Is It Better To Lose Weight Quickly Or Slowly?
Many women want to lose weight quickly. In fact, whenever I stumble across videos where the creators have a hack that will help women drop extra kilos in just days or weeks, the views alone are proof that women are interested. But what is the appeal of these programs? More importantly, is following these weight loss hacks a good idea in the long term? Let us get into the science of this.
I also make YouTube videos and if you would be interested in the video I made on this topic, you can use the link below:
Why Do Women Want To Lose Weight Quickly?
In every weight loss topic, I like getting into why people would want to follow a certain pattern. After all, if we do not understand the psychological, social, and even physiological factors that pave the way for our decisions, then we cannot really determine whether the decisions we are making are objective. So, why do most women prefer to lose weight quickly?
The desire for quick weight loss comes down to the following key factors.
Instant fixes. In our world today, we can have almost everything we want or need immediately. Whether we are looking for a new dress online or ordering takeout, we have systems that allow us to have what we want within a short time. Naturally, the desire for speedy results also shows up in weight loss. If there is one person advertising a program that will take 5 months and another has one that will take only 5 days, why would someone choose the longer alternative? Most people want the shorter waiting periods so that they can see immediate results for the effort they have invested.
Frustration. On top of wanting instant fixes, it is important to note that when many women choose to lose weight, they usually have concerns about their weight. It could be related to their health. Perhaps they do not like how they look. It could even be that their energy levels have tanked. And since they want relief from this discomfort or want to get their health on track, they choose to lose weight quickly.
Upcoming deadlines. It is not uncommon for women to lose weight with an event in mind. From weddings to high school reunions, there are tons of events in which women want to show up a few kilos lighter. And given the immediacy of these functions, the appeal to lose weight quickly grows as opposed to taking things slow.
The messaging in diet culture adds to this need to lose weight quickly because women have been told that there are short-term programs that can deliver what they want.
What Exactly Is Fast Weight Loss?
Losing weight quickly means different things to different people. But going by the scientific standards, quick weight loss refers to any kind of weight loss in which someone loses more than 1% of your body weight per week over an extended period. For instance, if you are 100 kilograms (220 pounds), then losing more than 1 kilogram per week (over 2.2 pounds) would be considered fast weight loss.
What Happens When You Lose Weight Quickly?
On the surface, losing weight quickly may seem like a good idea. After all, if you have seen women do it, why would you think twice about trying a similar approach? But while that may be so, losing weight fast comes with several downsides:
The loss of lean muscle tissue. We have all seen and heard about the Ozempic face. But here is the thing. This effect is not just in women who take GLP-1 drugs. Anyone on a fast weight loss journey can also burn through their lean muscle tissue in addition to their fat stores because their bodies will result to what they can use for energy. And given that fast weight loss requires you to be in an aggressive calorie deficit, then you are likely to suffer a loss in muscle mass which will lower your resting metabolic rate.
A decline in body functions. Being in an aggressive calorie deficit forces your body to adapt because it has limited energy. It is therefore quite normal for women in such cuts to find themselves dealing with effects such as reduced thyroid function, lower body temperatures, and general fatigue. In fact, the non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) in women in such deficits often reduces quite a lot as their bodies try to conserve energy. Interestingly, given that NEAT contributes about 20% to 30% of total daily energy expenditure, this lowered NEAT can dampen the calorie deficit, resulting in a slower weight loss rate.
Possible health complications. Did you know that women who lose weight quickly are at risk of gallstones? That is right. Because the fast weight loss causes the liver to release more cholesterol into bile, this raises the risk of the formation of painful gallstones which can sometimes necessitate surgery. But that is not all. When eating in an aggressive calorie deficit, many women find it quite hard to get all their essential micronutrients. Thus, if they keep at these aggressive diets over a long period, they can suffer negative effects such as hair thinning, weak nails, loss of bone density, etc.
All in all, while being in an aggressive calorie cut can help you lose weight quickly, it often causes more harm than good. Moreover, it is not sustainable for the most part.
Is Slow Weight Loss Better for You?
The alternative to fast weight loss is taking it easy. And by this, I mean aiming for a rate of 0.5 to 2 lbs (0.25 to 1 kg) per week, as this helps your metabolism adapt easily to the changes that you are making. But what else would you gain from embracing such an approach?
Well, you would avoid the issues that come with fast weight loss. That means that you would get to preserve your lean muscle mass because your body would mostly source energy from your stored fat rather than your skeletal muscle. It also means that because you would not lose much muscle mass, then you could sustain your resting metabolic rate, which would make it easier to maintain your new weight following the weight loss. You also get to avoid the Ozempic face look and can give your skin enough time to adapt to your changing body, which can improve its elasticity and reduce your likelihood of loose skin.
In addition to this, losing weight slowly ensures that your body is not under undue stress. Assuming you follow a balanced diet, you get enough room to consume all the micronutrients and macros that you need for optimal body functioning. As such, you avoid issues such as the thinning of your hair, interruptions in your menstrual cycle, and so on.
With slow weight loss, you also get to eat enough to fuel not just your everyday activities but also your workouts. People on slight to moderate calorie deficits also report that they do not have as much mental fog as people on aggressive cuts. Besides, they are more pleasant to be around as they are not irritable from the undue stress on their bodies.
Most importantly, embarking on slow weight loss gives you room to build the habits that you can rely on to maintain your new weight so that you do not have to try to lose weight quickly again in the near future. Many women find themselves stuck in the yo-yo cycle because they rely on quick fixes that rob them of the chance to learn what works for their bodies.
Rather Than Lose Weight Quickly, Do This.
The urge to lose weight quickly is understandable. But once you consider the likely effects of doing so and the unsustainability of such efforts, it makes more sense to go the slow way. So, how slow is slow?
The general recommendation is that you should lose 0.5% to 1% of your total body weight each week. For example, if you weigh 90 kilograms (200 pounds), then that would be 0.5 kilograms to 1 kilogram per week (1 to 2.2 pounds per week). It is also important to note that for leaner people, the target weight loss rate should be slight to moderate so as to preserve muscle mass.
Now that we have the numbers, how do you come up with a plan that actually works?
Step One: You need to calculate your total daily energy expenditure to figure out how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. This detailed guide can show you exactly how to do that. Online calculators are also available for this purpose.
Step Two: Next, you should create a calorie deficit. Please note that deficits are highly individual such that what works for one person may not work for you. I put together this free guide to show you how to go about this without stalling your progress or putting your health at risk.
Step Three: On top of the first two steps, you need to prioritize eating enough protein to preserve your lean muscle mass. A high protein intake works best with strength training about 2 to 4 times a week. This stimulus signals to your body that it should preserve the muscle tissue and burn the fat instead. Note that protein needs vary from person to person, and the overall recommendation is that you should consume at least 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But nuances do exist.
Once you have these bases covered, you can focus on tracking your weekly weight averages rather than daily weights as daily weights can fluctuate for a variety of reasons. It is also important to adjust your calorie deficit every 3 to 4 weeks based on your new maintenance calories if you have lost weight. Given that weight loss plateaus can occur, these changes may not always be necessary.
Become Better in 90.
Slow and steady works best for weight loss, especially in the long term. If you would like to learn more about how you can do this while getting personalized help, I invite you to check out my Better in 90 program which was designed to help women lose weight and keep it off sustainably. You can also use the form below to book a virtual consultation with me.