Why do they say losing more than 2 pounds per week is not healthy?

[Geekbabe]

Taking the weight off slowly helps you to avoid the turkey skin situation.It also helps to ensure that the dietary changes you've made will be long lasting ones.

 

[Turkish]

2 lbs / week is bullsh!t. It all depends on the person's eating habits/metabolism... of course a bit on exercise as well... i usually burn around 1500 calories w/cardio and take in around 2500 calories a day. I have been doing this for a bit over 2 months and have lost 36 lbs. I feel great. It just depends on how much you want to lose weight. Your body is unique. Don't believe in averages.

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt.

And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt.

And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

Perhaps true to a point, but I'd wager 90% of the blame for the ever-expanding waistlines can be placed squarely on laziness. Imagine the difference in the overall weight and health of American if everyone got 60 min of aerobic exercise 5 times per week......even with no modification to anyone's diet.

 

[beer]

Fausto, why do you even bother posting in these threads? You and I know what relatively safe ways to lose fat are, and people still insist on using extreme, extreme examples of a 400 lb woman instead of a more realistic average of a 200 lb man or 180 lb woman trying to lose 30 or 40 lbs. in order to try to get around your logic.

I just give up in these threads. People will defend any sort of rediculous point to the death when they obviously don't know any more about the human body than a freshman kinesiology student.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Fausto1
Just for perspective (assume 2200 kcal BMR)

*Losing two pounds per week with no exercise requires a daily caloric deficit of 1000 kcal (intake = 1200 kcal)

*Losing two pounds per week with 1 hour aerobic exercise per day (assume 600 kcal per hour) still requires a 500 kcal deficit (intake = 1700 kcal)

*Losing 5 pounds per week with no exercise requires a daily deficit of 2500 kcal (impossible)

*Losing 5 pounds per week with 1 hour per day workout (5600 kcal): daily deficit = 2000 kcal (intake 200 kcal)

*Losing 5 pounds per week and still eating 2200 kcal per day would require a bit over 4 hours of aerobic work every single day of the week to burn the 2500 kcal per day.


Make sense? Only the second example is reasonable for the average person. Even a psycho like me only gets in about 10-15 hours per week on the bike, but I also eat a very normal diet. I'm sure I easily approach 3000 kcal per day, but then I have to in order to properly recover from all the cycling I do and I stil lose weight.

But that still is'nt quite accurate either, sure 5 pounds of fat may equal x amount of calories but the way those calories are burned off can vary as much as a persons hair color. Take 5 different people and put them on a treadmill at the same pace for the same amount of time doing the same intensity. Each one of those people will have a different amount of weight loss at the end of a week of exercising. Then you have to factor in metabolism, genetics, insulin response, cortisol levels, etc.. Some people can lose 5 pounds of fat by simply eating healthy and breathing in a week, while another person can do loads of cardio and weight lifting and still not acheive that kind of result. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that the human body is way to complex to say one rule applies to all.

 

[Red]

So what do you guys think of Atkins? I was always told reducing caloric intake and exercise is the only healthy way to lose weight.

 

[beer]

TWO POUND OF WEEK IS AN AVERAGE PEOPLE!

If you can MAINTAIN two pounds per week over a YEAR that's 104 lbs you will lose!
Very rarely do normal people lose anywhere near that over the course of a year because they fvcking yo-yo!

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt.

And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

Perhaps true to a point, but I'd wager 90% of the blame for the ever-expanding waistlines can be placed squarely on laziness. Imagine the difference in the overall weight and health of American if everyone got 60 min of aerobic exercise 5 times per week......even with no modification to anyone's diet.

Again, a valid point but I must say that ignorance is often to blame for a lot of our fitness problems.. My mother actually believes that pumpkin pie is healthy because it contains pumpkin... Other people consider french fries a serving of veggies.. I know these are extreme situations but not everyone has the time to geek out and research diets/etc. as much as we do.. Doctors should not be held responsible for our ills but they should be encouraged to lead us down a path to better health..Instead, they're encouraged to write prescriptions...

