When embarking on a weight loss journey, many of us are excited, if not a little obsessed with the idea of shedding a large number of kilograms in a short period. Over and over again, people find themselves looking for ways to lose weight fast and following eating plans and exercise regimens that are quite restrictive and unhealthy in the pursuit of this goal.
However, what may come as a surprise to you is that slow weight loss is a much healthier alternative than fast weight loss.
In this article we’ll shed more light on the question ‘why is slow weight loss better than rapid weight loss?’ by showing you scientific evidence that supports this. We’ll also tell you about all the advantages that come with slow weight loss, in addition to the disadvantages and health risks that come with the alternative route.
When you’re trying to shed those extra pounds, slow and steady weight loss is a goal that is often emphasized by doctors, registered dietitians, and gym trainers. But what is it exactly? Does it mean losing 1 kg every month for the rest of the year or something else?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slow weight loss is one that allows you to lose up to 1 to 2 pounds a week (0.5 to 1 kilogram a week), until you reach your desired body goals and weight (1).
This form of slow weight loss isn’t achieved by quick fix diets or spending countless hours at the gym. Instead, it’s achieved through ongoing lifestyle choices that focus on exercise (30 minutes a day 5 days a week) and a healthy and well balanced calorie deficit diet (2).
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If you realize that you’re losing between 1 and 2 pounds a week (0.5 to 1 kilogram a week), then you don’t need to be frustrated with slow weight loss. As mentioned above, this is the recommended pace for a healthy and sustainable weight loss process.
It may be slower than what you see mentioned on social media, but it’s perfectly healthy progress.
However, if you see that you’re losing less weight than this or even that your initial progress has stopped completely, then you may be going through a weight loss plateau (3). Plateaus in weight loss are a normal part of the process and unfortunately, they can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to get over (3).
If you notice that you’ve plateaued, some tips to help you get over this hurdle include:
Read more: No Matter What I Do I Can’t Lose Weight: True Reasons Your Scale Won’t Budge And Viable Solutions
There is no doubt that working out can help you lose weight, but working out alone probably won’t help you reach your goals as fast as you’d like. However, once you add healthy eating to the equation, your weight loss progress should become faster and more significant than if you simply used exercise alone.
Over the years, studies comparing the effects of exercise alone, diet alone, or a combination of both diet and exercise for weight loss have shown that the combination offers the best results compared to just diet or exercise (4, 5, 6, 7)
But how do you adjust your eating habits to help further your goals?
Here are some dietary changes you can make to help you achieve slow weight loss without putting your health at risk:
Weight gain is often a result of consuming more calories than you burn over a long period of time. Being in a deficit ensures that you consume less food energy than you expend, which forces your body to burn stored fat for energy, ultimately leading to fat and weight loss.
Generally, a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 kcal less than your energy needs is often recommended, but one study published in 2021 suggested cutting just 500 to 750 calories in the beginning stages – which may be better than a 1,000 kcal deficit, as it can help you manage hunger better (8).
You can figure out what your calorie goal should be by using a reputable calorie and food-tracking app.
When it comes to fat and weight loss, protein should be your best friend. Over the years, several studies have suggested that eating a higher protein diet may do more for your weight loss than eating more fat or even following a low-carb diet.
These studies have shown higher protein intake to be associated with lower waist-to-hip ratio, loss of belly fat, weight loss, and increased muscle mass, regardless of age or sex (9, 10, 11, 12).
All these factors can be traced back to the fact that protein helps with increased satiety, which prevents overeating, increased thermogenesis that helps with calorie burning, and the growth and maintenance of fat free mass, which boosts your metabolism (13).
Research has suggested that the more added sugars and alcohol you consume, the higher your BMI, waist circumference, and risk of obesity may be. Instead of consuming these sugary and/or alcoholic drinks, we suggest replacing them with water, unsweetened tea, and coffee, which are far lower in calories and better for you (14, 15).
Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates aren’t detrimental to your weight loss plans. However, some types of carbs are more nutritious and weight loss-friendly than others.
