Many of those seeking a diet solution are quick to ask the inevitable question; how many pounds can you lose in a week? Would it surprise you to know that the human body can rid itself of over 40 pounds in a week? That’s how much Moses lost on the reality TV show “The Biggest Loser”.
This article will look at some of the factors preventing the average dieter from achieving such tremendous results, as well as tell you the reasons that you don’t want to lose weight that fast.
The first problem dieters face with losing weight quickly is the fact that the body’s metabolism slows by 2 percent a year, every year after the ripe old age of 20. So by the age of 45, the degree of effort you need to exert to reach your weigh loss goals has become 50% greater than it was when you were in your teens. Added to that uphill climb is the poor performance of many prescription weight loss drugs that on average only lead to a 5-10 percent reduction in body weight over the course of a year. And many of these drugs cannot be prescribed for more that 12 weeks at a time. See our previous article on the subject.
Also, not all weight loss is equal. Burning fat quickly and effectively can be difficult for your body. When placed under extreme dieting stress, it may begin to burn lean tissue along with fat. The body can start doing this because it is under such great pressure to produce energy from stored resources and it cannot process the stored fat quick enough. The result is that you keep the fat and start burning vital muscle instead, which leaves you feeling lethargic and hungry. A rapid weigh loss plan needs to be targeted in order to prevent this.
We mentioned Moses in the opening of this article. The 40 pounds that he lost in front of a TV audience is well documented, but it is not advisable for anyone to attempt this feat on their own. It’s important to note that he achieved that weight loss under an intensive dieting and fitness program that was medically supervised and targeted for fat loss. The contestants under went a barrage of medical test each day to monitor their progress but also to watch out for the development of potentially critical complications. Because the fast weight loss regimen was so hazardous to their health, the producers of the show required the contestants to sign legal waivers absolving the producers of any liability in case of their death. Even those contemplating a less extreme diet should be aware of the less well known, yet common side effects of dieting – gallstones. Gallstones are a serious medical conditions afflicting dieters who lose weight too quickly and they lead to hundreds for thousands of hospital admissions per year. Gallstone can cause severe abdominal pain, and even lower back pain that chiropractors often misdiagnose. Other times, a dieter might not experience any pain and be completely unaware of the stones developing. The stones are caused by a sudden decrease in dietary fat which the body is an accustomed to. This leads to the gallbladder not contracting and expelling old bile, which in turn causes the development of stones.
So how many pounds can you lose in a week safely? Recent research has found that the ideal rate of weight loss is between 1/2 to 2 pounds per week. This is the optimum rate that was found to be safe for the widest segment of society, as well as produce the longest lasting results. Weight loss greater than 3 pounds per week leads to a significant increased risk of gallstones(1). Other side effects include acidosis, irritability, muscle atrophy, and dry cracking skin caused by dehydration. Doctors will not typically recommend a weight loss program that aims for goals any greater than this. The exception is the jump start program developed by the Mayo Clinic which features a 10 pound per week reduction that is based on a medically proven research foundation.
If 10 pounds a week does not sound like enough for you, we’d like to remind you that you will have lost 40 within 1 month. Not only that, these are pounds that you are more likely to keep off. We remain very skeptical of diets that promise results greater than this. Should you be contemplating one, be sure to do you homework on it and check the credentials of those who formulated the diet. Diets not based on and backed up by research studies are simply fly-by night frauds.