Monday, December 28, 2009

Healthy Weight Loss - Choose Fasting As a Plan?

Have you been trying to shed that extra weight you are carrying around and decided to start fasting to reach your goal? Well, for your information the age-old practice of fasting has been incorporated into healthy weight loss plans. Yes, fasting or eating little or no food, will result in loss of weight. However, it is a short term or temporary result. That was the good news, but the fact and bad news is there are risks that can ultimately cause added health problems.
Fasting plans or ideas usually start with a strict diet of only water, juice or some kind of laxative. But keep in mind, not all fasts are the same. Some fasts such as medical fasts under the supervision of a physician or health professional can be safe.
Those fasts that last a day or two are not likely to be dangerous for the majority of healthy adults. However, high-risk people such as the elderly, anyone with a chronic disease pregnant women, and children are advised not to use ANY type of fasting. Staying on a fast for anywhere from three days to a month is extremely dangerous.
You will lose weight when you reduce the amount of calories you consume. However, it can cause health problems as well. Also, when you begin fasting, your body burns calories much slower.
You should understand that the beginning weight lost on a fast is basically fluid or "water weight," not fat. Then, when you start eating again, the lost weight usually returns like chickens coming home to roost. Even worse, the weight that returns is more than likely to be all fat.
There are side effects from fasting that include dizziness, headaches, muscle aches, weakness, and fatigue. Fasting for long periods of time can lead to anemia, a weakened immune system, and liver and kidney problems as well. Furthermore, it can also result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, muscle breakdown, and diarrhea. The risks get more complicated and severe the longer you stay on a fast, or if you repeatedly go on fasts.
Why You Do Not Need a Detoxification Diet
It sounds logical that fasting could cleanse your body of harmful substances that could cause a host of ailments like obesity fatigue, and headaches. But there is no scientific evidence that you need to fast to "cleanse" your body or remove toxins.
Nutrition experts and health professionals agree that fasting is a potentially dangerous, and not a really effective way to lose weight. Do not go on a fast without first consulting your doctor or nutritionist.
Rather than fasting, it is better to choose a healthy weight loss eating plan that you can stick with for the long haul. Also, healthy diets provide a minimum of 1,200 calories and include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, along with regular physical exercise.
Healthy Choices for Life
Healthy Weight Loss
The most important thing in your life is the health and wellness of you and your family. Visit the sites listed above and get all of the information you need to make an informed decision on health and wellness for you and yours. Make healthy choices for life.

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