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Amused
Ark, 2 lbs/week is an average. Which means, in most people, losing more weight per week can mean they are either seriously dehydrating themselves, or are losing too much lean muscle mass, or both. The 2 lbs target is ideal for holding on to your muscle.

It's basiaclly a warning against fad diets and fasts. Yes, it is posible to lose more than 2 lbs/week of fat, but not for most people who think food deprivation is the key to weight loss.

But what is average? If a person who was eating 3000 calories a day drops down to 1200 calories which is what they should be eating (in this example) and they lose 5 pounds per week are they losing muscle or fat? I'm really suspicious of terms like "average" and "normal" these days when it comes to body weight. It seems like there's way to many factors involved to say whats average. But then again what do I know, I'm just working on a theory.

As I said before in my long winded reasoning, it's the easy answer.. "Doctor, how much weight should I be losing?" What's easier than 2 lbs? You're right - there are a million factors - current weight, height, family history, health complications, metabolisms, etc.. The 2 lbs a week is a lazy, lazy answer and is a mental panacea of sorts.. Hear me out on this.. It's a little far fetched.. Everyone knows that it's fairly easy to lose 2 pounds a week - especially if you're a lard ass like many of us americans are.. If EVERYONE that is on a weight loss program is convinced that 2lbs is normal and safe and preferred they'd be inspired by the 2 lb lost - even though that's pretty insignificant - instead of pushing themselves a bit harder.. It's complacency through ignorance, baby...

Sigh, OK. Go ahead and believe that. But realize that rapid weight loss usually means the loss of lean muscle, dehydration, and the kicking in of your body's starvation defenses. Ever wonder why people end up fatter after yo-yo dieting? It's because the body becomes more adept at storing energy as fat when threatened with starvation in preparation for the next fast.

Your body doesn't care that you want to lose weight. It only cares how much energy it has stored much like you care how much money you have saved in the bank. Make the body think it's starving and that it NEEDS those energy stores, and it will do everything it can to save it, or replenish what it lost. Not only that, but your body then sets a higher setpoint for fat stores, because the last setpoint was too easily lost.

The more rapid the weight loss, the more likely the person is to gain it back, and more.

Whether you like it or not, this is the correct answer. Many studies have been done that prove this.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Amused
Ark, 2 lbs/week is an average. Which means, in most people, losing more weight per week can mean they are either seriously dehydrating themselves, or are losing too much lean muscle mass, or both. The 2 lbs target is ideal for holding on to your muscle.

It's basiaclly a warning against fad diets and fasts. Yes, it is posible to lose more than 2 lbs/week of fat, but not for most people who think food deprivation is the key to weight loss.

But what is average? If a person who was eating 3000 calories a day drops down to 1200 calories which is what they should be eating (in this example) and they lose 5 pounds per week are they losing muscle or fat? I'm really suspicious of terms like "average" and "normal" these days when it comes to body weight. It seems like there's way to many factors involved to say whats average. But then again what do I know, I'm just working on a theory.

As I said before in my long winded reasoning, it's the easy answer.. "Doctor, how much weight should I be losing?" What's easier than 2 lbs? You're right - there are a million factors - current weight, height, family history, health complications, metabolisms, etc.. The 2 lbs a week is a lazy, lazy answer and is a mental panacea of sorts.. Hear me out on this.. It's a little far fetched.. Everyone knows that it's fairly easy to lose 2 pounds a week - especially if you're a lard ass like many of us americans are.. If EVERYONE that is on a weight loss program is convinced that 2lbs is normal and safe and preferred they'd be inspired by the 2 lb lost - even though that's pretty insignificant - instead of pushing themselves a bit harder.. It's complacency through ignorance, baby...

Sigh, OK. Go ahead and believe that. But realize that rapid weight loss usually means the loss of lean muscle, dehydration, and the kicking in of your body's starvation defenses. Ever wonder why people end up fatter after yo-yo dieting? It's because the body becomes more adept at storing energy as fat when threatened with starvation in preparation for the next fast.

