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Is Fast Weight Loss actually Sustainable? The Truth out Now

Exercise activity Gain energy Lose weight
Meet Aïda, a Summer intern at MyAuthentikSpoon, an online platform dedicated to helping people make better food choices for stronger wellbeing.
Aïda Besri

September 3, 2024

As we all heard, to lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we consume. Many quick-fix and fast weight loss diets capitalize solely on this principle by drastically reducing calorie intake, often suggesting down to 1,200-calorie daily limit. This number is chosen because it’s around the lower average resting metabolic rate (RMR) for many people, the energy your body needs to maintain basic functions while at rest. However, this approach can be too simplistic. It doesn’t consider individual differences in genetics, health issues, lifestyle, and muscle mass, all of which play a significant role in how our bodies respond to calorie restriction.

Let’s look into what the science says about rapid versus slow weight loss, and why the best approach for sustainable weight management might not be as straightforward as it seems.

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The Science Behind Slow and Fast Weight Loss

Green apple wrapped in measuring tape representing fast weight loss and healthy eating.
Losing weight or doing a detox aren’t just about your outward appearance, they’re most importantly about improving your health. Incorporating healthy recipes into your diet can lead to improving gut health, helping balance your hormones and allowing you to gain energy naturally.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that both rapid and slow weight loss can be effective for individuals, but they impact the body differently. A meta-analysis published in PubMed showed that while the magnitude of weight loss was similar between rapid and slow approaches, gradual weight loss led to greater reductions in fat mass and body fat percentage. This finding is significant because fat mass reduction is more beneficial for health and appearance compared to losing lean body mass. On the other hand, rapid weight loss often results in a greater loss of lean body mass, including muscle, which can be detrimental since muscle is crucial for maintaining a high RMR and overall metabolism, as emphasizes research by Purcell et al.

The Pitfalls of Caloric Restriction

Rapid weight loss diets generally fall into two categories:

Calorically restrictive without focus on nutrition: These diets allow individuals to eat anything they want as long as they stay under a strict calorie limit. While this might seem more flexible, it often leads to poor nutritional intake. Individuals may meet their calorie goals by eating low-nutrient, high-calorie foods, which might satisfy hunger in the short term but fail to provide essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and protein. This approach can result in nutrient deficiencies, decreased muscle mass, and overall poor health, making long-term weight loss maintenance nearly impossible.

Nutritionally balanced but restrictive: These diets include all the necessary vitamins and minerals, ensuring that the body gets the nutrients it needs to function. However, because they are so low in calories, they leave little room for foods that people find enjoyable. This can make it hard for individuals to develop new, lasting eating habits, and many revert to their old habits after the diet ends, leading to weight regain.

The Role of Physical Activity: High Intensity Cardio and Resistance Training

olorful weight plates symbolizing the importance of strength training in fast weight loss.
Achieve better results and boost your metabolism by including both high intensity cardio and strength training in your fitness plan.

A crucial factor often overlooked in discussions about weight loss is the role of physical activity, specifically high-intensity cardio and resistance training. These types of exercise are not just about burning calories during the workout; they also build muscle, which helps keep your RMR elevated. This is because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories even when you’re not doing anything. So, in order to truly lose weight, and keep it off, building muscle has to be part of the equation.

Incorporating resistance training helps to ensure that the weight lost is primarily fat rather than muscle, since it actively helps build those muscles. It also supports better body composition, making individuals look leaner and more toned as they lose weight. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), a form of cardio, has been shown to be effective for burning calories quickly while also boosting metabolic rate post-exercise, thanks to the “afterburn” effect . Together, these exercise forms create a powerful combination for sustainable weight loss and long-term health. If you want to learn more about the type of exercise to engage in to promote weight loss, we’ve got you covered: our expert recommendation on weight loss and exercise is out now.

Why Slow and Steady Wins the Race

While rapid weight loss might get you to your goal quicker, slow weight loss is more sustainable in the long run. Slow weight loss—typically defined as losing 0.5 to 1 kilogram (about 1-2 pounds) per week—allows your body to adjust gradually to the changes, preserving muscle mass and maintaining your metabolic rate.

Slow weight loss allows for the gradual adjustment of both the body and mind to new habits. It provides time to learn and embrace healthier food choices, develop a routine around regular physical activity, and make other lifestyle changes that support long-term weight management. This approach reduces the shock to the system, the likelihood of nutrient deficiencies and the psychological stress associated with extreme diets. This approach aligns more with our philosophy at MyAuthentikSpoon. Checkout our website and find out how our programs can help you achieve sustainable results and an overall better health.

The importance of lifestyle change

A hand holding a slice of pizza as an example of indulgent foods that challenge fast weight loss.
Food choices and habits especially are vastly under-appreciated when it comes to losing weight. It’s more than the quantity, it’s also the quality of what you consume, and that’s why understanding how to balance these cravings can improve your gut health and keep your energy levels high.

The real secret to lasting weight loss lies in changing your lifestyle. Quick fixes might work for a short while, but unless you change your habits, you’re likely to end up back where you started. In a review of 29 studies that looked at the sustainability of long-term weight loss published by PubMed, researchers found about half the weight one study group lost returned within 2 years. By 5 years, study participants had gained back about 80% of the weight they initially lost.


Therefore, the key to losing weight is to focus on habits that are not only effective but also sustainable. This might mean finding enjoyable physical activities, learning to cook healthy meals you love, and addressing any emotional eating habits. Building a support system, whether through friends, family, or professionals, can also provide the encouragement needed to stay on track.

Conclusion

While both rapid and slow weight loss can help reduce body weight, the type of weight lost and the likelihood of maintaining it differ. Fast weight loss can lead to quick results but often at the expense of muscle mass and metabolic rate, making it less sustainable. Slow weight loss, coupled with high-intensity cardio and resistance training, is more likely to result in fat loss, muscle preservation, and a stable RMR, all of which contribute to long-term success.

In the end, the goal should not be just to lose weight but to build habits that promote overall health and well-being. Remember, the most effective weight loss strategy is not about quick fixes but about creating a balanced lifestyle that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

About the author

Meet Aïda, a Summer intern at MyAuthentikSpoon, an online platform dedicated to helping people make better food choices for stronger wellbeing.

Meet Aïda, health & food enthusiast, part of MyAuthentikSpoon team, an online platform dedicated to helping people make better food choices for stronger wellbeing. If you’re ready to tackle wellness with a fresh perspective, schedule a complimentary private consultation with our expert naturopathic coach to receive personalised dietary insights and weight management strategies. This is your opportunity to have your questions answered and to learn how to incorporate the food choices into your lifestyle and achieve a better wellbeing.

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