Added sugars and refined grains are easy to overeat as they taste really good and don’t keep you full for very long. Research has suggested that eating a lot of these types of carbs can contribute to weight gain (16).
They include food options such as baked treats (cakes, cookies), sweets, white bread and pasta made from white flour, sodas and juices, and more. If you want to lose weight, it’s a good idea to eat less of this type of carbs.
However, complex carbs are what you need to consume more of. Research has shown that their consumption can contribute to weight loss, perhaps due to a higher fiber quotient, which improves satiety and leads to a lower daily caloric intake. Complex carbs are also packed with all their nutrients, which makes them better for your general health (16).
Examples of complex carbohydrates to add to your diet include:
Slow weight loss requires you to eat and not starve yourself. Vegetables are a great way to do this as they’re low in calories, which means you can eat large amounts of them and not affect your calorie deficit, and they’re also high in fiber, which helps with bowel movements and is more filling, which helps you control and maintain your weight (17).
Please Note:
While diet plays a huge role in losing weight, as mentioned above, the results are always improved by working out. For slow weight loss that’s sustainable in the long term, it’s recommended that you try and get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity 5 or more days per week (1). This amount of exercise is also recommended for everyone due to its numerous health benefits.
Some examples of slow weight loss exercises that can help you achieve this include walking, swimming, jogging, weightlifting/strength training, HIIT, and yoga.
Here are some reasons why you should stick to the slow and steady race instead of rushing to see quick results:
Yo-yo dieting is defined as a pattern that leads to a life-long cycle of weight loss and weight gain. Studies on the effects of yo-yo dieting in both human beings and mice suggest that this kind of eating behavior may increase the chances of weight regain, increase hunger and the use of food as a reward, and reduce your metabolic rate, which means less calorie burning (18). Yo-yo dieting may also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (19, 20).
When people see the scale going down rapidly during the first few days/weeks of a weight loss journey, they get quite excited. However, what they don’t realize is that most of the weight lost in these instances is usually either water weight or muscle mass.
One study comparing the effects of rapid and slow weight loss found that the former led to a greater decrease in total body water, lean body mass, fat-free mass, and RMR (resting metabolic rate). This was the complete opposite for slower weight loss that led to a greater decrease in waist circumference, hip circumference, fat mass, and body fat percentage (21).
Any weight loss can result in reduced energy needs, but losing weight more rapidly can lead to more of a reduction in metabolic rate. Your metabolism is very important in weight loss (22) – the slower it is, the harder it becomes to lose further weight, and the faster it is, the quicker the entire process becomes.
By choosing to use the healthier but slower route of weight loss, you can prevent your metabolic rate from slowing down too much. If you add more factors such as eating more protein and exercising, you can boost your metabolism a bit, thereby helping the process.
Malnutrition or nutrient deficiency is an issue that is caused when the body doesn’t receive or absorb enough of the many different vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) and macronutrients that are essential for its development and disease prevention (23, 24).
As rapid weight loss is often brought about by extreme eating habits, nutritional deficiencies may occur, which over time can lead to problems such as anemia, eye problems, reduced immunity, depression, and skin problems (24). With slow weight loss, such issues are easily prevented due to consuming a healthy well-balanced diet that doesn’t exclude any food groups.
Rarely will people ever ask the question ‘is slow weight loss better for skin?’ but the truth is that losing weight gradually could save you from a lot of skin-related problems later. When you gain weight, your skin expands and stretches to accommodate your new size. Once you start to lose weight, the skin shrinks to fit your smaller size.
However, if you lose weight too quickly, the skin has no chance to regain its lost elasticity and does not shrink in time (25). This then leaves you with excess, loose, hanging skin that can cause insecurity.
Please Note:
For your weight loss to be successful, you also need to adjust your expectations. Get rid of the idea/hope of massive weight loss in 2 weeks, 21 days, 1 month, etc. as in the same way weight gain doesn’t happen overnight, weight loss doesn’t either. You must set realistic goals and be patient.
