In 2008, highly successful rapper 50 cent lost a great deal of fan, leaving his fans and extreme dieters with many unanswered questions. What possessed him to lose the weight? How did he manage to do it? Are his methods healthy? What inspired him to want to get so thin? At the time of the weight loss, 50 cent had a net worth of roughly $440 million dollars.  Yet he desired to leave behind a legacy that consisted of more than his earnings. A simple tweet about his weight loss soon turned into a big debate with his fans. The rapper starred in the movie “Things Fall Apart” as a football player who was suffering from cancer.  In a short two months he managed to lose an astounding fifty pounds. Many of his fans were shocked and worries about his quick change in appearance, with health experts bad-mouthing his quick weight loss results without taking into consideration the reason why he lost the weight.

Why did he lose weight?

For 50 cent, the role of the cancer stricken football player was extremely personal to him.  He had a friend who had suffered from cancer much as his character in the movie did. 50 Cent was inspired by other Hollywood actors who changed their appearance to play a role, such as Cast Away’s Tom Hanks. Many actors have had to lose weight for a certain role.  The willingness and ability to alter weight for a role is respected in the field.  It is considered a sign of true dedication, as well as an indicator of the passion the actor has. However, health authorities have become concerned that people will glorify the weight loss and attempt to follow the weight loss techniques on their own. 50 cent has experienced this type of weight loss before.

He has done this before

He had successfully dropped this amount of weight before. In 2000, 50 cent was shot in the mouth and was forced to undergo a liquid diet while his mouth healed.  He was known for having an impressive physique with a fine, muscular build. Most dieters don’t get shot in the mouth and get forced to go on a liquid-only diet, but at least 50 Cent had some idea of how this “diet” would work. Most people would view 50 cent’s weight loss as extreme, and would not necessarily want to follow his regimen.  However, they are still seeking help in losing some weight loss and are willing to listen to suggestions. Getting a basic understanding of 50 Cent’s weight loss program just might provide some tips or answers for those looking to drop some pounds.

The 50 Cent Weight Loss Method

1.  Liquid diet – for two months 50 cent consumed only liquids, he did not eat any solids. It is highly likely that these solutions had some form of protein supplement. A diet that is rich in healthy liquids, like water, can be very good for you, but nutritionists will argue that eating real food is essential as well. Protein shakes should be considered as a nutritional supplement and should only be consumed in that way – not as the main diet. Resorting to an all liquid diet is not an effective long term strategy for weight loss, but it can help stimulate weight loss and it can help overcome the weight loss plateaus that can occur with regular diets.

2.  Plenty of Sleep – 50 cent reports that he slept more while he was on the liquid diet than he ever has in his life. Sleep is an important contributor to weight loss and an integral factor that is required in a healthy lifestyle. Weight gain has been linked to a general lack of sleep for several reasons. The importance of sleep should not be underestimated.

3.   3 Hour Workouts – 50 Cent was already pretty muscular before his diet and is used to working out, however the routine consisted of 3 hours of running in order to lose those stubborn pounds. He used a mix of intervals and steady state cardio training, and his sessions went for up to three hours. Beginning with a 30 minute interval, 50 Cent would then run at a jogging pace before running again and then jogging for the rest of the 2 hours. It was a very extreme workout. A lot of people wonder if cutting calories that drastically can be safe.

Was This Method Healthy? 

However, before we point at 50 Cent’s weight loss methods as dangerous or unhealthy we need to put it into perspective. Throughout his weight loss regimen, 50 Cent stated that he was able to maintain his muscle definition and because of this he almost quit the role because he didn’t feel that he’d lost enough mass. However, he was able to get a very low percentage of body fat after about 30-days on the diet, yet still claimed to look as ripped as ever before. He claimed that the only downside to the regimen was a change in mood and energy levels during the final 2 weeks of the diet. Obviously, extreme workouts and crash diets are not a sustainable or healthy way to lose weight, but there is something to the idea of shocking our bodies for a short period of time. While most of us don’t have what it takes to go on an all-liquid diet, many of us have tried other “shock” methods such as intermittent fasting and have seen visible results. Our bodies are incredibly adaptable and can do really amazing things, particularly under extreme conditions such as crash dieting.

The media has all the best intentions when they call attention to extreme celebrity weight loss. It can be difficult for actors or actresses who have low self-esteem or issue with body image to be able to take the pressure that gets put on them by such a public life, so it is important to be aware that abuses can happen. However, while it’s common to criticize the extreme diets followed by many actors and celebrities, anyone who chastizes people for being overweight is criticized as being heartless and hateful. A lot of our readers have posted comments about having a lack of sympathy for people who are overweight, but that doesn’t make them heartless or uncaring. The reason they feel this way is simply that they recognize that 99% of people can get themselves healthier and in good shape.