Some causes of unintentional weight loss include: mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) problems with digestion, such as coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Health professionals have found that reducing calories, exercising, eating a healthy and balanced diet, and getting enough sleep can help people lose weight. In some cases, a person may benefit from surgery, such as bariatric surgery, to lose weight.
If you're losing weight without trying and you're concerned about it, consult your health care provider. As a rule of thumb, losing more than 5% of your weight over 6 to 12 months may indicate a problem.
According to the American Cancer Society, significant weight loss happens most often with cancers that affect the stomach, pancreas, esophagus and lung.
Unintentional weight loss has many different causes. It might be caused by a stressful event like a divorce, losing a job, or the death of a loved one. It can also be caused by malnutrition, a health condition or a combination of things.
Factors that may increase a person's metabolic rate include consuming an appropriate number of calories, favoring protein over carbohydrates and fat, getting enough sleep, and some types of exercise, such as resistance training.
Rapid weight loss diet is a type of diet in which you lose more than 2 pounds (1 kilogram, kg) a week over several weeks.
Eat plenty of protein with each meal — 25 to 30 percent of your total daily calories — to boost your metabolism. Aim for at least 8 hours of high-quality sleep per night. Eat probiotic-rich foods (or take probiotic supplements). Meditate daily to keep stress to a minimum.
Extreme weight-loss deprives your body of the essential nutrients that are necessary for healthy function. Furthermore, deficiencies in certain nutrients like vitamin D and calcium can lead to an increased risk of developing certain health conditions or predispose you to injury.
Stress and weight loss
What's more, the stress hormones that our bodies release can speed up our metabolism, causing us to burn calories faster. In more extreme cases, prolonged stress may lead to depression, which can also cause weight loss.
"The biggest thing people do that slows their metabolism down is eating too few calories," said Fiore. 1200 calories per day is roughly the amount you need to perform basic functions, she suggested, and when a person eats fewer than that, the metabolism slows down to conserve energy.
According to many experts, losing 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.9 kg) per week is a healthy and safe rate (1, 2, 3 ). Losing more than that is considered too fast and could put you at risk of many health problems, including muscle loss, gallstones, nutritional deficiencies and a drop in metabolism ( 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).
Rapid weight loss creates physical demands on the body. Possible serious risks include: Gallstones, which occur in 12% to 25% of people losing large amounts of weight over several months. Dehydration, which can be avoided by drinking plenty of fluids.
In fact, unexplained weight loss could be a sign of diabetes. Diabetes is a common metabolic condition that affects the way your body uses sugar from the foods you eat. Diabetes is a chronic condition, and it can cause numerous health problems — from nerve damage to vision changes — if left untreated.
Over time, studies have shown that metabolic rate (how fast we burn calories) starts to slow down by 2 to 3 percent each decade, beginning in our 20s. It becomes more noticeable between ages 40 and 60.
Basically, anything that lowers stress hormones and restores balance to your neuroendocrine system will aid your recovery. Expect to be back on track within 1-3 months.
Lemon water can promote fullness, support hydration, boost metabolism, and increase weight loss. However, lemon water is no better than regular water when it comes to losing fat. That being said, it is tasty, easy to make, and can be used as a low-calorie replacement for high-calorie beverages.
Behaviour and obesity hormones
Various studies have shown that a person's blood leptin level drops after a low-kilojoule diet. Lower leptin levels may increase a person's appetite and slow down their metabolism. This may help to explain why crash dieters usually regain their lost weight.