Your body doesn't care that you want to lose weight. It only cares how much energy it has stored much like you care how much money you have saved in the bank. Make the body think it's starving and that it NEEDS those energy stores, and it will do everything it can to save it, or replenish what it lost. Not only that, but your body then sets a higher setpoint for fat stores, because the last setpoint was too easily lost.

The more rapid the weight loss, the more likely the person is to gain it back, and more.

Whether you like it or not, this is the correct answer. Many studies have been done that prove this.

 

[amcdonald]

Originally posted by: Elemental007
TWO POUND OF WEEK IS AN AVERAGE PEOPLE!

If you can MAINTAIN two pounds per week over a YEAR that's 104 lbs you will lose!
Very rarely do normal people lose anywhere near that over the course of a year because they fvcking yo-yo!

I just wanted to point out the excellent math skills here. Kudos to you!

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt.

And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

No. America's waistline continues to expand because America has adopted completely sedentary lifestyles and refuse to get even moderate daily exercise. The obesity epidemic is not a food problem, nor is it caused by poor medical care. It's caused by people unwilling to get off their asses.

The 2lb/week guideline is effective, IF FOLLOWED and exercise and diet moderation rather than calorie deprivation is used. But that's not what people want to hear. They want a fast and easy fix. It does not exist.

 

[Arkitech]

I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

 

[MattCo]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt. And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

No. America's waistline continues to expand because America has adopted completely sedentary lifestyles and refuse to get even moderate daily exercise. The obesity epidemic is not a food problem, nor is it caused by poor medical care. It's caused by people unwilling to get off their asses. The 2lb/week guideline is effective, IF FOLLOWED and exercise and diet moderation rather than calorie deprivation is used. But that's not what people want to hear. They want a fast and easy fix. It does not exist.

America's obesity problem is definitely excercise related but to say food is not a factor is short sighted. We live in a fast food world where (and I know there are exceptions) people eat fast food for every meal. When you put away 1500 calories a meal at McDonalds twice a day, you could excercise your arse off and still be FAT.

-MC

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

Well so far this week I've lost 4 pounds and the week is'nt out yet. Usually on weekends I do longer sessions of cardio on more than one occasion, so I imagine I could be anywhere between 5-8 pounds less this week. I don't think I'm losing water weight as I typically drink more than 120 ounces of water per day and hopefully I'm not losing muscle especially since I'm lifting weights again. So I'm hoping that I can attribute this loss to low carb, healthy eating and good exericse.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

Well so far this week I've lost 4 pounds and the week is'nt out yet. Usually on weekends I do longer sessions of cardio on more than one occasion, so I imagine I could be anywhere between 5-8 pounds less this week. I don't think I'm losing water weight as I typically drink more than 120 ounces of water per day and hopefully I'm not losing muscle especially since I'm lifting weights again. So I'm hoping that I can attribute this loss to low carb, healthy eating and good exericse.

Yikes. I guess I could lose that much in a week if I wanted to, given all the bike riding I do, but I hate being hungry and I like beer. Two-ish pounds lost per week while still having a few beers and maybe an order of fish & chips at my favorite local pub is a better deal IMHO.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

Well so far this week I've lost 4 pounds and the week is'nt out yet. Usually on weekends I do longer sessions of cardio on more than one occasion, so I imagine I could be anywhere between 5-8 pounds less this week. I don't think I'm losing water weight as I typically drink more than 120 ounces of water per day and hopefully I'm not losing muscle especially since I'm lifting weights again. So I'm hoping that I can attribute this loss to low carb, healthy eating and good exericse.

How many weeks have you been doin this?

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

Well so far this week I've lost 4 pounds and the week is'nt out yet. Usually on weekends I do longer sessions of cardio on more than one occasion, so I imagine I could be anywhere between 5-8 pounds less this week. I don't think I'm losing water weight as I typically drink more than 120 ounces of water per day and hopefully I'm not losing muscle especially since I'm lifting weights again. So I'm hoping that I can attribute this loss to low carb, healthy eating and good exericse.

