Stop using the wrong methods immediately: the huge risks of fasting and diet pills.

Second, incorrect methods must be stopped immediately.

(a) Danger begins with making the wrong choice.

Having researched the issue of "weight loss" for a long time and accumulated a lot of experience, many people have come to me for help. They say, "I've tried all sorts of methods, but I haven't lost any weight at all." Actually, that's relatively mild; some people end up breathless and not only don't see results, but their lives are also in danger.

My advice to those who have failed at weight loss is: don't blindly believe popular claims or hearsay remedies. Open your eyes and choose a weight loss method that suits you, then stick to it consistently.

Once you've decided to start losing weight, choosing the right method is crucial. Never be misled by unrealistic advertising claims; believing flawed theories is worse than not trying to lose weight at all.

The first thing you need to consider is whether there's a method that suits you; that's the most important thing. Because the most suitable method is always the simplest, the better. Nobody wants to put themselves through too much hardship-that's human nature. So some people exploit this psychology, making unrealistic claims, such as "Just drink XXX, and you're guaranteed to lose 20 kilograms in a month," or "By next week, you're guaranteed to lose 10 kilograms," and so on. However, this is the first dangerous step. Truly good methods don't need this kind of advertising; those who benefit will naturally spread the word.

(II) The Dangers of Laypeople's "Hunger Strike"

When dietary therapy is mentioned, many people immediately think of "fasting." In fact, many people genuinely believe that "not eating will make you lose weight," which is of course incorrect.

Fasting was originally a practice of Buddhist monks, and for ordinary people to fast, it's best to do so under the guidance of the correct methods. I myself once experienced a 17-day fast, which was conducted under the guidance of a renowned doctor. Afterwards, I felt incredibly refreshed, as if my body had undergone a thorough "cleaning," and my overall health improved significantly.

However, those who think they are being clever by going on a hunger strike often end up in dire straits. I don't think this is an exaggeration. Here's an example.

A worried mother came to me. She said, “My daughter is 160 centimeters tall and weighs 76 kilograms, which is a little heavy. She’s very distressed and has even started to consider a hunger strike, often going two or three days without eating or drinking anything. No matter how I threaten her, she won’t listen. This has continued for a month, and she has lost weight, weighing only 57 kilograms, but she has no energy for anything. She locks herself in her room all day, listless and like a ghost. I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she refused, even at the cost of her life. Later I found out that she was afraid the doctor would make her eat. I really don’t know what to do...”

I looked at the daughter this mother was so worried about. She was 22 years old, but she lacked any of the youthful energy she should have; her expression was blank, and her eyes were lost. Most people would have given up after a day or two of starvation, but her will was surprisingly strong. It's just a pity she used the wrong method.

Many people have died from improper fasting, which is truly a losing proposition!

(III) Starvation Methods That Lead to Death

Many people resort to diets that border on starvation. Take, for example, Ms. M, a 20-year-old office worker. She is 158 cm tall and weighs 53 kg, definitely not overweight. However, a dieting craze is sweeping through her friends and family. They all aspire to a slim figure and wear the latest fashion clothes. This starvation trend has also influenced Ms. M, so she has decided to diet as well. She has set a diet plan for herself: two glasses of water for breakfast, 5-6 low-calorie cookies for lunch, and less than 500 calories for dinner.

However, Ms. M has always loved sweets and has a large appetite. Under such a diet, her body's nutritional needs were not being met, leading to strange reactions: every night, after everyone else had gone to sleep, she would go to the kitchen, open the refrigerator, and eat whatever was available until she was full. But after a period of binge eating, she would feel uneasy, thinking, "If I eat this much, I'll gain several kilograms." After several moments of confusion, she would even stick her fingers down her throat and vomit all the food she had eaten.

Six months later, Ms. M lost less than 30 kilograms. Only then did she feel that she should eat something, but her body was no longer used to accepting food. Everything she ate was quickly vomited up, and her menstruation also stopped. At this point, her family had to drag her to the hospital.

According to the doctor's diagnosis: "If this continues for another two or three weeks, there will be a risk to his life." There has been a significant increase in cases like this, where people die from anorexia caused by dieting and eventually refuse to eat.

Ms. M's daily calorie intake of only 500 calories is far from sufficient for a person's daily needs, leading to a deficiency in essential protein and hormonal imbalances, resulting in amenorrhea. Furthermore, she lacks the vitamins and minerals necessary for bodily functions and mental balance, causing emotional instability and, in severe cases, mental illness. This so-called "refusal to eat" is formally known as "anorexia nervosa."

Using the misconception that "reducing calorie intake will achieve the goal of weight loss" to diet can easily lead to terrible consequences, and this is something that must be taken seriously.

(iv) Do not drink diet pills.

S's mother was also very worried about her daughter, so she came to me for help. She said, "S is a middle school student who is still developing. She was originally a cute girl who was 156 cm tall, 65 kg, and fair-skinned and chubby."

The school health officer informed S's parents that S had been fainting frequently during flag-raising ceremonies recently due to anemia. After inquiring, the teacher discovered that S had been taking protein powder and taro powder for two months, all of which were purchased from a pharmacy.

Upon learning of this situation, S's mother was both angry and heartbroken, saying, "How can a growing child rely solely on this stuff? Please advise her on what to do." S is truly fortunate to have such an understanding mother; relying solely on those medications will inevitably cause her body to become imbalanced and affect her health.

Whether it's protein powder or konjac powder, if taken with water, it will expand in the stomach, quickly filling it and causing loss of appetite. Long-term use of these products will inevitably deprive the body of essential nutrients, leading to anemia and weakness. Eating konjac powder to lose weight, only to die from malnutrition, is a very poor trade-off.

The question is, do those pharmacy owners even know about these things? Why are they still selling these products to middle school students who are still developing? Some people are just driven by greed, preying on people's desire to "easily lose weight," and are willing to sell unsuitable medications. Spending money is a minor issue; harming your health is a much more serious problem. Therefore, be extremely wary of unscrupulous merchants who will stop at nothing to make money.