Can You REALLY Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days?
Let’s face it. Losing weight and doing it quickly is something that most people in their lives are striving to accomplish. Whether it be for your next vacation, your friend’s wedding, fitting back into that old pair of jeans, or even just your overall health, we are always looking for that quick fix. Although we continue to search for the fastest solution, losing 10 pounds in 10 days is NOT a healthy way to lose weight! Here are some misconceptions that will lead you to think otherwise!
Below are some ways the media suggests to lose weight…QUICKLY.
[YouTube. (2021). YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt7VvRULHP8]
The video above provides you with a recipe on how to prepare the juice as well as the proper directions on how many times a day to drink it in order to lose weight. Although the video does not discuss this, the title of the video suggests that you will lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks if you follow the directions provided. The video clip does not explain whether or not you should be eating while drinking the juice or if you should be exercising while drinking the juice.
YouTube. (2022, February 7). Weight loss journey: 3 detox drinks that helped me lose 30 lbs in 3 weeks | Part.1 | Chazslifestyle. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojc8tXGItAI
The video above portrays that loosing 30 pounds in 3 weeks is possible by drinking 3 different detox shots a day. Although the video does review the purpose of each detox shot and what each ingredient specifically does for the body, it does not discuss whether or not you should be eating or exercising while drinking these shots.
Along with drinking juices and participating in different cleasnes to lose weight, the media is also promoting a device called Lumen. Lumen is advertised as the world’s first product that can “hack your metabolism with just one breath” (Lumen, 2018). People will use the Lumen product by breathing once into the device and allowing it to detect their current metabolism. In other words, you blow into the device, and it tells you if you are currently burning carbohydrates or body fat for energy. The advertisement states, “you can breathe once in the morning and get a personalized nutrition plan for the day” (Lumen, 2018). The Lumen will present a “plan” for the day and the information provided will be based on your personal goals and eating habits. Breathing into the machine tells you if you will have enough energy to workout, or if you need to “fuel up” by eating something beforehand. Overall, the purpose of Lumen is to track your own metabolism so that you are using the food you eat more efficiently. If your metabolism is working appropriately, you are able to burn fat, ultimately leading to weight loss.
Below are the FACTS. You can lose weight, maintain your weightloss and remain healthy…EFFECTIVELY.
The article “Want to lose seven pounds in a week? Think about the health effects first” discusses the effects of losing weight quickly and what it really does to your body. The main points of this article suggest that if you are losing seven pounds in a week, then you are likely losing water weight. The article also suggests that losing more than two pounds in one week is not a healthy way to lose weight (Rindfleisch, 2006). Vach, a registered dietician states that if you are losing that much weight in a week, you are only losing fluid and a small percentage of body fat (Rindfleisch, 2006). Vach says that if an individual were to lose seven pounds in a week, they are likely receiving inadequate nutrition. She also states that losing weight quickly could lower someone’s metabolism and ultimately leave them with trouble burning fat (Rindfleisch, 2006). The article recommends that one to two pounds of fat lost per week is considered to be healthy and more importantly, how you lose weight is just as imperative as losing it (Rindfleisch, 2006). The article says that although most people are attracted to the quick-fix diet, they only provide short-term weight loss. The article also provides tips such as eating slowly and putting a small amount of food on your plate to promote sustainable weight loss.
The main point of the article “Lose weight…and keep it off” was to discuss healthy ways to lose weight and maintain weight loss. Some of the suggestions that were provided in this article were cutting calories, being aware of the quality of food consumed, eating naturally fiber-rich foods, and making small behavior changes (Staff, 2021). When cutting calories, you want to be burning more calories than consumed in order to lose weight. Once the desired weight is lost, regular weighing, monitoring the amount of food consumed and regular physical activity will help to maintain weight loss (Staff, 2021). According to the article, eating naturally fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans are all choices that can help to control the amount of hunger one might feel. Other suggestions were also provided. The article also discloses a list of science-backed tips and tricks for healthy, maintained weight loss.
The article “Losing weight” written by the CDC informs the reader that losing weight in a healthy way is not about being on a diet or enrolling in a specific program, however, it is more about making lifestyle, and behavior changes. Some of these changes may include changing your eating habits, your level of physical activity, and also managing your stress (CDC, 2022). The article states that it is natural to want to lose weight quickly, however, it stresses the importance of losing weight gradually in order to maintain the weight loss (CDC, 2022). The article also provides the reader with a step-by-step guide to help you get on the right path for weight loss and overall better health (CDC, 2022). The article suggests looking at weight loss as a journey, rather than as a final destination (CDC, 2022). This means that just because you reach your goal weight in a healthy way, your new habits will become your way of life in order to maintain your weight loss.
The article “Losing weight Safely and Keeping It Off” by Nation’s Health discusses the importance of losing weight and the overall effects it can have on your health. It informs the reader that there are safe ways to lose weight and to make sure that you are aware of what you are getting yourself into before doing it. For example, the article suggests not just handing over your credit card and buying into a diet that says, “you will lose weight fast” because chances are, the information is not accurate and the way in which you would be losing weight is not safe or healthy for your body. Specifically, it warns the reader to steer away from fad diets being that they do not guarantee long-term results and can harm your health (Johnson, 2012). Overall, the article suggests that food restriction, exercise, and behavior changes are what ultimately help you to lose weight safely.
To sum it up: When searching for ways to quickly lose weight on the internet, the fad diet will always be available. Alhough these fad diets and juice cleanses may work for a quick fix, they will not provide a healthy way to lose weight. Typically, the weightloss will not be maintained and therefore, is not considered to be a healthy way to accomplish your goal. The evidence above has demonstrated the benefits to losing weight in a safe and healthy way, despite the media’s push for a quick fix. It is important to be aware than anyone can upload information onto the internet without any restrictions. It is considered to be best practice to trust the scholarly articles over what you may find on the internet. It is recommended to check the information found on the internet with scholarly and peer reviewed articles for validity.
Written by: Lindsey Krevitsky
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 19). Losing weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight
Johnson, T. D. (2012). Losing weight safely and keeping it off. Nation’s Health, 42(6), 36.
Rindfleisch, T. (2006). Want to lose seven pounds in a week? Think about the health effects first. La Crosse Tribune (WI).
Staff, E. (2021, December 21). Lose weight…and keep it off. Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter. https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/special-reports/lose-weight-and-keep-it-off/