In general, quick diets are not healthy. The faster you lose weight, the faster you'll gain it back. Here are the top 5 reasons fast weight loss plans are not healthy...

1. Diet fast and lose muscle not fat.
2. Diet fast and lose water not fat.
3. Diet fast and cause diet shock.
4. Diet fast and make no lifestyle changes.
5. Diet fast and fail at long term weight loss.

The higher the rate of weight loss the greater the negative impact on your dieting efforts. It's hard to imagine how any attempts to lose weight fast could produce healthy results.

But I did my research and this is what I came up with...if planned properly, you can lose weight fast, using shorter time periods limiting weight loss to a 5% reduction in total weight. At this level, you can lose weight fast and improve your health.

At first, you will lose mostly muscle and water. But as you progress through each period, more and more fat will burn instead muscle. The way I see it, no matter how many fast weight loss warnings I write about, many of you will try the very next one that hits the market. Instead of fighting, I want to work with you and provide you the healthiest yet fastest way to lose weight.

The Healthiest Quick Weight Loss Plan:

Healthy weight loss comes from fat loss over a long period of time. Slow and consistent, a healthy plan delivers small successes everyday, building momentum along the way and peaking at the right time when you reach your goal. This is key.

Most dieters do the opposite...they experience fast weight loss early causing their momentum to peak mid-way through the diet. By the end of the dieting time period, they are completely deflated and not ready for the next stage of weight loss -- weight gain prevention.

My healthiest quick weight loss plan, minimizes the effects of fast weight loss by evenly spreading the weight loss over a six week period. Using my plan, most dieters lose weight between weeks 2-5. Other fast weight loss plans, report most weight loss occurring between weeks 1-3.

The Steps:

1. Week One, Part One -- drink a protein shake supplement everyday. Do not change anything else. Drink a protein shake that's a 50:50 mix of whey to casein proteins. The best time to drink the shake depends on your physical activities.

Since most bodybuilders know what to do, I suggest for the rest of us, a protein shake between breakfast and lunch or between lunch and dinner. The time you choose depends on when you have the longest period of fasting. For me, it's between lunch and dinner, so my shake comes around 3pm.

Part Two -- Start an exercise program, with the first week involving nothing but stretching major muscle groups. Stretching increases the tonal stimulation to muscles (tone) causing them to burn more calories at rest. Plus it protects against injuries.

2. Week Two -- Start dieting by replacing 1/2 of a meal with the same protein shake from last week. Do this for 1 week.

3. Week Three -- Replace one whole meal with a protein shake. Change the mixture of the shake to 60% whey and 40% casein proteins. For most people, this comes out to about a 500 calorie reduction.

4. Week Four -- Reduce caloric intake by another 250 calories. I suggest adding a second protein shake, made up of the same 60:40 mix and use it to replace 1/2 of a another meal.

Record the amount of weight you're losing. Never let it reach a rate of more than 4 pounds per week (that's double what I normally recommend).

5. Week Five -- Repeat week four.

6. Week Six -- Add back the last 250 calories you dropped and stop drinking the second shake.
End Result

You could lose up to 12 to 18 pounds on average in 6 weeks. The exact amount depends on many factors including exercise.

Quick Weight Loss Summary:

Don't do it. Fast weight loss inevitably will lead to future weight gain. Just don't do it. But, if you do, at least follow my steps, the healthiest steps to fast weight loss.

To Healthy Living!

Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics


About the Author
Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for Diet Basics, a website dedicated to on-line dieters.