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

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  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    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).

    You need a SURPLUS of calories to build muscle. Strength training alone will not build muscle.

    Repairing current muscle and building muscle mass are two different things. Increasing strength does not equal more muscle mass. Following your plan you will in fact LOSE muscle... which will cause your metabolism to decrease.

    As another poster already pointed out, you seem to already have your mind made up so why come here asking for advice/information when you really don't want to hear it?

    Your plan is dangerous and not sustainable yet you still want to go through with it.

    This is crash dieting and you will be starving your body. Your body requires many more calories than you plan on giving it to just run your organs. Unless you eat 1200 calories worth of chicken you will not be getting enough protein.

    I asked for advice from people who have done this. Sorry if I was not clear enough.

    I don't care if I'm ripped after this...I'm just looking to lose some weight.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    People are explaining why they haven't done what you are doing. You don't need to do something to realize it's a bad idea.

    You cannot build muscle from fat. They are completely different cells. Fat cells shrink, muscle cells grow provided conditions are correct.. meaning surplus of calories, heavy heavy lifting and tons of protein.

    You might not care if you are ripped when you are done but you will care when you lack muscle tone, have saggy loose skin, look pale, have your hair falling out, and have greatly lowered your metabolism. I haven't followed your plan because it's unhealthy and I know that. Don't come looking for advice if you aren't willing to accept it when it's contray to what you want to hear.

    A friend of mine did pretty much what you are doing.. he was younger than you. Lost weight quickly, was left with a lot of saggy skin at the age of 20, had a greyish complexion, had devoloped issues with his heart and lungs, had very little muscle and had killed his metabolism causing him to go up and down in weight.

    If you don't want anyone's advice, don't come asking for it.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    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.

    If you've taken physiology courses you'd know that there are no few such studies on permanent metabolic damage. Well, except for the risk of thyroidal dysfunction. Since you've taken classes on physiology - read up on calcitonin, T3 regulation mechanism

    My concern would be varied around the risks of gallstones, micro-nutrient variability and quality (supplements are rather useless - taking biotin and iron, are you? The first is poorly 'sorbed from supplements, the second has serious overdose risks),

    Other risk include weight loss induced hypothyroidism - http://www.thyroidscience.com/cases/najarian.rowsemitt.6.2011/najarian.rowsemitt.6.11.pdf

    depression - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18347657

    etc...
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Well...was going to respond honestly, but you have an excuse for everything...so I smell a troll....sorry but being blunt about this. Evertime someone gives you advice, or tries to point out that you did in fact gain it ALL back..you shoot them down with an excuse...
  • ngressman
    ngressman Posts: 229 Member
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    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.

    Nobody indicated that they have done what I did (and plan to do). That's what I was asking for....
    I only know of two people who have done it. I am sure there are more. I only dream of losing 5 pounds a week. (Age and the fact that I am female kinda work against me in weight loss.) Anyway, one of my friends is currently losing about 25 pounds a month- which is close to 5 pounds a week. He averages about 3 pounds a week in weight loss. He is gaining muscle, and has a strenuous weight training. It has been about 7 months, and says he feels great. If it works for you, and you don't feel starved go for it. Don't let people tell you what is impossible.
  • poopieslippers
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    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).

    You need a SURPLUS of calories to build muscle. Strength training alone will not build muscle.

    Repairing current muscle and building muscle mass are two different things. Increasing strength does not equal more muscle mass. Following your plan you will in fact LOSE muscle... which will cause your metabolism to decrease.

    As another poster already pointed out, you seem to already have your mind made up so why come here asking for advice/information when you really don't want to hear it?

    Your plan is dangerous and not sustainable yet you still want to go through with it.

    This is crash dieting and you will be starving your body. Your body requires many more calories than you plan on giving it to just run your organs. Unless you eat 1200 calories worth of chicken you will not be getting enough protein.

    I asked for advice from people who have done this. Sorry if I was not clear enough.

    I don't care if I'm ripped after this...I'm just looking to lose some weight.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    Muscle and fat are two entirely different things. I'm not sure how you think muscle can be built from fat - fat does not turn into muscle, nor does muscle turn into fat. I'm sure that your graduate level biochem course did not teach you this.

    That's not what I meant haha. The fat stores would be metabolized (e.g. used to make ADP into ATP after a bunch of chemical reactions) and then that ATP would be used in the generation of new muscle cells (or to maintain my muscles during/after weight training).
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    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.

    Nobody indicated that they have done what I did (and plan to do). That's what I was asking for....
    I only know of two people who have done it. I am sure there are more. I only dream of losing 5 pounds a week. (Age and the fact that I am female kinda work against me in weight loss.) Anyway, one of my friends is currently losing about 25 pounds a month- which is close to 5 pounds a week. He averages about 3 pounds a week in weight loss. He is gaining muscle, and has a strenuous weight training. It has been about 7 months, and says he feels great. If it works for you, and you don't feel starved go for it. Don't let people tell you what is impossible.

