The effectiveness of a diet is different for each individual. By that I mean is that of course when you consume low calories, you will lose a lot of weight really fast, however if you cannot keep up with the diet it will not last long, you will binge eat and gain back that weight and then some.
So instead of going straight into some super low calorie diets, I suggest gradual decrease of your calories intake without actually changing what you eat. Eat what you like, just eat a bit less, so that it's easier for you to incorporate into your life.
I've personally lost over 20kgs(40-50 pounds) of weight like this and have stabilized.
I can give some tips on what to do and what not to do, however each person is a bit specific and I would need to know what the current eating habits of this individual are.
It works for some folks, but not everyone. A good number of people gain it back as well, it's maybe 40% that it works for long-term. The problem is that human bodies naturally adjust and start using fewer calories and storing more. So (assuming the friend sticks to it), they could figure on it working well for 6 months to a year, more at first and then gradually flattening out in the curve. But then after that time people will flatten out. That's where maybe 40% stay there and are level, but the rest start curving back up until by the 2nd year they are where they started in the first place. Bodies store more, metabolism really slows down, and a caloric intake that would have been low at the beginning could actually put on weight a year in. It's just unfortunately how bodies work, evolution from survival and starving in the wilderness in the past hundreds/thousands of years.
The place supplying this suppressant (or anything similar) may or may not tell you all that, just for the sake of making the sale. That's also assuming it's not just a snake oil type scam and there are many out there. So it's really up to the individual to decide all that and if it's the right choice. I'd just say to go into it keeping the real odds of success in mind, regardless of whatever they try to claim in their marketing. Some of these VLCD and similar also really do have some side effects. It's something that can be hard on the stomach, intestines, etc. with lifelong effects (it's really a shock to the system) and that's something to watch for.
The slowing down of metabolism is actually a big misunderstanding of what's actually happening. Our bodies don't magically slow down their metabolisms. We're actually losing muscle all around. Muscles burn calories and by starvation they degrade greatly, which makes your body burn less calories than it did before.
However how many fat homeless people have you seen? Not many, right? Generally homeless people are very cut and low % body fat. That's because the body can adapt only up to a point, after which you generally always will burn more calories than you consume, unless there's something wrong with you.
That's not healthy of course, but it's how losing weight works generally.
at one point, as part of those "get product free for reviewing it" things, I grabbed one of those appetite suppressant drops. this might be mental, but it didn't work at all for me, in fact - I was constantly ridiculously hungry, which is not at all normal for me. I stopped after less then a week of feeling hungry, feeling extremely low on energy and generally feeling like crap. maybe your friend will be different. no idea. given that one of my issues is that sometimes i actualy forget to eat, (like literally, I don't feel all that hungry, so unless I set schedules, I might end up going without food longer than its healthy and I really cannot afford to fuck with my metabolism at my age) -those drops making me feel that hungry was... unexpected.
general consensus though is that extremely low calorie diets are bad in a long run. not only most people don't keep the weight off, but they gain more than they lost AND now have to eat less than they used to to maintain weight that they used to be at. it really slows down metabolism in a near permanent way. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/he...udy-finds.html
so... honestly I'd say don't. if your friend is having major trouble losing weight - couple of things to consider.
1. is their goal weight - actualy healthy for their body. different bone structures etc - means healthy for one, is extremely underweight for another.
2. do they have any metabolic health issues, in particular thyroid issues. there are blood tests to check for that and medications to normalize it, if they are not in healthy range.
Most diets are low calorie. You eat less calories than you were before. Hopefully less calories than your body needs so that it burns off fat each day.
"Very" low calorie with appetite suppressants is retarded. Unless he needs to lose like 15 pounds in 15 days because he's going to a Hollywood red carpet event and he's just trying to be extra slim for the camera, then long term he should just do a normal diet.
I find it impossible to maintain for long. You get weaker.
I get meaner because of the mental tax and stress it puts on me. You also get anxious and it feels like there are more hours in the day. I didn't realize how much of a snacking culture we really have. Constant food commercials everywhere. It takes super focus and discipline. I haven't been able to go longer than a few months before I cave.
I suppose a schedule that was very mentally stimulating might help during the caloric restriction,but I haven't found the secret.
Recent Blue Posts
The Cataclysm Classic Pre-Expansion Patch Arrives April 30
Season of Discovery Hotfixes - 23 April
What game first sparked your interest in gaming? Was it World of Warcraft?
MMO-Champion
Recent Forum Posts
Reply With Quote
