Losing weight is always a challenge. It requires commitment, effort, and a serious amount of sacrifice before you can achieve THE perfect body that you want. The path to it can be so challenging that a lot of people get compelled to choose a weight loss system that promises to work in the soonest conceivable time. A few of the healthier weight loss programs commonly include a diet, an exercise routine, and sometimes substitution meals. The sad thing is, because some people are so desperate, they end up trying more drastic measures like fasting to lose weight and eating man-made supplements that have questionable sources and ingredients.

But really, among all the programs that are available everywhere, how can you ascertain which one is safe and effective? Is it really safe to engage in fasting to lose weight? Is there a magic pill that can make all the unwanted pounds go away? The answer to these questions is no. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is by dieting and exercising.

Note that the word “diet” is very different from fasting. Dieting is more of choosing the right kind of food and consuming them in amounts that are just right for your body type, weight and activities. On the other hand, fasting means abstinence or not taking food at all. While dieting nourishes your body for proper performance, fasting does not. Therefore, fasting to lose weight is not only harmful healthwise, but it also causes your body to lower your metabolism rate. When you are trying to shed off some fat, a slow metabolism is something that you would not want. Why? Because it makes your body burn calories slower than it should.

Upon understanding that fasting to lose weight does not work, you should now be looking at several diets that give you all the nutrients and energy that your body needs. You can find several meal plans in books and/or over the Internet. If the existing diets do not work for you, you can always ask a professional nutritionist to work with you and create a custom-made diet according to your needs. That may be a bit too costly, but it may pay out in the end. Also remember that dieting is just one of the steps that you can do to lose weight. If you want maximum results in the shortest possible time, you can also invest your time in a good exercise routine. Coupled with the proper discipline, you will find that exercising and dieting will not only give you a perfect body but they can also make you healthier and happier as well.