Losing 0.5 to 1 pound per day...Health Risks?

poopieslippers

Hello all,

I'm a 22 year old male. I'm fairly healthy (aside from my morbid obesity).

In high school, I went from 272 - > 200 in about 3 - 4 months (don't recall exactly how long). So, I averaged about 0.6 pounds per day weight loss.

College came, and I gained all of that weight back. Going to shed it again (finally motivated to do it!)

This site has a max limit for 2 pounds per week weight loss. I'm planning to do about 5+ pounds per week for the first month or two. Are there really any serious health consequences from losing weight that quickly? I'm feeling great eating about 1200 calories/day along with about 20-30 minutes of light to moderate cardio a few times a week (to start out, anyway).

I'm particularly curious about those who lost that much weight that rapidly and what they have gone through. I don't recall any bad health effects when I was younger. Wondering if there is any danger now that I'm ~4 years older (and have a lot more crud in my arteries!).

Also, I quit smoking about one month ago. I started smoking about 4 years ago as well. (I can smell and taste again now, which is awesome.)

flutterbye811

Honestly? If you starve yourself to potentially lose 5 pounds a week then most likely you will find yourself back in the same place you are after your first huge weight loss in a few years. Eating at such a deficit screws with your metabolism and will cause you more problems when your older and trying to keep yourself on track. Why do you feel it's good to rush it the way you plan to? Listen to the podcasts for Fat 2 fit radio (fat2fitradio.com), they really adress the health aspects, healthy ways to lose weight, and the reality of eating healthy at a healthy calorie range.

BlueObsidian

You aren't going to be losing 5+ pounds of fat a week. A lot of that loss would be water and muscle. With a huge deficit and no weight-bearing exercises, you are going to be losing a lot of lean mass. Why would you want to starve yourself when you'd lose about the same amount of fat with a reasonable deficit and strength training?

witchy_wife

So by your calculations, how many calories will you be eating per day to lose 5lbs a week?

poopieslippers

I forgot to mention that I am going to be doing strength exercises (I saw this on here, and I'm trying to follow this plan: http://www.fitness666.com/p/bodyweight-666.html). Therefore, there will be little to no muscle loss (likely gain). If I am gaining muscle and losing fat, it is essentially impossible to calculate a daily calorie intake.

I'm not 'starving' myself by any means. I am not hungry at any point in the day. I'm comfy with 1200 calories. I believe I'm working out enough to cut into my fat stores and maintain or build muscles (this definitely happened a few years ago).

I'm not looking to get bashed by people who think this is a bad idea. I'm genuinely curious about bad health effects from people who have gone through this.

Once I lose the weight, I can keep it off...because this time I'm comfortable with the amount that I'm eating. Last time around I did starve myself...but I feel like I can maintain this "diet" for the rest of my life.

poopieslippers

Also, it will likely be 5 pounds a week for the first week or two. It will probably slow up after that. Maybe 3 pounds a week? That's what happened last time.

BlueObsidian

How do you plan on gaining muscle with a deficit of 2500 calories per day (what you need to lose 5 lbs a week)?

Luis2787

basically if you loose 5 pounds per week your going to be whats called skinny fat. cause your gonna loose the muscle you have with your fat.

witchy_wife

Honestly, I think you will be eating well below your BMR, let alone your TDEE. So I would think it would be bound to have some effect on your health in the long run as you need a certain amount of calories just for basic body functions. But I am no expert and am sure someone will have some better scientific reasoning behind this. It just doesn't sound good in my opinion.

Luis2787

if you train 3 days a week calories start would be 4080
Macros
Carbs - 391g
Fats - 136g
Protein 272g
try to cut 1 a pound a week.

Quick example. You weigh 180 pounds. So you input 180 and get 2565 cals to eat in a day (you are active). You follow the protein, carb and fat amounts for 4 weeks. You STILL are
180 pounds and have not lost weight. Decrease cals, I would choose carbs, so from 259 grams reduce by 100 calories to 234 grams
Keep evaluating progress, you want to lose on AVERAGE one pound of fat per week.

now_or_never13

I forgot to mention that I am going to be doing strength exercises (I saw this on here, and I'm trying to follow this plan: http://www.fitness666.com/p/bodyweight-666.html). Therefore, there will be little to no muscle loss (likely gain). If I am gaining muscle and losing fat, it is essentially impossible to calculate a daily calorie intake.

Sorry but false. You will not gain muscle when you are only eating 1200 calories a day. You will be losing it regardless of if you lift weights or not. Sure, lifting will help lower the amount you lose but you will still lose a large amount. You will not gain any muscle eating so little. You need a surplus of calories to gain muscle along with lifting heavy weights and lots of protein. Don't forget, your heart is a muscle as well.

