Liquid diet weight loss is certainly one of the most popular method adopted by people who are seeking fast and rapid reduction in their current body weight. It goes without saying that such individuals are looking only for short term weight loss because it is not possible to sustain for long on just liquids.
Important Facts About Weight Loss
Everyone keeps saying how desperately they want to lose weight and how they are trying such and such diet therapy or exercise program to lose weight. But if you think closely you will realize that your aim is not actually to lose weight. I say this because if weight loss actually meant just weighing lesser on the scales, then people who are unfortunate to get their limbs amputated also do lose weight. But is that what people actually intend to do when they are looking to lose weight? Nope!
To clarify further, your body weight could be due to many things other than fat like water retention, improper disposal of toxins from your gut etc.
Actually the right term to use is fat loss because unhealthy and excess fat is what you do not need and causes disease while muscle is something you want to build.
How does a Liquid Diet Help in Losing Body Weight?
Liquid diets cut back heavily on the daily calorie consumption. In reality these diets create an artificial calorie deficit in the body and in the process, tricks the body into losing all the excess weight. Because of this, a liquid diet is considered unhealthy if continued inordinately. Besides, it can lead to severe health complications as well, if used without proper medical consultation and supervision.
The major concern with liquid diet weight loss among the medical fraternity is that it primarily causes loss or deficit in the muscle tissue rather than reducing fat tissue. Now loss of muscle tissue will happen only if the body cannot find enough of protein in the diet.
So the best way to use a liquid diet to lose weight is to consume lots of proteins. The usual routine followed by liquid diet weight loss enthusiasts is to consume protein powder shakes as a replacement of all or most of their meals. These protein powder supplements may also be fortified with vitamins and essential minerals so as to avoid any deficiencies.
When all the meals of the day are replaced with a purely liquid diet then you will have to consume these protein shakes thrice a day. But if you are on a partial liquid diet, i.e. you are replacing just your breakfast and lunch with a liquid diet, then it is better to consume a low fat diet dinner that is not too large in proportion.
How Many Pounds Can You Lose?
If you are consuming a fully liquid diet then you may look forward to reducing about 3 pounds in a week. But if you are on a partial liquid diet then you may expect about 2 pounds of weight loss in a week. The problem with this liquid diet weight loss is that you cannot continue for more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time, so the maximum weight you could potentially lose with this liquid diet plan is anywhere between 6 and 9 pounds.
Why Is Liquid Diet Dangerous?
Liquid diets when continued for long can impair health and even lead to serious complications like arrhythmias of the heart, calculi in the gall bladder, constipation, vertigo and general tiredness and fatigue.
Using a liquid diet to lose weight is not at all recommended without the expert supervision of a qualified medical professional.