Rapid Fat Loss or Gradual Weight Loss: Which one is Better?
The challenge for most fitness professionals or personal trainers when a client approaches us for weight loss goals is to maintain muscle while losing weight. This is a difficult task to balance because most clients want results fast, efficient, and quick. Fitness professionals including myself want to deliver these high-quality results without impacting or losing lean body mass.
The pressure that society, social media, and the images we see daily in advertisements places additional pressure on the trainer to produce these results for the client and can influence our decisions to take unnecessary steps that place the individual we are assisting in potential harm. It also doesn't help that social media, and artificial intelligence has created unrealistic expectations and body dysmorphia, as weight fluctuations are normal when attempting to recompositing our bodies.
We also live in a world of "quick fixes" where there are now engineered drugs, Wegovy, Ro Body, Mounjaro, Ozempic, and other GLP-1's that promote rapid weight or fat loss at a expediate rate (sometimes at 5% or higher a week of someone's bodyweight). The promotion of these engineered weight loss drugs is being advertised with prominent members of the sports, music, and media world. The individuals we train are surely going to explore the possibility of this option. The more they see it, the more they will ask about it, and the more it will place individualized stress on our decisions to assist and offer concrete advice.
As a fitness professional who relies on the science and even the long-term approach to success, here a meta-analysis study and an abstract that I have attached to keep risk at a minimum, maintain integrity, optimize resting metabolic rate, and develop muscle all while delivering results with weight loss.
I review different methods utilized to induce rapid weight loss before the introduction of GLP's that include sauna, wearing excessive layers of clothing (which includes trash bags, sweat suits), water and salt (loading and unloading), restricting food intake, training in extreme heat, use of laxatives, diuretics, self-induced vomiting, excessive spitting, and touch on GLP-1 Medications (look for the drop on the 2 GLP Studies coming soon, one regarding adherence and the second on muscle loss...sign up to receive notice).
WHAT DOES THE DATA SUGGEST:
POSITIVE SHORT TERM with Rapid Fat/Weight Loss:
1- Improve Body Composition Quickly
2- Feels Rewarding
3- The Weight Scale Shows Improvements
NEGATIVE LONG TERM with Rapid Fat/Weight Loss:
1- Performance Suffers
2- Lean Muscle Mass Loss
3- Strength Loss
4- Possible Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss
Additional potential "NEGATIVE EFFECTS" of Rapid Fat/Weight Loss:
1- degradation of lean muscle tissue
2- decreased RMR (resting metabolic rate)
3- dehydration (vomiting, mental fatigue, apathy, kidney failure)
4- lower energy levels, which impacts resistance training performance
5- sleepiness, mental fatigue, increased headaches, and mood swings
6- chronic health issues and conditions (muscle atrophy, blood pressure, cholesterol, osteoporosis, abnormal growth)
7- risk of developing an eating disorder
BEST PRACTICE: Gradual Weight Loss
The painstaking, consistent, long-term approach of dieting, and resistance training has been extensive studied for decades and the evidence-based studies suggest "gradually" losing weight is the best practice to maintain appropriate weight loss adherence long term. This ensures that with the any form of weight loss the individual does not lose muscle, strength, and in still able to maintain a functioning resting metabolic rate.
What the "Decades of Evidence" suggests is best for long-term adherence:
1- Only lose 0.5% to 1% of per week of total bodyweight. For example, if someone weighed 200lbs that would be 1-2 lbs. per week.
2- Studies also suggest that 0.5% is an optimal and safer option for long term success.
SHORT- and LONG-TERM BENEFITS of Gradual Weight Loss include:
1- maintain lean muscle
2- potentially increase lean mass gains
3- reduce fat mass
d- maintain strength
5- maintain performance
6- improved chronic conditions (blood pressure/cholesterol)
IMHO (in my humbled opinion): This approach is more strategic, perceptually feasible, and maintains long term progress. Current GLP-1's are an option (study coming soon), but mitigation of resistance exercise training, adequate protein intake, and possible behavior counseling should be considered with the GLP-1's and ultimately used as a tool and not a "quick fix".
Other types of methods and tactics that I touched upon should be avoided.
The ultimate goal in any weight loss or RET program is to provide safe and effective weight loss strategies, and resources to help lose weight, change behaviors, and manage healthy weight over time. It is always important to consider using a nutritionist, registered dietician, or other health care provider when thinking about making significant weight loss changes.
So, when considering other unsustainable options and the potential dangers of rapid weight loss compared to the good ole fashioned, long term, consistent approach which includes resistance exercise training...think long, hard, use common sense, and unlearn what you thought you knew.
-Jesse
Disclaimer: Sharing a study in NOT an endorsement. You should read the original research yourself and be critical.