    Having a deficit large enough to lose 3lbs per week is too large to be gaining any muscle... sorry... losing that quickly aside from the first week or two is far too unhealthy.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Options
    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).

    You need a SURPLUS of calories to build muscle. Strength training alone will not build muscle.

    Repairing current muscle and building muscle mass are two different things. Increasing strength does not equal more muscle mass. Following your plan you will in fact LOSE muscle... which will cause your metabolism to decrease.

    As another poster already pointed out, you seem to already have your mind made up so why come here asking for advice/information when you really don't want to hear it?

    Your plan is dangerous and not sustainable yet you still want to go through with it.

    This is crash dieting and you will be starving your body. Your body requires many more calories than you plan on giving it to just run your organs. Unless you eat 1200 calories worth of chicken you will not be getting enough protein.

    I asked for advice from people who have done this. Sorry if I was not clear enough.

    I don't care if I'm ripped after this...I'm just looking to lose some weight.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    Muscle and fat are two entirely different things. I'm not sure how you think muscle can be built from fat - fat does not turn into muscle, nor does muscle turn into fat. I'm sure that your graduate level biochem course did not teach you this.

    That's not what I meant haha. The fat stores would be metabolized (e.g. used to make ADP into ATP after a bunch of chemical reactions) and then that ATP would be used in the generation of new muscle cells (or to maintain my muscles during/after weight training).

    You still need a surplus of energy to create muscle.
  • poopieslippers
    Options
    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.

    Nobody indicated that they have done what I did (and plan to do). That's what I was asking for....
    I only know of two people who have done it. I am sure there are more. I only dream of losing 5 pounds a week. (Age and the fact that I am female kinda work against me in weight loss.) Anyway, one of my friends is currently losing about 25 pounds a month- which is close to 5 pounds a week. He averages about 3 pounds a week in weight loss. He is gaining muscle, and has a strenuous weight training. It has been about 7 months, and says he feels great. If it works for you, and you don't feel starved go for it. Don't let people tell you what is impossible.

    Thank you. This is what I was asking for.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Why are you in such a hurry? 1200 is low even for women, it's far to low for men. Trying to lose weight as fast as possible rarely sticks, you're likely to gain it all back.
  • poopieslippers
    Options
    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).

    You need a SURPLUS of calories to build muscle. Strength training alone will not build muscle.

    Repairing current muscle and building muscle mass are two different things. Increasing strength does not equal more muscle mass. Following your plan you will in fact LOSE muscle... which will cause your metabolism to decrease.

    As another poster already pointed out, you seem to already have your mind made up so why come here asking for advice/information when you really don't want to hear it?

    Your plan is dangerous and not sustainable yet you still want to go through with it.

    This is crash dieting and you will be starving your body. Your body requires many more calories than you plan on giving it to just run your organs. Unless you eat 1200 calories worth of chicken you will not be getting enough protein.

    I asked for advice from people who have done this. Sorry if I was not clear enough.

    I don't care if I'm ripped after this...I'm just looking to lose some weight.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    Muscle and fat are two entirely different things. I'm not sure how you think muscle can be built from fat - fat does not turn into muscle, nor does muscle turn into fat. I'm sure that your graduate level biochem course did not teach you this.

    That's not what I meant haha. The fat stores would be metabolized (e.g. used to make ADP into ATP after a bunch of chemical reactions) and then that ATP would be used in the generation of new muscle cells (or to maintain my muscles during/after weight training).

    You still need a surplus of energy to create muscle.

    I know that. Are you saying it's impossible to get that surplus energy from fat stores?
  • poopieslippers
    Options
    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.

    If you've taken physiology courses you'd know that there are no few such studies on permanent metabolic damage. Well, except for the risk of thyroidal dysfunction. Since you've taken classes on physiology - read up on calcitonin, T3 regulation mechanism

    My concern would be varied around the risks of gallstones, micro-nutrient variability and quality (supplements are rather useless - taking biotin and iron, are you? The first is poorly 'sorbed from supplements, the second has serious overdose risks),

    Other risk include weight loss induced hypothyroidism - http://www.thyroidscience.com/cases/najarian.rowsemitt.6.2011/najarian.rowsemitt.6.11.pdf

    depression - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18347657

    etc...

    Thank you very much.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    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.

