Is losing weight too fast harmful?

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Everyone wants to lose weight as quickly as possible, but experts often recommend slow and steady weight loss to maintain long-term results and low health risks. However, a recent study found that rapid weight loss is also good and safe. So is losing weight too fast harmful?

1. What is fast weight loss?

According to many experts, losing 1 - 2 pounds (0.45 - 0.9kg) per week is a healthy and safe pace. Losing more weight than that is considered too fast and puts you at risk of many health problems, including muscle loss, gallstones, nutritional deficiencies, and decreased metabolism.
The most popular ways to lose weight fast are to exercise a lot and follow a very low calorie diet (under 800 calories per day). People often opt for very low-calorie diets, because it's easier to lose weight through dieting than exercise.
When just starting a diet or exercise plan, you may lose more than 2 pounds (0.9 kg) in the first week. In the early stages, rapid weight loss is completely normal. The weight you lose now is called “water weight / water loss”.
When you consume fewer calories than you burn, the body begins to tap into energy stores glycogen. Glycogen in the body binds water, so when you burn glycogen for fuel, your body releases water as well. This is why you can lose weight fast in the first week. By the time your body has used up its glycogen stores, your weight loss should be steady at 1 - 2 pounds (0.45 - 0.9 kg) per week.

2. Compare fast and slow weight loss

Losing weight is only half of the process, what really matters is maintaining the weight after losing it. Most people who follow the diet gain back half of the weight they lost after just 1 year. What's worse, nearly all people who follow the diet return to their old weight levels after 3 - 5 years.
That's why experts often recommend losing weight at a slow but steady pace. Most research shows that people who lose weight slowly and steadily are more likely to maintain long-term results.
In addition, slow weight loss programs often help you build healthy eating habits, like eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking less sugary drinks... These can help you lose weight Castle. However, several new studies have found that rapid weight loss can be just as effective as slow weight loss, even in the long run.
Specifically, the study followed 103 people on a fast weight loss diet for 12 weeks, and 97 people on a slow but steady weight loss diet for 36 weeks. Nearly three years later, about 70 percent of people in both groups were back at their old weight levels. This means that in the end both diets are equally effective.
Although these studies have found that rapid weight loss is just as effective as slow weight loss overall, this also depends on many other factors, such as location, habits...
Research Research also shows that people who lose weight fast have the support of a doctor and dietitian improves their chances of long-term success. In addition, doctors and nutritionists know how to limit the health risks that come with eating fewer calories. These risks include muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, and gallstones. Meanwhile, people who only apply strict diets will have a higher risk of these diseases.

In short, you are more likely to lose weight and maintain the results by losing weight slowly. This method will help you build healthy eating habits to lose weight and safely lose weight fast.

3. Harm of losing weight too fast

Diets that promote fast weight loss are usually very low in calories and nutrients. This puts you at risk of many health problems, especially if you follow a fast weight loss diet for weeks. Here are a few dangers of excessive weight loss.
3.1. Muscle loss A very low-calorie diet can help you lose weight quickly, but most of the weight loss comes from muscle and water.
Researchers put 25 people on a very low-calorie diet (500 calories per day for 5 weeks) and another 22 people on a low-calorie diet (1,250 calories per day for 12 weeks). At the end, they found that both groups lost about the same amount of weight. However, those who followed the very low-calorie diet lost more than six times as much muscle as the control group.
3.2. Slows down metabolism Excessive weight loss can slow down your metabolism. Metabolism determines how many calories you burn each day. A slower metabolism means you burn fewer calories each day. Some studies have found that losing weight fast by eating fewer calories also makes you burn 23% fewer calories per day.
Two reasons for a decreased metabolism when following a very low calorie diet are: loss of muscle and a decrease in hormones that regulate metabolism, such as thyroid hormone. This drop in metabolism even lasts long after you finish the diet.

3.3. Nutritional deficiencies If you don't eat enough calories regularly, you are at risk for nutritional deficiencies. This is because low-calorie diets make it difficult to consume enough of important nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamin B12.
Some consequences of nutritional deficiencies include:
Hair loss: When you eat too few calories, your body doesn't get enough nutrients to support hair growth, leading to hair loss. Fatigue: A very low-calorie diet can prevent you from getting enough iron, vitamin B12, and folate. As a result, you will feel tired and anemic. Poor immune function: Not getting enough calories and nutrients can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of infections. Weak and brittle bones: It can be caused by too much vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus in the diet. Fortunately, you can avoid nutritional deficiencies by eating a diet rich in whole, unrefined foods. These items contain fewer calories and are also quite filling and can aid in weight loss.

3.4. Gallstones Gallstones are hard pieces of material that form inside the gallbladder. This can be a side effect of excessive weight loss.
Normally, the gallbladder secretes digestive juices to break down fatty foods. If you don't eat a lot, the gallbladder won't have to do this task. Gallstones can form when the contents of the digestive juices become stagnant and have time to bind together. Gallstones get stuck inside the opening of the gallbladder, causing severe pain and indigestion.
3.5. Other side effects Rapid weight loss on a very low calorie diet has been associated with a number of other side effects, including:
Hunger Fatigue Irritability Feeling cold Muscle cramps Dizziness Constipation or diarrhea Loss of water.

4. Healthy weight loss tips

For healthy weight loss you can apply a few ways:
Eat more protein: A high-protein diet can help boost your metabolism, keep you fuller for longer, and maintain muscle mass corn Cut down on sugar and carbs: Research shows that people who follow a low-carb diet lose more weight. So cut down on sugar and starch in your daily meals. Eat slowly: Chewing food thoroughly can help you stay fuller longer and eat less Drink green or oolong tea: Research has shown that drinking tea can boost metabolism by 4-5% and increase burn fat up to 17% Get enough rest: Lack of sleep can increase levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decrease leptin (the satiety hormone) levels. In other words, not getting enough sleep can make you hungry and make it harder to lose weight Try endurance training: Endurance training or weight lifting can avoid muscle loss and lower metabolism when it comes to weight loss Try strength training High: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of short, high-intensity interval training. Unlike regular aerobic exercise, HIIT continues to burn calories after you've worked out Eat soluble fiber: Research shows that soluble fiber can help you burn fat, especially belly fat

In short, if you want to lose weight and maintain results, aim to lose weight slowly but steadily, 1 - 2 pounds (0.45 - 0.9 kg) per week. Excessive weight loss can increase your risk of side effects, especially without the help of a medical professional. There are many ways to speed up weight loss safely, such as increasing protein intake, cutting down on sugar and starch, and drinking more green tea. Gradually changing your eating and exercise habits will help you lose weight and maintain long-term effects.
To make sure you can successfully lose weight but not affect your health, you should visit your doctor or nutritionist to listen to advice and set up a scientific diet.
Vinmec International General Hospital has developed a general health checkup package for all customers. Through the examination process, the doctor will help the doctor check the overall health so that he can adjust the diet, exercise, and weight loss to suit each person's condition. In particular, the examination will help detect abnormalities in order to intervene in a timely manner, minimizing the risk of dangerous diseases.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com