Warnings to consider when losing weight

• If you smoke, it would be best to quit before you start losing weight. Smoking is very dangerous and it has many unhealthy chemicals that could cause your road to weight loss to be a lot more difficult. When you quit, you will gain a few pounds, but it will come off a lot easier than if you still smoked.
• Always consult a doctor before changing your dietetic routine. Also, make regular appointments with a registered nutritionist.
• Do not try to starve yourself. In the short run, reducing your calorie intake to unhealthily low levels will slow metabolism and actually cause you to lose weight more slowly. Then your body cannot process potassium so when you DO eat again, (the alternative to dying), you will gain much more weight than you would if you weren't starving yourself and overall, you may end up gaining more than you lost. In the long run, starving yourself (anorexia or bulimia) can kill you. It's better to eat moderate amounts of healthy food than it is to not eat at all.
• Muscle mass weighs more than fat, so don't be surprised if you gain weight but look slimmer.
• When starting a weight lifting routine, do not focus on a single muscle or group, doing so will overbuild that muscle while under building others - in other words, if you work your biceps, and not your triceps, your arms will begin to curl inward and you will look silly. If you work your chest and not your back, you will have a hard time maintaining good posture as your pectoral muscles overpower your back muscles and pull your shoulders forward.
• A balanced workout also strengthens all the joints and smaller tie-in muscles, those most likely to become injured if bigger muscles over power the smaller ones. Have a personal trainer or a fitness facility provide a balanced workout and stretching routine.
• If you have a serious medical condition (such as asthma or diabetes, or allergy to protein such as dairy products or you have lactose intolerance) or you are severely obese, consult with your doctor as well as a dietitian.
• Do not take any harmful drugs. They are unhealthy and may ultimately make you gain weight instead.
• Carefully consider whether you need dietary supplements. Most people may get the basic minerals and nutrients they need to sustain life through eating food. For example, excessive multivitamin supplements can make you overdose in some vitamins you need, and you can't store most water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C as any excess will be urinated. Although you could be below the recommended daily intake, that doesn't necessarily mean you are deficient in it if it's a kind that is stored. So you may wish to consult with your doctor or dietitian to inquire whether you need supplements and how much you should take.
• Losing weight too quickly is dangerous and can have adverse effects on your health. For instance, it can in some people cause the gallbladder to damage itself by accumulating gallstones. Despite the title of this article, getting into shape is best done slowly. If you find yourself losing more than 2 pounds, or more than 1000g, each week, you are probably doing something wrong.

That's all the warnings I have at the moment, and I know it isn't necessarily a fun read, but I think it's important to know what to be careful of while trying to lose weight. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or suggestions for future topics