Fitness
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What are Safe Ways to Lose Fat?

Kelly Ferguson
Kelly Ferguson

Many people attempting to lose fat are frustrated with the slow and difficult process and are looking for other safe ways to drop excess weight more quickly. However, the vast majority of doctors, nutritionists, and fitness professionals agree that the safest way to lose fat is simply to follow a healthy, low calorie diet and exercise regularly. Some of the unsafe ways to lose fat include crash diets and diet pills.

Many people have trouble sticking to a healthy diet for a long enough period of time to notice a significant fat loss. Partially, this is because of conflicting evidence supporting various diet plans such as low fat or low carbohydrate diets. Successful dieters often claim that one specific diet plan helped them lose fat, while others say that, as long as they stay within a certain calorie range, it matters very little what kinds of foods the calories come from. Often, dieters successfully lose fat only after experimenting with various diets and finding out what works for their individual bodies. It is a good idea to consult a nutritionist if you plan to alter your current eating style to make sure you are still eating enough nutrients and are not consuming too many unhealthy foods.

Lifting weights may help people lose fat.
Lifting weights may help people lose fat.

Exercise can greatly help accelerate fat loss when it accompanies a healthy eating plan. As with diets, there are multiple approaches to exercise, some of which might work better for one person than another. An example of a possible exercise plan for one person might include light cardio activities such as walking or jogging six days a week, while another person might find that he or she has more success doing heavier cardio three times a week and lifting weights every other day. Most of the time, fitness professionals recommend doing enough cardio activity to burn plenty of calories while balancing it with resistance training to keep the metabolism high and reduce the amount of muscle loss that occurs alongside fat loss.

A healthy diet will allow a gradual loss of weight.
A healthy diet will allow a gradual loss of weight.

The other methods of losing fat that are usually considered unhealthy or dangerous are crash dieting, during which calories or other nutrients are usually restricted way below the recommended levels, and diet pills. These do lead to weight loss sometimes, but this loss usually consists of water and muscle loss rather than fat loss. Crash diets have the effect of lowering the metabolism even further and make it easier to regain the weight once the diet is over, plus they deprive the body of nutrients it needs to carry out various processes and remain in good health. Diet pills, often abused by frustrated dieters, can lead to even more serious health problems such as high blood pressure and heart problems.

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Lifting weights may help people lose fat.
      By: Ivan Grlic
      Lifting weights may help people lose fat.
    • A healthy diet will allow a gradual loss of weight.
      By: Alexander Zhiltsov
      A healthy diet will allow a gradual loss of weight.
    • When you consume fat, choose a monounsaturated one like heart-friendly olive oil.
      By: margo555
      When you consume fat, choose a monounsaturated one like heart-friendly olive oil.
    • Being overweight and having too much body fat can cause a variety of health issues.
      By: vpardi
      Being overweight and having too much body fat can cause a variety of health issues.