We’ve all been there. You get a wedding invitation in the mail, or some other important event, and the first thought that enters your mind is: “I’ve got to get this weight off, NOW!” That’s a totally normal reaction, and how you might act on your desire for fast weight loss is story unto itself.

I’m sure you’ve heard of mega movie stars dropping pounds like hot potatoes for a five star movie role in record time. And you’ve probably figured that if they can do it, then there must be a way for you to do it, too! And you have to understand that those movie stars have a team of deft doctors, niggling nutritionists, and “top notch” personal trainers to help them lose the weight fast.

If you’re like most you probably want to look good. In today’s society looking good for men is different than for women. The ideal man is muscular while the ideal woman is skinny. Every day the social media, TV, magazines, and movies, parade these ideals before us as the sign of true beauty. In truth, an ideal body is a strong healthy body and that ideal is different for each one of us. So whether you are a man or a woman, this is what you should be striving for.

The fact is being too thin and having little muscle strength can lead to health problems. Your risk of anemia and bone loss may increase, as well as a chance of developing irregularities of your heart.