With obesity becoming ever more prevalent in modern society, more and more people are turning to dieting and other various ways to lose weight. However, most people are looking for a quick, easy solution and these aren’t always the best route to take. When losing weight, it’s important to remember to stay healthy, too.

If a person loses weight too fast, it can have adverse effects on their health. A lot of people try crash diets and claim to lose large amounts of weight in a short amount of time. While these claims may be true, these people fail to realize the result of their actions. As soon as they alter their habits again they run the risk of putting the weight right back on just as quickly and, in most cases, putting on more than what they lost.

Remember, it’s important to lose weight at a healthy rate. Set a long term weight loss goal and try to attain it in little steps rather than trying to lose everything all at once in the short term. Losing weight at a slower rate means it’s more likely to stay off.

Set realistic weekly weight loss goals. Healthy weight loss takes time, but the results last longer. Obese people may lose about 3-4 pounds a week without adverse affects, but a person that is of a somewhat average weight or slightly overweight (around 140-200) should not expect to lose more than two pounds a week. More realistically, an average sized person should only lose between 1 and 1.5 pounds.

If a person tries to lose weight too fast, they hit an occurrence that most people know as the weight loss plateau. Human bodies are specifically built to conserve calories in order to survive in the case of food shortage. If a person takes in too few calories or burns too many, their body may accommodate for the loss by slowing their metabolism in order to prevent the loss of too many calories. Those people who exercise and cut calories only slightly in order to lose weight at a slower pace run into this occurrence less often and generally at a less severe level.

Besides a rebound of weight, those who lose weight too fast may also experience loose skin and gallstones. The skin is naturally elastic and will shrink naturally if weight is lost at a slow pace. However, if weight is lost too rapidly then the skin does not get a chance to shrink. Also, rapid weight loss increases a person’s risk of developing gallstones.

One to two pounds per week may not seem like a lot of weight to lose, but it’s certainly worth it in the end. Just remember, slow and steady wins the race.