People all over the world have become aware of the health hazards associated with obesity and resultantly, are worried about their increasing waistlines. That is why they have taken to weight loss programs in a big way in order to bring about an improvement in health, fitness and appearance.

In lexical parlance, weight loss may be defined as intentional loss/shedding of the total body mass through proper diet, exercise, life style changes and abstinence.

Many overweight people under the advice of their physicians have to go in for Therapeutic weight loss programs so that they may not fall prey to diseases like osteoarthritis, cardiac arrest, stroke, high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes etc. Severe obesity may also lead to certain types of cancer.

If you are in a condition of negative energy balance, it is the right situation conducive to weight loss. Human body gains energy from nutritional supplements and from food.

This energy is used up in keeping you going through life, work or any other form of activity. However if you lead a sedentary life style or don't work out to burn those extra calories, they get stored in your body and in time, all these lead to accumulation of fat, and you grow plump.

To reduce the risks of life threatening illnesses resulting from obesity, one has to opt for healthy weight loss. Even your life span may be reduced, if you don't cut out on the flab, before it's too late.

Loss of fluid, muscle and fat are the results of weight loss. But if your purpose of losing weight is to maintain your physical health, you have to shed the fat while retaining fluid and muscle. Loss of the latter will make you weak.

That is why, you have to lose weight carefully, under the supervision of physicians, dieticians and certified fitness instructors, who will understand your body type and chart out a program suitable for your needs.

Intentional weight loss is not only done by people who are overweight and obese and concerned about their health. People involved in sports and athletics or in martial arts also need to cut out on that extra flab to achieve a lean and fit look and improve their performances. These people always opt for healthy ways of losing weight.

But a grave risk is posed by the latest trend of losing weight in alarming proportions in order to attain unhealthy size 0 figures, currently the craze of fashion industries, all over the world.

Young girls, inspired by waif thin models and movie stars are madly falling for crash dieting in order to achieve their desired look, on the way, falling prey to anorexia bulimia or bulimia nervosa. Blind and mindless weight loss, therefore, is not at all desirable.