If you’re beginning your journey to wellness, you’ve probably already noticed that there are thousands of programs, products, and supplements on the market. Many of these offerings claim to help you lose weight fast. Here’s the cold, hard truth: quick weight loss doesn’t work. Read more to learn why it doesn’t work & how to achieve weight loss the healthy, sustainable way!
Why Quick Weight Loss Doesn’t Work
There’s a reason we all refer to weight loss as a “journey”. There are highs and lows, wins and struggles, and good days and bad days. If losing weight was something that could easily be done in under a month, it wouldn’t truly be a journey! Many diet programs, supplements, and tummy-cinching offerings claim to help you lose weight fast. Here’s the cold, hard truth: quick weight loss doesn’t work. Here’s why.
1. Quick Weight Loss is Unsustainable.
Giving up all the foods you love might work in the short-term, but it’s not a plan built to last. Sooner or later, you’ll be craving all those calories you didn’t allow yourself to have. Some people think that seriously restricting their calories will help them lose 20 pounds in a month.
If you temporarily teach your body to adjust to a much lower calorie diet, then switch it back to normal, you will gain that weight right back. You’ve probably heard the term “crash dieting” — and that’s exactly what happens! Most people crash within a month of starting a heavily restrictive diet.
2. Quick Weight Loss Messes with your Metabolism.
“Metabolism” refers to all the natural chemical reactions in your body that process and burn energy to keep you going. There are a lot of false rumors about what metabolism is, what it can do, and how one’s metabolism changes over time. Here’s what you need to know:
Drastically switching up your diet, exercise routine, or caloric intake stresses your metabolism. Your body frantically tries to readjust to your changes, but it’s not always able to keep up! Messing with your metabolism can ultimately cause you to gain more weight in the long run, because as you readjust to a normal diet or exercise routine, your body will store fat rather than burn it the way you’d like it to. Gradual change is always better, because gradual change allows you to train your body – rather than causing intense reactions that throw things off-kilter.
Using a superfood supplement like Super Amazing Coffee or Superfood Tabs will help to kickstart your metabolism and lose the weight you’re trying to lose!
3. Quick Weight Loss Messes with your Mind!
This might be one of the most important reasons to avoid quick weight loss. Losing weight is so much more than physical; it’s mental, too!
After a week or two of strict dieting, you might start to see the number on the scale change. Your immediate instinct will tell you, “WOW! This is working!” — and then you’ll want to go back to your normal routine now that you’ve “lost the weight”.
Two weeks of strict dieting before heading back to the normal routine will only cause the weight to come right back, and that’s just such a bummer!
Truthfully, it’s not good for your body to undergo massive weight swings. If you lose too much weight too quickly, you could be putting your body, organs, and metabolism into shock – which won’t benefit you in the long run. Medical professionals recommend losing about 1 pound per week for best physical & mental results.
OK…but what if I did lose 8 pounds in a week?
Let’s say you’re on Day 5 of your new lose-weight-fast diet, and you’re noticing that you’ve already lost eight pounds. You might think – heck, this article makes no sense! It’s working for me!! The number on the scale is less than it was 5 days ago!
Here are some reasons why you could be seeing changes in the scale:
1. You Lost Water Weight
Drastic changes in the scale during short periods are often directly related to water weight – both gains and losses. After a night of cocktails and pasta, you’ll notice an uptick in the scale. You didn’t really gain 5 pounds overnight; your body is just responding to last night’s delicious meal! If you’re seeing a 5 pound loss in a week, you likely have lost some water weight (fluid retention) from the prior week. This is still awesome, but doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve burned any fat.
Superfood Tabs are an awesome tool for fighting bloat, while still crushing those weight loss goals!
2. You Burned Muscle
While the calories in, calories out science does work, there are some important things to consider. If you eat too little, your body will intentionally retain fat so it can store some fuel. If your body needs 1500 calories a day, but you restrict yourself to 500, you will “lose weight” quickly, but you won’t lose fat quickly.
If you aren’t fueling your body with a healthy balance of protein, carbs, and fats, your body will break down muscle before burning fat. You might see the number on the scale go down, without enough protein, you could be losing the precious muscle that keeps you looking toned!
3. Your Scale or Weighing Methods are Inconsistent
Drastic changes in scale numbers could also reflect an inconsistent weight measurement system.
For the most accurate read on the scale, try to weigh yourself in the morning after brushing your teeth. Your body retains fluid at night to keep you hydrated, so you need to walk around the house a bit before weighing yourself to get the most accurate read. You should definitely weigh yourself before eating or exercising for the day. If you aren’t weighing yourself under the same conditions every day, you’ll notice massive fluctuations in the numbers.
Most medical professionals recommend only weighing yourself once or twice a week, rather than daily, as bodyweight can fluctuate due to so many variables! If you’re interested in learning more about your body’s composition, there are a variety of awesome “smart scales” available online that can scan for body fat and body hydration in addition to overall weight.
We recommend weighing in first thing in the morning on Mondays, and then following up with a cup of metabolism-boosting Super Amazing Coffee!
So…. how do I lose weight, then?
If you’ve made it this far, it means you’re committed to losing weight the healthy, natural, and sustainable way! Go you! Here are some tips for tacking weight loss the healthy way.
1. Track Calories in versus Calories Out.
Every human body needs a specific amount of calories to maintain their current weight. If you eat more calories than that number, you gain weight. If you eat less calories than your maintenance number, you lose weight.
Current science shows that you need to eat an excess of roughly 3,500 calories per week to gain 1 pound of weight. Most doctors recommend you cut 300-700 calories per day to lose weight.
The real first step in the weight loss process is to figure out how many calories you should eat each day. There are lots of helpful calculators online for this! Click here to check one out.
If you’re struggling with cravings for junk or snack foods outside of your recommended calorie threshold, Superfood Tabs are an awesome tool to keep your cravings in check.
2. Fuel Your Body Right
OK, so now you know how many calories you should eat. But what foods should make up those calories?
There are tons of different approaches to organizing your meals, but if you’re trying to burn fat, a good starting point is to figure out how much protein you need. If you’re exercising regularly, you want to make sure your body is building strong muscle while burning the excess fat. Here’s an awesome article packed with information about balancing your diet.In addition to your proteins, carbs, and fats, think about what nutrients you are and are not getting enough of!
Superfood Tabs and Super Amazing Coffee are both awesome choices for anyone currently working to lose weight. They boost metabolism, burn calories, and burn fat totally naturally using the power of superfoods! Check out this link to learn more.
3. Drink LOTS of Water!
The last big piece of the puzzle is water! In order to lose weight and burn those calories, your body needs a lot of water! Most people drink nowhere near the amount of water they should be drinking daily. Here’s an awesome article about how much water you should be drinking!
If you are having trouble reaching your water intake goals, Superfood Tabs are an awesome tool for hitting your water intake goals — and helping with weight loss!
4. Move Your Body!
One of the biggest weight-loss misconceptions is that in order to lose weight, you have to be doing some sort of crazy intense cross-fit style exercise. In reality, a brisk daily walk or strength training a few days a week will work wonders for your body! Aim to exercise in some form for at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week. Keep track of your exercise plan in your phone or in a journal to stay committed. Moving your body really matters!