Diet
An Irish weight-loss expert has a surprising new theory – that desperate dieters often want to retain their weight, even if they don’t realize it Reuters/Umit Bektas

In the past, many experts discouraged people from going on crash diets, saying that it causes a variety of long term health problems. However, new findings suggest that there may actually be benefits that can be derived from losing weight quickly.

A new study published in The Lancet, a medical journal, involved tracking two groups of obese adults in Australia. Researchers allowed the first group to eat 1,500 to 2,000 calories each day while the second group was only limited to 800 calories a day. The two groups were observed over a span of 12 weeks. In the end, the second group hit their target weight by losing 15 percent of their starting body weight.

The study further revealed two important findings. First, individuals who regained weight added on the pounds at the same rate regardless of whether they previously lost it quickly or gradually. Second, any type of weight loss, regardless of the speed, can be good for the heart.

Experts recommend that people keep the weight off, instead of focusing whether or not to lose weight quickly. Individuals will experience several benefits by maintaining a healthy weight, instead of regaining all the weight back once they reach their goal. The best approach, according to experts, is to control portions and not to cut significant amount of calories.

Another study at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts showed that the slow way of losing weight can only be practicably sustained by dieters who are not sidetracked by normal food challenges of daily living, such as party snacks and birthday dinners. They should also take on regular physical activity and deal with the daily challenges that can lead to obesity and health problems, such as being sedentary.

Of course, experts say that people should be less concerned about the kind of diet or exercise program to try. If dieters can consistently cut calories and deal with hunger well, they can achieve short-term weight loss and keep the weight off for the long term. Adding variety to daily workouts and making dietary changes like lowering sodium intake, avoiding fast food meals and abstaining from alcohol can result to huge health and fitness benefits.