For many of us, especially during a pandemic, the scale feels a bit like a race car speedometer and accelerates rapidly in a matter of seconds without warning. However, even if you sometimes feel that way, weight gain does not occur overnight.
To make matters worse, we often expect weight loss It will happen soon. As soon as you decide to reduce your treats, the pound magically melts and you’re impatient that your pants fit snugly after the first week.
“People decide to start losing weight and want to see something in real life, so we’ll continue this crazy diet,” said Kuldeep Singh, director of the Maryland Barrier Trick Center in Mercy, Maryland. The doctor says. Baltimore. “But the fact of the matter is that this is a problem and a concern that has been there for some time. It didn’t develop in a day and shouldn’t disappear in a day.”
We all want weight loss to be as quick as an oil change, but there are reasons why a slow and steady approach is better, safer and more effective.
Related: Weight loss apps will probably help you drop pounds, analysis results
How fast and safely can you lose weight?
The first and perhaps best reason to adjust your pace regarding weight loss is that you tend to be more effective at losing weight. Trends and crash diets that promise fast results are usually not something that the average dieter can sustain for months or years. According to the Cleveland Clinic, experts believe that as many as 95% of dieters will regain weight. If you’re trying to avoid the dreaded yo-yo diet effect of regaining (and perhaps gaining more weight) the weight you lost, it’s best to take it slowly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those who lose about 1-2 pounds a week are more successful than those who lose weight at a faster rate.
This claim is supported by a systematic review and meta-analysis published in December 2020. British Journal of NutritionIt was discovered that dieters who lost weight gradually rather than rapidly, even if the amount of weight loss was the same, saw a significant decrease in body fat percentage and fat mass. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reports that rapid weight loss is much more likely to result in loss of water, muscle, and even bone mass.
“Good weight loss reduces fat,” says Dr. Shin. “Bad weight loss is losing muscle.” According to the Mayo Clinic, you want to maintain your muscle mass for many reasons, but in the sense of weight loss, muscle has more calories even when you are at rest. Increases metabolism by helping to burn. Shin adds that he will need to continue his crash diet for a month or so for these health problems to take effect. The extreme form of this is anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, but the milder form is probably much more common than people think.
Related: 5 Reasons to Gain Weight This Winter
Why rapid weight loss is dangerous
According to the Cleveland Clinic, many trendy diets promise rapid weight loss by eliminating foods or entire food groups or by significantly limiting calories, but doing so is an important source of nutrition. Also eliminate. According to MedlinePlus, losing more than £ 2 a week for several weeks is considered a rapid weight loss. This is usually due to too few calories. The practice is usually not recommended unless you are under the supervision of a medical professional.
“It depends on the weight you’re starting and your age, but people between 150 and 300 pounds shouldn’t lose more than 2 to 5 pounds a week at any time,” says Shin. “What’s more lasting isn’t healthy.”
According to MedlinePlus, losing weight quickly can stress your body and change your hormonal response. According to Northwestern Medicine, the hungry hormones leptin and ghrelin can synchronize with the body on full and fast, respectively, and may make you want to eat more often. For example, losing 10 pounds in the first week of a new diet may seem like a huge success, but according to MedlinePlus, quitting or relaxing a diet slows down weight loss and quickly gains weight. There is a possibility. ..
Your metabolism may also get out of the bang. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your body adapts to lower calorie intake by slowing down the rate of burning calories to prevent starvation. This is called “metabolic adaptation,” and according to a study published in May 2018, it occurs every time you burn more calories than you consume. obesity.. When you return to a regular diet, your body doesn’t know what to do with the extra calories, where weight gain begins. Dr. Linda Anegawa, MD, a double-board certified physician in Honolulu-based internal medicine, and the medical director of Obesity Medicine, and the virtual health platform PlushCare, say that when you regain weight, you almost always regain fat.
Rapid weight loss can also cause other unhealthy side effects. According to MedlinePlus, not only can you lose muscle mass, water and bone density, but you can also cause health problems such as gallstones, gout, malaise, constipation, diarrhea and nausea.
Rapid weight loss can be especially dangerous for people with underlying health conditions, especially diabetes and kidney and stomach ailments, Shin says. Dr. Anekawa adds that rapid weight loss can change the appropriate dosage. Therefore, if you see significant changes in your scale, it is important to work closely with your doctor to adjust your regimen.
Related: 21 Tips for Really Working Weight Loss
Best Approach for Gradual (and Sustainable) Weight Loss
So you have it-approaching weight loss in a measured way can help you avoid potential health complications, and it’s by maintaining a healthy weight Increase your chances of long-term success. But what’s the best way to keep up with it?
Unlike short-term epidemic diets that bring about dramatic changes, healthy weight loss usually involves performing lifestyle changes that you can stick to in the distant future. “Without long-term sustainable lifestyle changes, we can’t keep the health benefits of weight loss straightforward and simple,” says Anekawa.
Developing healthy habits such as eating a nutritious diet, moving frequently, managing stress, and sleeping well will really pay off over time, says Shin. “These are important elements of the big picture of weight loss,” he says.
Once your target weight is achieved, these habits should not go out of the window. The idea is that by developing a habit that you can acquire in the long run, a healthy lifestyle becomes the second nature and you can lose weight.
A systematic review of several weight loss registries published in February 2020 Obesity ReviewWe have identified the most successful strategies for weight loss and maintenance. These include making healthy foods available at home, eating breakfast regularly, eating more vegetables, reducing sugar and fat foods, and increasing physical activity. Was included.
Don’t worry if you don’t see the results right away. The result is displayed. “Keep an eye on the long run. Nothing comes from short-term weight loss,” says Shin. He says he quits when he tries to overdo it too quickly and can be overwhelmed, and when many feel that way. Instead, Shin tells you to make small but permanent changes towards your goal. “You want to have a long-lasting weight loss program,” he says. “You want to take your baby’s step, enjoy the small goals you’ve achieved, and then set new goals and move forward.”
