It's always the way, you know you should go on a diet to lose some weight but never get around to it but then you have a wedding or party to attend and you need to shed some pounds very fast. It's tempting to choose a fast weight loss diet and pay no heed to the dangers that may lie ahead. Unfortunately anything that lets you lose weight fast is not healthy and can have repercussions at a later date.

For example, you might think that restricting your calorie intake will help with fast weight loss – and assuming that you are eating well above the recommended amount of 2,000 calories per day then it would probably be wise to cut down! However, if you restrict yourself too much, for example taking 1,000 calories a day then your body will go in to what is known as survival mode.

Your body recognizes that it is getting much less calories than before and attempts to compensate by using less energy. The weight loss in the initial stages might be dramatic as your body gets rid of excess water but it quickly starts to burn muscle as it is a preferred source of energy over fat. The problem is that when you start to eat normally again it takes some time for your body to re-programme itself to use more energy so it starts storing all the food as fat – often making you even weigh even more than when you started the fast weight loss diet.

The best way to go about fast weight loss is to first consult your physician and then take a three step approach which involves a balanced diet – you could even eat more that you currently eat just as long as it's the right food. If you are borderline obese or even heavier then you may want to ask your physician about weight loss pills and supplements that are available to you. These generally work to help suppress your appetite which could make fast weight loss a bit easier. The third point is to take some exercise. It doesn't even have to be intensive exercise to begin with but simply taking a walk for 30 minutes a day is enough to get your heart beating.

Unfortunately you can't achieve fast weight loss in a healthy way by just doing one of the above. If you do one by itself then you will steadily lose weight over a period of months, but you can't do a high impact work out for an hour a day and then pig out on pizzas and soft drinks several times a week.

Another factor you must consider if you want to lose weight fast is how much you can lose each week. The amount varies depending on your starting weight and can vary from 1-4 pounds. Any more than this could cause problems in the long term. If your starting weight is high and you lose weight too quickly you could be left with unsightly stretch marks or loose hanging skin which needs to be surgically removed.