Seeing the number on the scale drop quickly can be exciting, as can fitting into clothes that are a few sizes smaller than usual. However, losing weight too quickly, whether from a health condition or extreme dieting or exercise, can cause some unpleasant side effects.

Obesity is a well-known problem that leads to chronic health problems. Being underweight, however, is also detrimental to your health. If your weight isn’t in the correct range for your frame, gender and age, you might get sick frequently, suffer a loss of energy, lose hair or have problems with fertility.

Being overweight isn’t uncommon in America. More than one in three adults are considered obese, and even more fall into the overweight category. A body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher defines a person as obese. Losing the weight takes hard work and dedication; there’s no simple solution.

There is no way to slow the hands of time, and as you age, there is no proven way to stop the metabolic decline. Your metabolism slows as you age, meaning you aren't burning calories as quickly or efficiently.

Depending on how much weight you need to lose, three months may be plenty of time to go from flab to fab when you're trying to get your body ready for the beach. To lose weight and tone up, you'll need to commit to a healthy calorie-controlled diet and exercise plan.

When it comes to losing weight it's tempting to take shortcuts. But the truth is there are no easy and fast ways to lose weight. So-called sauna suits won't increase your fat loss. At best you will see a bit of weight loss from water loss; at worst a sauna suit can be dangerous and even deadly.