Unhealthy Ways to Lose Weight
If you vowed to make this year the year you finally adopt a healthier lifestyle and take control of your weight concerns, you are not alone.
Weight loss is the most common resolution, and while it’s natural to feel excited to discover new ways to lose weight and shed those extra pounds for good, it’s important to remember to stay safe. How we approach our goals will determine how well we manage to stick to them.
Slow and steady is always the best approach – slowly building our strength through regular exercise and making better food choices is ideal.
The sad part is, a lot of people get discouraged when they don’t see results overnight, and some either try to find a quick fix or turn to their old, unhealthy habits. These ‘quick fixes’ are oftentimes dangerous and can be serious health hazards. Let’s go over some of them.
Weight loss supplements
These can seem like a magical panacea to our weight dilemmas. Most weight loss supplements claim that all you need to do is take them and the excess fat will simply melt away with little or no effort on your part.
A lot of these claims are not backed up by clinical research, and more often than not, these so-called ‘miracle pills’ have dangerous ingredients that can cause harm to our bodies. Supplements, including dietary ones, are not subject to the same rigid regulations as prescription drugs. In fact, the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 states that distributors and manufacturers are the ones evaluating the safety of their products. Sadly, not all manufacturers do this.
Adverse side effects of diet pills
- Insomnia
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Blurred vision
- Nervousness
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Constipation
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dry mouth
When to go to the emergency room
Rush to your nearest Physicians Premier facility if you experience the following:
- Irregular, rapid, and pounding heartbeat
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty urinating
Detox diets
Another dietary trend is detox diets. This diet claims to be the quickest means to rid our body of toxins that is causing us to gain weight. Until now, there is no sufficient scientific evidence to back this claim.
It is practically impossible to avoid toxins as it is always present in our environment – even in our food. Thankfully, our bodies are well-equipped to detoxify. The main organs responsible for getting rid of waste are:
- Kidneys
- Digestive tract
- The respiratory system
- Skin
- Lymphatic system
- Liver
Detox diets are typically low in amino acids and proteins, and these are vital for our major organs to perform well. Detox diets can do more harm than good.
When to go to the ER
Come to your nearest Physicians Premier facility if you are showing signs of dehydration.
At Physicians Premier, your San Antonio ER, we want to encourage and support you in achieving your health and fitness goals this year. But, we want to encourage you to be cautious and seek the help of a health and fitness professional before starting a diet or new exercise program.
Sources:
“Side Effects of Weight Loss Drugs (Diet Pills),” Drugs.com, https://www.drugs.com/
“Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need To Know,” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, https://www.nccih.nih.gov/
