Weight Loss Fads – Facts and Fiction

Our metabolic processes take up a modest amount of calories each day for normal functioning. For a healthy adult to maintain an ideal weight, while doing his/her daily activities, calorie intake should be 22 calories/kg. So, ideally, a man weighing 68 kilos would need about 1500 kcal in a day to avoid weight gain.

People follow a lot of diet fads to prevent obesity. Some are based on low-carbohydrate content, some on low-fat, and some are Mediterranean-diet based. Much of these weight-loss diets are based on the fundamental fact that they all have low calories and lead to weight loss. Most diets show short-term results. Since human bodies undergo various hormonal changes while putting on such diets, it becomes very difficult to sustain such diets after three to six months, which eventually lead to weight gain again.

Starvation Is Never Right

There are some who resort to extreme starvation in order to lose weight and prevent obesity. This is a wrong strategy and can boomerang. Starvation prompts the body to save calories as a protective mechanism and leads to a rebound phenomenon of overeating and weight gain after some time.

Even if starvation leads to weight loss, it would still not be a healthy option, as starvation can lead to malnourishment, osteoporosis, and deficiency of vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Some even develop anorexia, another detrimental medical problem, which is the exact opposite of obesity.

A wide range of commercially advertised weight loss therapies can aid weight loss in some individuals. Several of them are unproven, aimed at commercial gains and some might be even harmful. Resorting to such therapies without appropriate medical advice is risky. Bariatric surgery can be used in specific cases of obesity for weight loss, after careful evaluation by a specialist, usually, an endocrinologist who can guide the patient to lose weight.

If you want to shed some kilos, walk-in to your nearest Apollo Spectra where our experts will check your BMI and metabolic rate and give you a personalized diet chart.