A Little Bit Goes A Long Way
Posted on June 03, 2014 by Michelle Lee, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Losing A Little Weight At A Time Can Result In Big Gains For Your Health.
When you have a lot of weight to lose, it can seem like an overwhelming task, but by aiming to lose just a few pounds at a time you are more likely to reach your goal weight.
This is good news for those who may be tempted to give up hope of ever losing the weight, or who may in desperation try to latch onto the latest fad diets that promise to help you lose 10 to 20 pounds a month. These rapid weight loss gimmicks my sound tempting, but in the long run they may end up doing more harm to your body than good.
Gradual weight loss has been shown to be a better way to lose weight because you are less likely to run the risk of harming your body.
When you restrict your calories too much you actually may make it harder to lose weight because you may end up slowing down your metabolism. Moreover, rapid weight loss can lead to fatigue, headaches, irritability, muscle loss, dehydration, and more.
According to the National Institutes of Health, losing as little as one to two pounds a week is a safer way to lose weight that can increase your chances of keeping the weight off.
Furthermore, choosing to lose weight in smaller increments rather than going on a crash diet and munching primarily on alfalfa sprouts and carrot sticks means that you can still enjoy your favorite foods in moderation.
So remember, slow and steady helps win the weight loss race.
Source: (August 2005) Aim for a healthy weight: (NIH Publication No. 05-5213).