Do We Really Want Quick Weight Loss?

Last week I attended a women’s expo called “What A Woman Wants” (no guys, it had nothing to do with sex) but it was all about things, trinkets, and fixes to excite any female… well, sort of. I was overwhelmed by the whole thing but the concepts I found most fascinating were the countless booths set-up to entice women into losing weight – “FAST!!!” I couldn’t believe the advertising lure to draw us all in. Things like “thin thighs in thirty minutes,” “smart lipo,” “jiggle fat away in one treatment,” the “no sweat diet,” the “one pill wonder”…the list goes on and on. Even more amazing was that the crowd swept into these gimmicks. Did we lose some brain cells at the ticket counter???

I have nor will ever believe in getting rich quick or quick weight loss. All good things take time. It takes nine long months to create a baby, six long months for a good scar to heal, four long months to complete a semester of school and three long months to construct a good piece of custom furniture – so why in the world would it take 30 minutes to get skinny? I don’t understand it. I am not sure why we continue to fall for quick weight loss schemes. We waste our time, money and metabolic rate for something that is as temporary as chewing gum.

Here’s the deal: it takes time to lose weight in a safe, healthy, sustainable way. It sounds appealing to fall for the 30-day plan. Americans, more than ever, are looking for a quick fix, but the reality is that as quick as the fix is, gaining the weight back is almost as speedy.

Losing weight the right way takes time. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends losing one to two pounds per week as a safe weight loss goal. This rate of weight loss increases our chances of keeping the weight off because we do not reach a calorie deficit high enough to alter our metabolic rate. This is important for sustainability. When we start losing weight at the rate of more than three pounds per week, we often lose lean muscle, which ultimately lowers our metabolism because muscle is active tissue in our body requiring energy to sustain.

So a word to the wise: think twice before contemplating that “quick weight loss” scheme. Losing weight is possible, but it does require some longevity and commitment for long lasting results!