You will be starving yourself and it will not be lasting weight loss. When you lose muscle your metabolism decreases making it so much easier for you to gain back weight.

Do it the right way. Don't rush it. Losing so quickly will also lead to much more loose skin that if you were to lose slowly.

Your body needs more than 1200 calories a day just for your organs to function. Trying to lose so much is only going to lead to muscle loss, injury, tons of loose skin and hurting your body.

As a male 1200 is not even half of what you should be eating.

Ed98043

I lost 6 lbs in my first 10 days and then hit a wall, but I'm not 22 anymore. If you lose 5 lbs the first week and then a steady 3 a week after that, it probably won't kill you but believe me, you'll be doing irreparable damage to your metabolism and you'll be fighting it for the rest of your life. You said you did this before and gained it all back - why do you think doing the same thing again will end up any differently?

You would really do better to feed your body what it needs to function and keep a reasonable calorie deficit to lose the weight more gradually and keep your lean body mass intact. I know it's hard to be patient but you've got another 60+ years to live and you'll be dealing forever with what you do to yourself now.

now_or_never13

I'm not 'starving' myself by any means. I am not hungry at any point in the day. I'm comfy with 1200 calories. I believe I'm working out enough to cut into my fat stores and maintain or build muscles (this definitely happened a few years ago).

You dont' cut into your fat stores by working out. You burn fat by having a proper deficit.

And you did not maintain or build muscle if you were only eating 1200 calories. That large of a deficit and your body fat % increases as you lose weight because you LOSE muscle mass.

poopieslippers

From my understanding (from my human anatomy and physiology classes, as well as molecular bio), as long as your putting a significant strain on the muscles (i.e. weight training), they will be built (because the body NEEDS to repair them - and by doing so they are built up).

There are metabolic pathways that take stored fat and use that to synthesize amino acids (and proteins, which is pretty energy expensive). I'm eating a reasonable amount of protein (which contains essential amino acids, so I have all of the amino acids I'll need to make proteins). I'm also supplementing with a multivitamin.

Speaking from my experience last time, I definitely built muscle. When I got down to 200, I was able to do about 150 pushups in a single go (when I started my diet, I could do 0 push ups).

CoraGregoryCPA

You could safely do it, as long as you aren't starvng. Stick to 1200 calories a day and see what happens. If you are starving, then up your calories a bit. Don't worry about how much you are losing everday, worry about how you feel at the end of each day.

You don't want to crash and binge because you are so hungry. Or skip a workout day because you have less energy, too weak from low calories. Watch how you feel. Change things based on your needs not what the scale is doing. If you feel fine, then it may be no problem for you. But if you lose weight too quickly, your looks may not be what you want after weight loss. Then you just have to start toning and bulking up.

Be in control and you will be okay.

poopieslippers

Does anyone have any links to a scientific paper that shows PERMANENT metabolic damage from rapid weight loss? A few of you have suggested this, but I have never heard of such a thing. That sounds absurd.

sofielein

Do you have money saved up for the plastic surgery that will be needed for your skin?

flutterbye811

So, why are you asking questions if you already seemingly know what you need to do? No one is trying to bash you, but seriously it's silly to ask questions and then criticize the answers from people who have experience.

Ed98043

It sounds like your mind is made up. Why are you even asking for advice if you're just going to shoot it down? Are you looking for someone to agree that a very low calorie diet and rapid weight loss is the best way to go? Because I'll tell you right now it ain't gonna' happen. :laugh: But maybe you're right and everyone else is wrong. Seems plausible.

witchy_wife

Speaking from my experience last time, I definitely built muscle. When I got down to 200, I was able to do about 150 pushups in a single go (when I started my diet, I could do 0 push ups).

I dont know much about all the science stuff, but strength and muscle are not the same thing. You can get much stronger without actually building any muscle. I am "dieting".... I eat TDEE less 20% (averaged over the week) so I am not building any muscle. But I can lift heavier weights, run further, do more press ups etc..... but that is through increased strength, not a increase in muscle.

CoraGregoryCPA

Some people can be so dramatic: "irreparable damage" "for the rest of your life". <-- I highly doubt this.. Some people repair and jump start their metabolism in their 50's. You will always be able to fix whatever you do wrong today, it just may be slightly harder. You can do it though!

I lost 6 lbs in my first 10 days and then hit a wall, but I'm not 22 anymore. If you lose 5 lbs the first week and then a steady 3 a week after that, it probably won't kill you but believe me, you'll be doing irreparable damage to your metabolism and you'll be fighting it for the rest of your life. You said you did this before and gained it all back - why do you think doing the same thing again will end up any differently?

You would really do better to feed your body what it needs to function and keep a reasonable calorie deficit to lose the weight more gradually and keep your lean body mass intact. I know it's hard to be patient but you've got another 60+ years to live and you'll be dealing forever with what you do to yourself now.