do's and don'ts of weight loss

omid990

Found this interesting article on fitperez

http://fitperez.com/2011-07-22-6-things-you-shouldnt-do-while-losing-weight

Sure, advice from people about losing weight is mostly about what you should do, and when they do bring up what you shouldn't do, it's usually just what not to eat.
Well, we've got a list of 6 things that you shouldn't do if you're looking to shed some pounds!

Don't Starve Yourself, Fast, or Do Low Calorie Diets
Slashing everything right away can be dangers. Sure, it's weight loss, but a lot of the time it's weight that you don't want to lose — like muscle mass — and could cause health issues.
“Rapid weight loss by critical calorie restriction causes water, some fat, and muscle loss, which ultimately decreases metabolism so the body needs fewer calories to survive,” says May, author of Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat. It also causes a shift toward a higher percentage of body fat, which increases the risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Also, don't dip below 1200 calories a day, because then you'll be missing out on nutrients.

Over The Counter Diet Pills And Magic Weight Loss Supplements
No brainer. If it sounds too good to be true, it totally is.
Over-the-counter diet pills may not appear to be dangerous , but they can still cause harm. “Most diet pills are nothing more than a quick fix loaded with caffeine and diuretics that can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance," says Diekman, director of nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.
The FDA does not give supplements the same scrutiny as prescription drugs. Some over-the-counter or Internet products “can be harmful, ineffective, and a waste of money,” says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, PhD, RD.
Don't rely on that stuff, do it the old-fashioned way.

Cleanses And Detoxes
Once again — if it's too good to be true, it is. These can be really dangerous.
“Losing lots of fluid without medical supervision is risky and when combined with fasting, even riskier. Your body is uniquely fine-tuned to detoxify and excrete toxins, so cleanses are unnecessary and can lead to serious complications by messing with your body’s finely-tuned system,” May says.
Just don't eat the things you think are giving you the toxins. Eat healthy. Easy as that.

No Purging
No vomiting, laxatives, or chewing food and spitting it out to lose weight. Seriously, these tactics are pretty insane, so don't even consider them.
Acid in the stomach is extremely strong, which is necessary to prepare food for digestion and absorption. Stomach contents are meant to stay in the stomach, not be regurgitated into the esophagus and mouth. “Extremely acidic vomit can cause erosion in the esophagus, mouth, and on tooth enamel, which can increase risk for certain cancers, tooth decay, and more when purging becomes a ritual,” Diekman says.
Regular purging by vomiting or abuse of laxatives also causes excess fluid loss that can cause serious dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

Extreme Exercising And Obsessive Behavior
It's all about balance, guys. Moderation. If you're doing anything excessively, chances are it's doing more harm than good:
Extreme exercise may make for good reality television but in the real world, it can cause grave problems. Extreme exercise is physically intense on the body, causing severe wear and tear, increasing the risk for injury, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and psychologically turns exercise into punishment for eating, says May.
If you're destroying you're body, it's no good to lost the weight.
Legal And Illegal Drugs
We don't even have to comment on this one, here's what they said:
“The potential risks associated with abusing drugs, such as cocaine, speed, attention deficit disorder, thyroid, and diabetes medications to lose weight far outweighs any health benefit you may get from the weight loss," Moloo says. Just some of the unintended risks include, “physical and psychological addiction, social and financial problems, strain on relationships, anxiety, severe headaches, stroke, heart, lung, and kidney problems.”

Tobacco
Smoking doesn't keep you thin, guys. And it gives you cancer. Why would ANYONE still chose to do this nowadays?
Nicotine has been shown to be an appetite suppressant, yet the risks of smoking vastly outweigh any supposed benefits of cigarette smoking.
Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases, reduces the health of smokers in general and increases risk of death.
Beyond the numerous health risks, weight gain is often a side effect when smokers try to kick the addictive habit.

Just use common sense, guys! Be vigilant and make the best choices to fit you and your lifestyle to make it healthier. Weight loss doesn't have to be instant, though we all feel like and wish it could be sometimes. It's a process, and it's worth it in the end! Patience!