Alternative Weight Loss Methods

Our modern-day lives are built around convenience. There's a time-saving and low-effort way of doing almost everything. This gives us more time to enjoy our lives instead of spending every waking hour doing chores. 

So what about losing weight? Is there a shortcut to shedding pounds? Modern medicine and technology have introduced a few weight loss methods often marketed as 'fast' and 'easy.' However, the fact that they are not hugely popular makes you question just how effective they are. Quite often, there's a catch - either they're not as simple and convenient as they seem, or they still require you to exercise and diet to have an impact.

To help determine whether there truly is a lazy way to lose weight, let's compare a few alternative weight loss methods that are often touted as being fast and easy. Is there always a catch? Or is there a secret weight loss hack that people haven't gotten onto?

Waist trainers

Waist trainers are tight-fitting undergarments that act a bit like a corset. They can immediately create an hourglass figure look by helping to squeeze in fat around the waist. They also promise to help you lose weight around your waist through regular compression and sweating. But is there any truth in this?

Sadly, there seems to be little scientific evidence to suggest that waist trainers promote weight loss. Only while wearing them are they certain to provide the illusion of being slimmer - and this is the same slimming effect you can get from any shapewear. In fact, research suggests that waist trainers may actually be more unhealthy than healthy when worn regularly for long periods of time - they can cause discomfort, trouble breathing, digestive issues and potentially damage to internal organs. So wear them with care.

Vibration plates

Vibration plates are machines that you stand on. They vibrate at high frequencies and can help the user lose weight and tone muscles without relying on traditional exercise.

Studies seem to support the fact that they can provide a core workout that can help users build muscle and improve circulation. However, when it comes to providing weight loss, simply standing on a vibration plate is unlikely to have much impact alone. Instead, vibration plates should be viewed as a supplementary tool to help with weight loss - doing squats and other exercises while standing on a vibration plate can increase the amount of calories you burn. In other words, you still need to exercise to shed pounds while using a vibration plate.

Hypnosis

Exercising and dieting are all matters of willpower. So what if you could build this willpower through hypnosis? What if you could make yourself not want to sit down for long periods or eat certain foods? Hypnosis promises this. Through guided relaxation techniques, individuals can be convinced to change their attitudes and behaviours towards food and exercise.

Some people do report hypnosis to be extremely successful in helping them to lose weight. However, results vary a lot from person to person. While it can help some people to live a healthier life, others may find hypnosis therapy sessions to be a waste of time and money. It's certainly worth trying hypnosis to see if you are susceptible. Just make sure to work with a qualified hypnosis therapist who has good reviews. 

Weight loss pills

The idea of losing weight simply by taking a pill is very appealing. Several 'weight loss pills' exist that promise to do just this. These pills work differently from one another - some are metabolism boosters, some reduce fat absorption, and others suppress the appetite. You can buy these pills over the counter in many cases.

Do weight loss pills work? They can have effective results, yes. But often they require you to diet still and exercise too - working more as a weight loss supplement. If you're taking weight loss pills without exercising or dieting, you may not notice much difference. Weight loss pills can also come with negative side effects - especially when consumed long-term. This includes nausea, acid reflux and constipation/diarrhea. If you regularly experience these side effects, weight loss pills may not be the solution for you. 

Weight loss injections

Several types of injectable medicines have gained a reputation recently as being a magic weight loss cure. These medicines all contain the same base drug, semaglutide - a chemical that mimics the body's appetite hormones, convincing us to eat less food. 

Such weight loss injections were originally prescribed solely to help manage type-2 diabetes. They still require a prescription, but they are no longer prescribed solely to those with diabetes. Compared to other alternative weight loss methods, semaglutide injections do have a lot of supporting evidence to show that they are effective-with participants losing an average of 15% to 20% of their body weight. A healthy diet and exercise are still required, however, in order to encourage these results. Results are also not immediate.

Weight loss surgery

Several forms of surgery exist that can help result in weight loss, including liposuction and gastric band surgery. Liposuction can have instant results. However, going under the knife has its downsides.

There are potential risks to surgery, such as infection, there could be a high chance of scarring, and there is a long recovery period. Weight loss surgery is also one of the most expensive weight loss methods and is often not covered by insurance or national healthcare. On top of this, you often can't get approved for weight loss surgery unless you actively lose some weight beforehand. You must also be prepared to make lifestyle changes after weight loss surgery to prevent the weight from returning. As a result, this is not as simple a solution as some people believe it to be. 

Conclusion

While the idea of a lazy way to lose weight is enticing, the reality is that all weight loss methods require effort. Dieting and exercise are still the healthiest and most sustainable ways to lose weight. That said, the alternative weight loss methods listed above can help speed up the process or prevent you from having to diet and exercise as heavily.