Quick Weight Loss Just as Sustainable as Slower Weight Loss
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sallyaj
Posts: 207 Member
It turns out that, contrary to what we are constantly being told, quick weight loss is no more or less sustainable than weight loss that happens over years. Research scientist David B. Allison, who directs the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, set out to explore some common notions about obesity and weight loss to separate myth from fact.
His findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week.
(Google Times Weight Loss Myths)
Reading Allison's list, it's interesting to see how things we've accepted over the years as "facts" about weight loss are simply not supported by research.
Allison says these notions are not true:
-Small things make a big difference. Walking a mile a day can lead to a loss of more than 50 pounds in five years.
-Set a realistic goal to lose a modest amount.
-People who are too ambitious will get frustrated and give up.
-You have to be mentally ready to diet or you will never succeed.
-Slow and steady is the way to lose. If you lose weight too fast you will lose less in the long run.
And these ideas sound plausible, but no actual studies have ever been done proving one way or the other:
-Diet and exercise habits in childhood set the stage for the rest of life.
-Add lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet to lose weight or not gain as much.
-Yo-yo diets lead to increased death rates.
-People who snack gain weight and get fat.
-If you add bike paths, jogging trails, sidewalks and parks, people will not be as fat.
I am most surprised by about yo-yo diets and quick weight loss, which I hear all the time.
Which surprises you the most?
His findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week.
(Google Times Weight Loss Myths)
Reading Allison's list, it's interesting to see how things we've accepted over the years as "facts" about weight loss are simply not supported by research.
Allison says these notions are not true:
-Small things make a big difference. Walking a mile a day can lead to a loss of more than 50 pounds in five years.
-Set a realistic goal to lose a modest amount.
-People who are too ambitious will get frustrated and give up.
-You have to be mentally ready to diet or you will never succeed.
-Slow and steady is the way to lose. If you lose weight too fast you will lose less in the long run.
And these ideas sound plausible, but no actual studies have ever been done proving one way or the other:
-Diet and exercise habits in childhood set the stage for the rest of life.
-Add lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet to lose weight or not gain as much.
-Yo-yo diets lead to increased death rates.
-People who snack gain weight and get fat.
-If you add bike paths, jogging trails, sidewalks and parks, people will not be as fat.
I am most surprised by about yo-yo diets and quick weight loss, which I hear all the time.
Which surprises you the most?
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Replies
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I am surprised about the statement "you have to be mentally ready to lose weight." Whether you lose weight fast or slow, you have to be mentally ready to stick to a plan that dramatically changes your life. I am obese and every day I have a mental debate on my food choices, the argument I have with myself every morning to roll out of bed and hit the gym.0
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-You have to be mentally ready to diet or you will never succeed.
For me anyway, this is 100% true.0 -
While fast weight loss may be sustainable it is also harder to sustain. If you get quick losses (especially those done through various VLCD, pills etc) a lot of those losses will be from muscle and not fat. Slower weight loss comes mainly from fat if done correctly.
Personally, I would rather lose slower and retain my muscles.0 -
It is a surprise to read that fast weight loss is as sustainable as slower weight loss. I know for me, the fast losses lead to the whole yo-yo thing. When I lost weight fast, I did it by not eating enough and by too much cardio exercise........ so when I upped my calories to a Maintenance level I gained back and pretty quickly. So, therefore for me, fast loss = not sustainable. I wonder why/how the author/researcher found otherwise? I'll just have to see!0
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I am not able to access the article itself, but it looks like they haven't conducted any quantitative/qualitative research, it's just been a lit review of journals and the media - without seeing the actual selection methods or quality of the studies they have consulted it is difficult to assess.
I find it very hard to think anyone could contemplate a lifestyle change without being mentally ready and wonder how many journal articles they have based that assessment on.0 -
No one claims them as "facts", just guidelines for the general person trying to lose weight. For the MAJORITY of people, it is IMPORTANT to follow those guidelines. You have to look at the context of WHY people give that kind of advice, not just take it as absolute fact.
The reason slow weight loss is recommended is because:
1) It's more of a lifestyle change, since it's not too different than what you should be eating on a maintenance diet
2) It's easier to sustain, since eating too much in deficit might make you more prone to binging/giving up
3) Gives you more energy to exercise
I don't think anyone automatically says losing weight fast is 100% unsustainable. It's just not recommended for the majority of people (With some exceptions, ie. if someone just started losing weight with a lot of weight to lose).0 -
pump0
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I'm on a VLCD and the way I understood it works so you lose the fat and not lose the muscle. The whole food issueWhile fast weight loss may be sustainable it is also harder to sustain. If you get quick losses (especially those done through various VLCD, pills etc) a lot of those losses will be from muscle and not fat. Slower weight loss comes mainly from fat if done correctly.
Personally, I would rather lose slower and retain my muscles.
and how the body processes it gets very confusing. I don't know why the doctors and nutritionists don't agree.0 -
I am surprised about the statement "you have to be mentally ready to lose weight." Whether you lose weight fast or slow, you have to be mentally ready to stick to a plan that dramatically changes your life. I am obese and every day I have a mental debate on my food choices, the argument I have with myself every morning to roll out of bed and hit the gym.
That one surprised me too. I try to think of scenarios where you start when you're not mentally ready. I dunno, maybe a doctor gets you going?0 -
-You have to be mentally ready to diet or you will never succeed.
For me anyway, this is 100% true.
That's what I've always thought. You get a bit tired of the situation, you contemplate your goals and the sacrifices, and when you feel ready, you embark. I can't think of any other way you would start.0 -
While fast weight loss may be sustainable it is also harder to sustain. If you get quick losses (especially those done through various VLCD, pills etc) a lot of those losses will be from muscle and not fat. Slower weight loss comes mainly from fat if done correctly.
Personally, I would rather lose slower and retain my muscles.
Yeah, the article doesn't go into pros/cons of retaining muscle. Just quick no less sustainable than slow weight losses.0 -
.I find it very hard to think anyone could contemplate a lifestyle change without being mentally ready and wonder how many journal articles they have based that assessment on.
I can only guess it's when a doctor issues it or something. Can't think of another way you'd start if you weren't ready.0 -
The reason slow weight loss is recommended is because:
1) It's more of a lifestyle change, since it's not too different than what you should be eating on a maintenance diet
2) It's easier to sustain, since eating too much in deficit might make you more prone to binging/giving up
3) Gives you more energy to exercise
Also, muscle tone and skin retraction.
I agree with all of these reasons.
I do think the study author has raised a point: That weight lost slowly stays off longer is a truism we've all come to accept without thinking too much about it and it's apparently not backed by any research to date.0 -
You are overweight for the most simple of reasons -- because you're eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and you're also eating meals in the wrong patterns each day.
Think closely about what we're about to tell you, since it's going to change the way you think about dieting...
but for best result visit this:
http://me.best3weightloss.com/0 -
While fast weight loss may be sustainable it is also harder to sustain. If you get quick losses (especially those done through various VLCD, pills etc) a lot of those losses will be from muscle and not fat. Slower weight loss comes mainly from fat if done correctly.
Personally, I would rather lose slower and retain my muscles.
I have to disagree. I lost 25# in roughly 2 months and only 1# of that was LBM. According to my doc, you should expect to lose 0.5-1.0# LBM for every 10# lost.0
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