We all want to lose weight FAST, and as tempting as immediate results might be, weight loss on the scales is not always what it seems. Fast weight loss is often water weight loss, not true weight loss. It is important to understand that any water weight that is lost will come right back as soon as you “rehydrate”.

How to tell if you’re losing weight the healthy way (by reducing your fat stores) rather than dehydrating yourself:

• Any diet promising that you will “lose 10 pounds in one week!” (or 20 lbs) should probably have in the fine print that you’re likely to regain it the following week.
• Watch the rate at which the scale changes as you lose weight. If you lose more than 2 lbs in a week, chances are that more than 60% of what you’ve lost is actually water, and maybe even some much-needed muscle tissue. Unfortunately, you’ll gain it all back once you start eating normally again – because the body needs to maintain a certain level of hydration in order to function properly.

More on fat loss vs. water weight loss soon!