Quick weight loss is unsafe

A clients friend asked her;

“why don’t you just go on a strict eating plan to shed a few quick kilos”?

I wanted to delve into why quick weight loss is unsafe and give some tips on what to do instead.

The risks of quick weight loss include gall stones, muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies and slowed metabolism.

Other side effects include hunger (resulting in binging), fatigue, Irritability, feeling cold, muscle cramps, dizziness, constipation or diarrhoea, dehydration, hair loss, extreme fatigue, poor immune function and weak and brittle bones.

The stats are alarming for weight regain after someone has lost weight. Have you ever followed a strict eating plan, lost weight then gained it all back again? Well thats because nearly everyone who follows a diet, regains all the weight after 3-5 years. And most people will likely regain half of the weight within one year. So that quick fix will definitely only be short term. If this is the case, then whats the point of focusing on weight loss? Your health is not determined by your weight. There are things you can do to be healthy that are not related to the number on the scale and Im here to help guide you on some of those things.

Focusing on building long term healthy habits is the key.

1. Make a decision today to stop dieting - Fad diets result in the weight loss weight gain cycle and don’t work long term. They are restrictive and not maintainable so don’t start any new ones when you hear about them.

2. Learn to love yourself - This is definitely something I’m going to expand on in a future post but some starting actions might include a wardrobe reset, getting your nails done, getting a massage, getting a facial or your hair done, daily affirmations, mirror work, meditation, gratitude, self care time, make yourself feel confident, ditch the scales, focus on what you like about your body, fight fat phobia and so so many more….but more on all this next fortnight :-)

3. See this as a life long goal, nothing happens overnight and I want to share a personal example. I started swimming 3 years ago. It’s been tough. I had never swam in my life before so I was starting from nothing. Some sessions are great and others I feel slow. If I quit during the hard times I wouldn’t be where I am today and something that keeps me going is knowing that this is a long term goal. If I only did a couple of weeks of swimming I also wouldn’t be where I am today. It is the consistency, dedication and patience that has got me to this point. I am not a fast swimmer yet but I know that will come in time. You can see below my swim times below that I have been recording. The progress is definitely happening but it is slow and I need to continue to be consistent, patient and dedicated.

September 2020 200m 3:41

October 2021 200m 3:27

October 2022 200m 3:24

4.What are your barriers - Sit down and think about what makes eating the way you want to and moving your body difficult? What gets in the way? What are the barriers? Once you know them you can sit down and figure out how to work on them.

5.Focus on being happy now - start doing things that you want to do when you lose the weight, now. Don’t wait till you lose weight to do what you want to do. Life is too short and there is nothing stopping you from doing these things now. Even if you take small steps. In the body you’re in now, you deserve everything.

6.Stop weighing yourself - ditch the scales. The number is irrelevant and the more you focus on it, the more it puts your mind into a state of focusing on how much you’re not at your goal weight yet. The more you focus on that number, the less likely you will get to it. Focus on the other things discussed in the 10 tips in this blog.

7.Find balance in your life - are you too busy? Working too much? Overloaded, burnt out and stressed? How can you restructure your life to enable time for yourself plus movement/shopping/planning and eating well?

8. Focus on what is happening on the inside of your body- how are you blood sugar levels, vitamins, minerals and cholesterol levels? Fatigue? Energy levels? Being healthy on the inside is more important.

9. Move your body in a way you enjoy and eat a balanced diet without restriction of any foods. Find food freedom and learn to eat intuitively. Fuel your body adequately without fear of carbs, fruit or dairy.

10.Invest in a professional- Research shows that having support from a health professional can improve your chances of long-term weight loss success. My clients who have invested long term with me are the ones who are excelling and achieving their goals to a happier, healthier version of themselves through all of the above. One session will not solve all problems. Invest in yourself long term. And if you are interested in working on some of these things with me, then my 8 week Nutrition and Miindset program is perfect for delving deep into the above scenarios in your life.

You can find more information here:

https://adelaidenutrition.com.au/nutrition-and-mindset-coaching

Have a lovely weekend ahead!

Mattea Palombo

Accredited Practising Dietitian and Master of Public Health.