Why Extreme Weight Loss is a Bad Idea

A person who experiences extreme weight loss would lose a great deal of weight rather quickly, or they would lose more weight than is medically safe. Using methods such as vomiting, laxative abuse, and skipping meals can also be classified as extreme. By these definitions, one would think that extreme weight loss is dangerous or unhealthy. For an overweight person, experiencing extreme weight loss is coveted, in spite of the fact that such weight loss can make them sick. After all, who wouldn't want to go from fat to slim practically overnight?

In spite of the fact that extreme weight loss is not a good idea, there are still thousands of websites that advocate extreme weight loss. Of course, these websites are selling a product that will supposedly help with such weight loss.

Losing weight at an unhealthy rate through can actually be counter intuitive. According to Dukehealth.org, "Adolescent girls who try to lose weight by extreme measures such as vomiting, laxative abuse and skipping meals are actually more likely to become obese than girls who eat a high-fat diet." This is why many heavy adults report dieting from a very young age.

For weight loss that is actually sustainable, a person needs to lose weight at a slow rate. After all, if it took years to gain a lot of weight, to take it off safely, one need to lose weight at the same rate. By slowly changing the way you eat and workout, slow and steady weight loss will become a way of life instead of the dreaded "D" word.

If it is medically necessary for you to lose weight quickly, it must be done under a doctor's care. Bariatric surgery, for example will cause extreme weight loss due to surgery and close physician monitoring. There are a few liquid diet programs that will also work, (Oprah Winfrey did this the first time she lost weight) but it is hard to maintain such weight loss.

In addition to not working, extreme weight loss can make you very sick or even kill you. Probably one of the most famous recent cases of extreme weight loss resulting in death was Luther Van dross' yo-yo dieting and failure to control his weight related diseases. In the end, it might be wiser to stay overweight that to participate in extreme diets over and over again.