Every dieter wants to see results quickly, and each inch lost is like a cheerleader waving toward the goal. The problem with most dieting, however, is that the mirror takes a while to acknowledge any change in appearance. Most regular diets of calorie reduction and exercise will result in a weight loss of one or two pounds per week, which is the recommended plan of most doctors.
However, there are several diets out there that try to promote a quicker weight loss. As the waistline reduces, the desire to stick to it increases, thus making some of the diets very successful for weight loss.
The problem with these diets is that the success stories don't always seem to have happy endings. As the weight loss is so quick and the diets so drastic, many speculate that these diets do not teach new habits, therefore picking up their old bad habits as soon as they reach their goal.
Dieting Strategies
Diet success stories are often short lived, as bad habits are easy to go back to. It seems that once the weight is lost, many dieters are left with a "now what?" In this case, it seems that the long term diet, where new habits are formed, would have a more successful outcome. However, many never make it to the outcome because the results are slow and they tire before they ever drop a size.
A solution to this dieter's dilemma is to blend several diets together. Jump start a diet with a drastic plan in order to see results right away and then move into a more conservative diet plan. This will help boost morale with immediate results; meanwhile, finishing the diet with a slower weight loss rate will promote good habits and a new lifestyle.
Choosing a Diet Plan
When choosing a plan, involving a doctor is always a good starting point. A doctor will be able to help make a decision based upon personal health issues, and can also make an educated decision as to whether dieting is something to consider at all.
Once approved by the doctor, there are many diets to choose from that initiate some dramatic weight loss.
- HCG: Short for human chorionic gonadotropin, this is a hormone that appears in pregnancy. During pregnancy this hormone makes sure that fat is properly distributed from the mother to the baby. The HCG website states, "HCG attacks 'fixed' fat first." Along with a 500-calorie diet, injections of this hormone can produce startling results of five pounds or more per week lost. While a 500 calorie diet seems extreme, the website does promise that by the second week of the diet, the small portions will become "completely satisfying."
- Atkins Diet: Seemingly contradicting conventional notions of what a diet is, the Atkins diet promotes fat and protein while excluding carbohydrates. This diet reduces carbohydrate-intake to less than 40 grams a day. This brings the body to a state called ketosis, in which fat burns as fuel. Once entering this stage, the body, according to the Atkins website, will no longer crave the carbs it is missing. With dramatic results of up to 15 pounds in two weeks, the waistline will apparently be the only one missing the carbs.
- Cabbage Soup Diet: The title of this diet pretty much says it all. That's right, it is a diet of cabbage soup. While it is only meant to jump start a diet plan, and the website advises against using it for longer than a week, this diet promises a 10-pound weight loss. Adhering to some simple, yet possibly hard to follow, rules is the key to this diet. Eat as much cabbage soup as desired, there is absolutely no limit, and drink four glasses of water per day.
A Conventional Diet Plan
The reason why a conventional plan of eating fewer calories and exercising works is simple, as losing weight is a result of burning more calories than taking in. This is a calorie reduction plan that allows a reasonable amount of calories per day as calculated by height, along with 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three times per week. While this plan does not produce the quickest results, usually one or two pounds per week, it is the healthiest plan and does promote a healthier way of living.
The road to a healthier weight sometimes seems filled with obstacles. Yet finding a diet plan suiting personal health, as advised by a doctor and choosing a plan that seems to fit personal habits can bring success into view. Starting with a quick-losing plan can boost motivation with fast results while ending with a conventional calorie counting plan can help establish a new lifestyle.
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