Some people will do anything to lose weight, and we truly do mean anything. If you are frustrated with your weight loss efforts and the results they are producing, you may find yourself willing to try outlandish methods to drop some pounds. Whatever you do, avoid the 4 following crazy weight loss ideas that some desperate dieters actually attempt.
Weight Loss Tongue Patch
What could be easier for losing weight than simply placing a plastic patch on your tongue? This insane weight loss idea was created by a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, but be warned that the FDA has not approved this weight loss strategy. Here is how it works.
A plastic patch is sewn onto your tongue. It requires only about 10 minutes of stitching, but costs around $2,000. How does it help you lose weight? It makes eating solid food so incredibly painful that you are forced to stick to a liquid diet. Steer clear of this crazy weight loss idea at all costs.
Tube Feeding
Also called the "Bride's Diet", this crazy weight loss idea is actually being practiced all around the world. To lose weight quickly, many brides-to-be have a feeding tube inserted into their stomach through their nose. Incredibly, the tube stays in place 24 hours a day for as many as 10 days!
Food is replaced with a high protein, low carbohydrate formula which delivers anywhere from 800 to 1,000 calories a day. This medical weight loss procedure costs as much as $1,500 and should be avoided at all costs.
Near Starvation
While limiting your calories will definitely trigger weight loss, starvation is never healthy. You need fats, calories and carbohydrates to power your body. Unfortunately, some people believe that limiting themselves to less than 1,000 calories a day is a healthy way to lose weight.
This drastically limits the essential vitamins and nutrients your body needs to function properly. Aside from depression, fatigue and sleep disturbance, starvation can also lead to hair loss, organ and bone breakdown and an increased risk of injuries.
The hCG Diet
This crazy weight loss method has been around since the 1950s, when a British physician developed it. Albert T.W. Simeons suggested in his 1954 book "Pounds and Inches" that daily injections of the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone could replace up to 1,500 daily calories.
He claimed this also burns fat and helps you lose weight, and you simply need to add 500 calories a day of regular food. In some people this method has caused depressions, headaches and even blood clots.