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As mentioned above, your metabolic rate is essential to a successful weight loss journey. But how can you keep your metabolism fast to ensure that you lose weight as required and don’t fall into a plateau? Here are some tips:
Adding some chili or pepper to your food is said to increase your metabolic rate, albeit temporarily. Studies have also suggested that capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, has antiobesity effects (26, 27).
As stated above, research has shown that this macronutrient helps preserve and build more muscle mass, increase thermogenesis, and boost satiety, all factors which help your metabolism and weight loss.
Coffee and teas such as oolong and green tea can help boost your metabolism due to the presence of caffeine. An older study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who drank coffee had an increased metabolic rate for 3 hours after ingestion. The results also suggested that caffeine promotes fat oxidation when consumed (28).
Research has shown that not only can stress, especially chronic stress, slow down your metabolic rate, it can also lead to overeating, two factors which can lead to an increase in belly fat and overall weight gain. Find ways to destress at the end of each day or at least during the weekend (29, 30).
For more tips for middle-aged women, check out our article on weight loss for women over 40.
Read more: 1700 Calorie Diet: Your Roadmap to Sustainable Nutrition
While this diet has helped some people with weight loss in short periods of time, you may find that you’re losing more weight than you anticipated and at a rapid rate. Here are some things you can do to slow it down:
However, what if your problem isn’t that you’re losing too much weight but you’re experiencing slow weight loss on keto? What might you be doing wrong? Here are some potential answers:
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that has strict regulations on how much carbs you can consume in a day. If you notice slow weight loss on this eating plan, go back to the drawing board and calculate how many carbs you’re actually consuming per day.
As keto is quite high in fat, many people jump to the conclusion that they’re now allowed to eat all the ‘bad and fatty’ foods that aren’t allowed on other meal plans. While keto may allow ghee, butter, and extra servings of cheese, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t watch what you eat. Try to include more healthy fats, lean proteins, and non-starchy vegetables.
The trick to every weight loss game plan is a calorie deficit. Irrespective of what diet you’re on (keto included), if you’re not on a deficit, you won’t see any results.
As mentioned above, weight loss plateaus commonly occur when your metabolism slows down during weight loss. If you’re sticking to the ketogenic dieting rules and working out, you may be going through a plateau. To get out of it, follow the tips mentioned above.
Slow, healthy, and sustainable weight loss is one where you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. This is a viral eating plan that requires its followers to eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up and then take 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise. No, you can go as slowly as you want. It’s recommended to aim for 1 to 2 pounds a week (which translates to 0.5 kg to 1 kg), but everyone is different. If you’re consistently losing weight over time, a slower pace isn’t a problem. It can also help to focus on other improvements, such as health markers or the way your clothes fit. There is no healthy way to lose more than 1 kg of fat in a week. If you’re able to lose that much weight in such a short time, it’s likely to be more water than fat. Unexplained weight loss can be due to underlying health issues such as thyroid issues, mental health illnesses, diabetes, HIV, TB, cancer, organ failure, or even as a side effect of medication (31). Please speak to a doctor to try and find the actual reason before jumping to conclusions and don’t self-diagnose.Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered slow weight loss?
What is the 30-30-30 rule for weight loss?
Is losing 1 kg a month too slow?
How can I lose 1.5 kg in a week?
Why am I slowly losing weight for no reason?
If you’re overweight or obese, slow weight loss is something you should be aiming for. Don’t be tricked and tempted by promises of rapid weight loss where you might drop two jeans sizes in two weeks or 10 pounds in 10 days. Such plans will only serve to lead you down a path of yo-yo dieting and other health issues.
If you’re planning a weight loss journey and are unsure of the best way to go about it, please first speak to your doctor and dietitian so they can show you the best way forward. If you can afford it, enlist the help of a trainer so they can get you on a workout regimen to help you achieve your body goals. Always ensure that you put your health first above all else.
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