Facts about Weight Loss (FDA)
Aare you looking for a quick and easy way to lose
weight? You're not alone.
An estimated 50 million Americans will go on diets and weight loss
programs this year. And while some will succeed in taking the weight
off, very few--perhaps 5 percent --will manage to keep all of it
off in the long run.
One reason for the low success rate is that many people look for
quick and easy solutions to their weight problems. They find it
hard to believe in this age of scientific innovations and medical
miracles that an effortless weight loss method doesn't exist.
So they succumb to quick-fix claims like "Eat All You Want and
Still Lose Weight!" or "Melt Fat Away While You Sleep!"
And they invest their hopes (and their money) in all manner of pills,
potions, gadgets, and programs that hold the promise of a slimmer,
happier future.
The weight loss business is a booming industry. Americans
spend an estimated $30 billion a year on all types of diet programs
and products, including diet foods and drinks.
Trying to sort out all of the competing claims-- often misleading,
unproven, or just plain false-- can be confusing and costly.
Being obese can have serious health consequences. These
include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure,
diabetes, gallstones, and some forms of cancer. Losing weight can
help reduce these risks.
Here are some general points to keep in mind:
Any claims that you can lose weight effortlessly are false.
The only proven way to lose weight is either to reduce the number
of calories you eat or to increase the number of calories you burn
off through exercise.
Most experts recommend a combination of both for healthy weight
loss.
Very low-calorie diets are not without risk and should be pursued
only under medical supervision. Unsupervised very low-calorie diets
can deprive you of important nutrients and are potentially dangerous.
Fad diets rarely have any permanent effect. Sudden and radical
changes in your eating patterns are difficult to sustain over time.
In addition, so-called "crash" diets often send dieters into a
cycle of quick weight loss, followed by a "rebound" weight gain
once normal eating resumes, and even more difficulty reducing when
the next diet is attempted.
To lose weight safely and keep it off requires long-term changes
in daily eating and exercise habits.
Many experts recommend a goal of losing about a pound a week. A
modest reduction of 500 calories per day will achieve this goal,
since a total reduction of 3,500 calories is required to lose a
pound of fat.
An important way to lower your calorie intake is to learn and practice
healthy eating habits.
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