? Of course, it'll work for you. After all hasn't it helped your friend attain that hourglass like figure? Well, if you're doing this, don't! There is no surety that diet pills are effective, uncontaminated or safe. Most of these pills contain products that claim to raise your metabolism, increase energy and promote weight loss. Quite enticing. But hear this! These diet pills can have side effects including heart attack, stroke and a high blood pressure.

Ephedra - the common product present in these pills has been associated with a lot of physical and mental problems such as increased irritability, psychosis, insomnia and a high heart rate. Indeed a risk factor for people with hypertension and heart problems.

Our advice to you is until and unless you are really sure that your diet pill is safe, don't take it! Believe us when we say that the old-fashioned advise of eating correctly and exercising more still holds good.

Shunning a Food Group: O.k. So you got that popular weight loss book that professes that those bananas, apples and tomatoes should be a taboo if you're dieting. And you're ready to give up these. Hey! Even at the risk of your health? Just remember that this is the biggest blunder that you're going to commit. Your body requires essential fatty acids and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins for a good health. So if you're planning to turn a vegetarian during your weight loss program, be sure to substitute vegetable and soy protein for good nutritional health. Your body requires calcium to keep your bones strong. So if you're bend upon giving up dairy products, you need to find other sources of calcium. Also don't knock out carbohydrates from your body. They provide you with those nutrients and those boundless reserves of energy.

Following a diet in vogue: So, you tend to take your diet and health advice from movie stars? Diet books sell -- the more outrageous the diet and the claims, or the more famous the author, the better. Look for dieting advice from reputable authors and institutions. They may not be star-studded but they are safe. Learn about healthy dieting. Don't just believe the salesman who has a profit to make from your gullibility and vanity.

Exercise! But don't overdo! Embarking on an exercise program? But do you know what the fitness experts recommend? Start your exercise schedule on a slow note being sure to warm up adequately before you start out. Beginners can easily end up doing too much exercise, with the result that they can injure themselves and will have to forego exercise.

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