How fast can I lose weight?
Before I can explain why losing weight quickly is undesirable, you obviously need to know what is meant by "fast". In our recommendations, about the pace at which you lose weight, we have to make a distinction between people with a heavy overweight to obesity and people with a healthy weight.
We advise people with a healthy weight not to lose more than 0.5 kilograms per week. In practice, this means that you eat about 20% less than your energy needs. In other words, eating 20% less than your body needs to stay on weight.
For people who are considerably overweight, weight loss is often faster in the first weeks. A whole kilogram per week is no exception. As time goes by, the weight loss goes slower. In the long run, you can count on losing about 0.3-0.5 kilograms per week after this first phase.
How can I waste more quickly than advise you?
Strikingly fast weight loss can have a number of reasons. Firstly, too great an energy shortage can be the cause. In other words: you eat less than 80% of your energy needs.
Secondly, we often see that people who are on a low-carbohydrate diet are losing weight faster. Often this is not only fat but also a lot of moisture. Carbohydrates are converted into glycogen and glucose in the body and absorb moisture, making you heavier. This does not mean that you immediately lose fat by deleting carbohydrates. Do you want to know more about this subject? Just look critically at your diet and do not delete unnecessary carbohydrates from your diet. This is not the solution for the long term.
Enough theory for now. Back to the title of this article:
5 reasons why you should not lose weight too quickly
1. Jojo effect
Rapid weight loss seems very effective, but it is very difficult to reach your goal weight and keep it going. Only incredibly disciplined people and genetic ill-fanciers will remain on the target weight after a few years. Your body wants to replenish the energy with food after a period of starvation. A possible explanation for this is the theory of fat cell stress. The body is not used to losing weight so quickly and shoots, as it were, in the defense.
2. You lose muscle mass
If you lose weight too quickly, you run the risk of losing part of your muscle mass. Muscle mass is not only useful for lifting things but also ensures that your metabolism (burning) is stimulated. A decrease in muscle mass - something that in most cases is almost unavoidable for fat loss - will lower your basic metabolism. If you lose weight, both fat and muscle mass, this means that your energy needs are falling. Set yourself up accordingly and adjust your energy intake.
3. A shortage of essential nutrients
Another very important disadvantage of losing weight too quickly is that you get fewer nutrients. Diets that are too intensive for too long will increase the chance of a shortage of important nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
4. It is difficult to keep up
A diet where you delete a lot of calories is difficult to maintain. You feel stupid, may be irritable and have less energy or motivation for everyday things. We regularly see that people who suddenly limit their energy intake drastically after a while get a sense of unhealthy snacks and delicacies. You probably recognize this feeling if you have eaten a few days?
5. Worse recovery and declining sport performance
Are you going to exercise with a considerable energy shortage? Then it may well be that your recovery ability suffers. With an energy shortage of more than 30%, you often see that performance is deteriorating. This is due to a shortage of nutrients and energy, but also because the body has insufficient building materials at its disposal to repair your muscles.
Lose weight at a healthy pace
Losing weight is not a trick; you lose weight deliberately and in a healthy way. Healthy weight loss is done by slowly changing your eating and exercise pattern. Go healthier and eat less. Get more exercise: try to get out more and if possible, exercise a few times a week.
What is a healthy pace?
We advise clients without a medical indication to delete a maximum of 500 calories per day. This way you reduce the chance of being bothered by an energy dip or losing muscle mass. Usually, you fall off about half a kilo per week.
Simple tips for weight loss
Below are some simple tips that can help you lose weight.
- Drink tea or water instead of soft drinks.
- Choose consciously for products with less unhealthy fats, added sugars, and calories.
- Eat smaller portions.
- Drink less or no alcohol.
- Provide a diet with a relatively large amount of vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and proteins. This ensures faster and longer lasting saturation.
- Sinful occasionally, but in moderation.
- Keep track of what you eat for the first week.
- Reduce stress, reducing the chance of unhealthy eating choices.
- Do not stare blindly at the scale. Much more important is your fat percentage and waist circumference.
- Be patient. Healthy weight loss is a long-term project.
- Surround yourself with people who motivate and support you.
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