So you want to lose weight fast?

Dear Posters,

Lets keep this from becoming another "old timer" vs "Newbie" war and stay on topic. If you have something to discuss relative to the OP and your own personal experiences please do.

Thanks,
4legs

I don't think there is really a "one size fits all" solution to weight loss. Though I personally opted for a slower loss rate when I wanted to drop some pounds, I've met and known people who have done quicker and much more restrictive losses that have done just fine long term.

Mindset, motivations, life priorities, physical ability and a load of other things also factor in, along with the basic personality traits of the person involved.

I think for some the mindset of quick loss gives them immediate validation that the efforts are paying off. For others a week or two of stall or small changes doesn't worry them at all. But in the end I really think that all that matters is an individual finding out what works for them, and not thinking they have found the solution to all the worlds weight loss problems.


I personally took the route more in line with what the OP describes, being a slow and steady loss rate. I also ate all foods I wanted, but just controlled the intake amounts. At times I would even hit heavy cardio sessions biking or such to go get a few beers and visit the food trucks guilt free, knowing I could reach my deficit goals for the week. But I never weighed my food ever, and I only logged food for maybe 6-8 months IIRC. I worked out and enjoyed working out, but also never got so consumed that missing a day bothered me.

The next person might weigh every grain of farro and rice, reduce or eliminate all sweets, have a gym schedule and strict routine for every minute at the gym, and never go out to eat the entire time they are losing their weight. But if that works for them, more power to them.


I completely agree that for most newbies having extreme expectations would seem to be setting themselves up to fail. But I've got people on my friends list that proved me wrong, and I see posts out here where people do it and they are fine long term. So when I see people struggling, I just encourage them to keep trying and figure out which methods work for them. For some what works is what I personally might think is restrictive diet hell, but in the end the person who is successful is probably way happier that they have made a change. And I hope that if I did offer my opinion that they would remind me I'm only entitled to my opinion, not their opinion.

I think your post is good advice OP - yes some people can sensibly lose at faster rate than others - but nobody will safely lose at the extreme rates we sometimes get people hoping for and that media ads promise.

Myself - I lost steadily and got to my goal weight in 10 months. Kept it off now for nearly 4 years.

KrazyKrissyy wrote: »

This seems to go against Lyle's rapid fat loss protocol (PSMF).

This advice is for a general audience. The majority are not willing to subject themselves to a protein-sparing modified fast, and that sort of diet should only be attempted after proper research (mostly to prevent inappropriate substitutions/modifications).

So, yes, there are situations in which this advice won't apply (post-bariatric surgery is another one), but the people in those situations know who they are. For the majority, this is good advice.