Yikes. I guess I could lose that much in a week if I wanted to, given all the bike riding I do, but I hate being hungry and I like beer. Two-ish pounds lost per week while still having a few beers and maybe an order of fish & chips at my favorite local pub is a better deal IMHO.

haha I love beer myself, its been a big temptation not to crack open a cold one this week.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Elemental007

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess what bothers me about this 2 pound a week thing is that I'm currently busting my ass running everyday, lift weights 2-3 times per week and eating healthy balanced meals. There is no way in my mind that a person who puts in that kind of effort should expect to only lose 2-3 pounds of fat per week. I can perhaps see that number being a guideline for someone who is only dieting but I refuse to belive that an extremely active person with good eating habits would be held to those kind of numbers.

Well then....how much have you been losing on a weekly basis? Just curious.

Well so far this week I've lost 4 pounds and the week is'nt out yet. Usually on weekends I do longer sessions of cardio on more than one occasion, so I imagine I could be anywhere between 5-8 pounds less this week. I don't think I'm losing water weight as I typically drink more than 120 ounces of water per day and hopefully I'm not losing muscle especially since I'm lifting weights again. So I'm hoping that I can attribute this loss to low carb, healthy eating and good exericse.

How many weeks have you been doin this?

Its been almost 3 weeks with the exercise. I was playing basketball off and on for about a month. Then a couple of weeks ago I started walking everyday for about 4 miles, the next week I started biking everyday for about 8 miles. Starting today I plan on doing some running and increasing my distance on the bike. Also this week I started my low carb dieting and weight lifting.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: MattCo

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: AmusedFine, if you want a personalized weight loss plan, go pay for one. Pay for dozens of tests, hours of a doctors time, and hours of a trainer's time.... only to be told another arbitary number like 3.4.

Why are you so angry? I'm trying to have a thoughtful, intelligent conversation and you get all huffy and such.. Relax.. Or shall I say, grow up?

I'm not angry. Just blunt. And my answer is thoughtful, because this is what would be required for what you're demanding.

My broad point is that I do feel that our medical system is a bit incompetent and AGREE that for meaningful losses to occur, fitness/diet programs should be personalized to a degree.. Would I spend money on a nutritionalist? If I had the money I would... But I feel like that diet/nutrition/fitness advice should be an integral function of our health care system.... Yes, I do believe that it's a bit naive and idealistic but it saddens me that medication and not prevention is america's philosophy.. 2lbs a week might be a simple guideline but without better guidance america's collective waistline continues to expand..

No. America's waistline continues to expand because America has adopted completely sedentary lifestyles and refuse to get even moderate daily exercise. The obesity epidemic is not a food problem, nor is it caused by poor medical care. It's caused by people unwilling to get off their asses. The 2lb/week guideline is effective, IF FOLLOWED and exercise and diet moderation rather than calorie deprivation is used. But that's not what people want to hear. They want a fast and easy fix. It does not exist.

America's obesity problem is definitely excercise related but to say food is not a factor is short sighted. We live in a fast food world where (and I know there are exceptions) people eat fast food for every meal. When you put away 1500 calories a meal at McDonalds twice a day, you could excercise your arse off and still be FAT.

-MC

McDonalds has existed in any great number since the 1960s. People used to cook nearly everything with lard, crisco and/or bacon grease until the 70s. Fatty, high calorie meals are nothing new. The obesity epidemic did not start until the late eighties and early ninties with the growing popularity of 100s of TV channels, home video games and the internet.

Oh, and I eat 3500 calories or so a day... and I'm far from fat. In fact, I need to up my calorie intake. I lift and do cardio four days a week.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
Other people consider french fries a serving of veggies..

not only are french fries a vegetable for federal school lunch benefits, but so are the (limit 2) ketchup (but not catsup) packets that go along with them!