    ^^^THIS^^^ Getting the weight off healthfully and keeping it off is a matter of changing the behavior that got you "morbidly obese" to start with. Crash diets may work in the short term (and trust me, I've been on them all) but in the long term, they will hurt you.

    p.s. And you know what all those crash diets have yielded for me? I will likely be on supplemental thyroid hormone for the rest of my life and am permanently missing my gallbladder. AND here I am---back here, doing it right this time, but I could have done it long ago if I knew then what I know now:ohwell: .
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
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    A friend of mine did pretty much what you are doing.. he was younger than you. Lost weight quickly, was left with a lot of saggy skin at the age of 20, had a greyish complexion, had devoloped issues with his heart and lungs, had very little muscle and had killed his metabolism causing him to go up and down in weight.

    I know you latched onto the positive example someone posted of doing what you want to do, since it's what you wanted to hear, but don't miss this other example that another person posted. I know it's tempting, but you really shouldn't go through life only hearing what you want to hear.
  • poopieslippers
    Options
    Well...was going to respond honestly, but you have an excuse for everything...so I smell a troll....sorry but being blunt about this. Evertime someone gives you advice, or tries to point out that you did in fact gain it ALL back..you shoot them down with an excuse...

    I am not trolling, people were just not answering my question.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Options
    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).

    You need a SURPLUS of calories to build muscle. Strength training alone will not build muscle.

    Repairing current muscle and building muscle mass are two different things. Increasing strength does not equal more muscle mass. Following your plan you will in fact LOSE muscle... which will cause your metabolism to decrease.

    As another poster already pointed out, you seem to already have your mind made up so why come here asking for advice/information when you really don't want to hear it?

    Your plan is dangerous and not sustainable yet you still want to go through with it.

    This is crash dieting and you will be starving your body. Your body requires many more calories than you plan on giving it to just run your organs. Unless you eat 1200 calories worth of chicken you will not be getting enough protein.

    I asked for advice from people who have done this. Sorry if I was not clear enough.

    I don't care if I'm ripped after this...I'm just looking to lose some weight.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    Muscle and fat are two entirely different things. I'm not sure how you think muscle can be built from fat - fat does not turn into muscle, nor does muscle turn into fat. I'm sure that your graduate level biochem course did not teach you this.

    That's not what I meant haha. The fat stores would be metabolized (e.g. used to make ADP into ATP after a bunch of chemical reactions) and then that ATP would be used in the generation of new muscle cells (or to maintain my muscles during/after weight training).

    You still need a surplus of energy to create muscle.

    I know that. Are you saying it's impossible to get that surplus energy from fat stores?

    You burn your fat stores when you are running a calorie deficit. It gives your body the energy it needs to run. Too high of a deficit and your body will begin to burn muscle for energy.

    You need to be taking in a surplus of calories to build muscle.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    I just don't understand why you'd be willing to try this again if you've done it once before and failed.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Options
    Well...was going to respond honestly, but you have an excuse for everything...so I smell a troll....sorry but being blunt about this. Evertime someone gives you advice, or tries to point out that you did in fact gain it ALL back..you shoot them down with an excuse...

    I am not trolling, people were just not answering my question.

    People are answering your question... you are just not taking any of the advice given. People didn't try what you are doing because it is not safe, healthy, or smart.
  • poopieslippers
    Options

    A friend of mine did pretty much what you are doing.. he was younger than you. Lost weight quickly, was left with a lot of saggy skin at the age of 20, had a greyish complexion, had devoloped issues with his heart and lungs, had very little muscle and had killed his metabolism causing him to go up and down in weight.

    I know you latched onto the positive example someone posted of doing what you want to do, since it's what you wanted to hear, but don't miss this other example that another person posted. I know it's tempting, but you really shouldn't go through life only hearing what you want to hear.

    I missed this in the barrage of posts haha. Thanks for this post too!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    I'm pretty sure that muscle can be built from fat stores....that is what I learned in my graduate level biochem course anyway. Is this definitely 100% incorrect? If so, I should demand a refund. :P

    That's a really bad biochem class.

    Fat stores will not provide the precursors to myosin, fibrin or actin. Lipid lysis will provide ATP for muscles and even protein transport but you need amino acids to build these proteins and these proteins to build muscle. So did your biochem class expalin of new novel pathways to capture nitrogen and generate de novo amino acids from fatty acids in any significant manner?

    I'd get a refund.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    Options

    A friend of mine did pretty much what you are doing.. he was younger than you. Lost weight quickly, was left with a lot of saggy skin at the age of 20, had a greyish complexion, had devoloped issues with his heart and lungs, had very little muscle and had killed his metabolism causing him to go up and down in weight.

    I know you latched onto the positive example someone posted of doing what you want to do, since it's what you wanted to hear, but don't miss this other example that another person posted. I know it's tempting, but you really shouldn't go through life only hearing what you want to hear.

    This! I provided you with an example of the bad that can happen. That friend of mine is constantly in and out of doctors offices. It has been a long road for him to build his muscle back up and try to regain his health.

    You only responded to the positive example... look at both sides to the issue.