Why is it advised to lose .5lbs a week?

I read a lot of you ‘should’ aim to lose .5lb a week if you’re already at a normal weight. What would be the issue if you aim to lose 1lbs a week? Is it considered unhealthy? And why.
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Replies

  • LittleL3gsLaura
    LittleL3gsLaura Posts: 27 Member
    Can I ask your stats height weight etc

    I’ve personally put myself on .5 as it’s more realistic for myself with my height and weight
  • vanityy99
    vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
    edited February 2019
    MikePTY wrote: »
    The less fat your body has on it, the less comfortable it feels burning a lot of fat quickly. If you try to lose too much weight too quickly, your body will start to burn muscle instead because it doesn't want to reduce fat. That is why it is advised for only .5 pounds a week when you are close to your goal. It makes it more likely that your loss will be fat and not muscle.

    Gotcha.
    If you’re eating enough protein and lifting light weights, yet still managing to lose 1lb? Still not a great idea ?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    The less fat your body has on it, the less comfortable it feels burning a lot of fat quickly. If you try to lose too much weight too quickly, your body will start to burn muscle instead because it doesn't want to reduce fat. That is why it is advised for only .5 pounds a week when you are close to your goal. It makes it more likely that your loss will be fat and not muscle.

    Gotcha.
    If you’re eating enough protein and doing lifting light weights, yet still managing to lose 1lb? Still not a great idea ?

    It is typically recommended to stay below 1% of your bodyweight loss per week, and I would typically not recommend that upper limit for most close to goal unless the person is very experienced and under optimal circumstances. So you are following proper lifting programming in the gym and getting more than enough protein, consistently.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited February 2019
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    The less fat your body has on it, the less comfortable it feels burning a lot of fat quickly. If you try to lose too much weight too quickly, your body will start to burn muscle instead because it doesn't want to reduce fat. That is why it is advised for only .5 pounds a week when you are close to your goal. It makes it more likely that your loss will be fat and not muscle.

    Gotcha.
    If you’re eating enough protein and lifting light weights, yet still managing to lose 1lb? Still not a great idea ?

    What do you mean by light weights? You need to move beyond leg lifts and curls with 3# weights to maintain muscle in a hard cut from a healthy weight starting point. If your TDEE is relatively high (say 2000 calories a day or more), cutting 500 calories while maintaining .8g of protein/pound of body weight (given starting point of weight within healthy limits) and at least 35 g of fat/day you might be able to maintain the resistance training that will maintain muscle mass. It will suck, though.

  • vanityy99
    vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    The less fat your body has on it, the less comfortable it feels burning a lot of fat quickly. If you try to lose too much weight too quickly, your body will start to burn muscle instead because it doesn't want to reduce fat. That is why it is advised for only .5 pounds a week when you are close to your goal. It makes it more likely that your loss will be fat and not muscle.

    Gotcha.
    If you’re eating enough protein and lifting light weights, yet still managing to lose 1lb? Still not a great idea ?

    What do you mean by light weights? You need to move beyond leg lifts and curls with 3# weights to maintain muscle in a hard cut from a healthy weight starting point. If your TDEE is relatively high (say 2000 calories a day or more), cutting 500 calories while maintaining .8g of protein/pound of body weight (given starting point of weight within healthy limits) and at least 35 g of fat/day you might be able to maintain the resistance training that will maintain muscle mass. It will suck, though.

    I mean 8lb weights and cardio on the elliptical with high resistance to maintain muscle on my legs, I mean like not having to go full weight training mode since all I’m trying to do is maintain what I have.
  • Opalescent_Topaz
    Opalescent_Topaz Posts: 130 Member
    Hanger: the struggle is real.
  • vanityy99
    vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    The less fat your body has on it, the less comfortable it feels burning a lot of fat quickly. If you try to lose too much weight too quickly, your body will start to burn muscle instead because it doesn't want to reduce fat. That is why it is advised for only .5 pounds a week when you are close to your goal. It makes it more likely that your loss will be fat and not muscle.

    Gotcha.
    If you’re eating enough protein and lifting light weights, yet still managing to lose 1lb? Still not a great idea ?

    What do you mean by light weights? You need to move beyond leg lifts and curls with 3# weights to maintain muscle in a hard cut from a healthy weight starting point. If your TDEE is relatively high (say 2000 calories a day or more), cutting 500 calories while maintaining .8g of protein/pound of body weight (given starting point of weight within healthy limits) and at least 35 g of fat/day you might be able to maintain the resistance training that will maintain muscle mass. It will suck, though.

    I mean 8lb weights and cardio on the elliptical with high resistance to maintain muscle on my legs, I mean like not having to go full weight training mode since all I’m trying to do is maintain what I have.

    Maintaining what you have in a deficit requires lifting heavy for you, progressively over time. Otherwise you are way more likely to lose it, unfortunately.

    Thanks you’re always awesome.
    I joined the mini challenge 10lbs by Easter, had to make sure if it was a wise idea first.
  • jasonpoihegatama
    jasonpoihegatama Posts: 496 Member
    WHEN i was 102kg i would lose 1 kg per week to get too 98kg my muscle didn't get any smaller or bigger and i was still lifting 200kg in dumbbell press however i was taking BCAA's , Whey and eating a lot. If i would have went any lower than 98kg i would have loss muscle. However i would gain back the 1kg in a week or too!!, This time round when i start?? i will be looking at losing 1lbs per week when i get 20kg from my new goal weight then drop to losing .5lbs pw. One reason for me is to build density in the muscle.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Its mainly based on compliance and the ability to get adequate nutrients. It becomes a lot more difficult as you get leaner to create that deficit.

    But for me, i am cutting quickly. Slowly doesn't work for me.