Expert: Joanne - 2/15/2008

Question
I am quite an active person, but for many years I've been slightly overweight.  I was recently shocked to discover that based on my BMI I am actually now classed as obese (I am 5foot1 and weigh 12 stone).  I started going on a calorie controlled diet, but I found the weight loss frustratingly slow.  I've started taking more and more extreme measures.  I am currently just eating one weight watchers meal a day.  I'm worried I'm taking things to far, but I really want to get down to a healthy 8 and a half stone quickly.

Answer
Lisa

This is dangerous.

Fast weight loss is not good weight loss - it means that your body is losing a lot of water, and muscle tissue as well as fat stores.  Fat weight loss is also fast to go back on when you return to trying to eat a normal diet, possibly even ending up heavier than you were originally!

Eating as few calories as you are will send your body into starvation mode which means that your metabolism slows down so that you are surviving on bare minimum calories.  In order for this to happen, your body will stop doing things that it needs to do to maintain itself, risking your health.  This slowed metabolism also means that you will find that weight loss slows down greatly in the near future as it is using few calories!

I would recommend visiting a nutritionist who can look at your diet and give you a meal plan that will help you lose weight safely, or join a weight loss class.  Combined with regular exercise, this is the safest, most effective weight loss, and is the most likely to stay off!

Joanne