I have many clients come to me and they want to lose a LOT of weight in a LITTLE amount of time. I tell these clients all the time that not only is their goal not realistic, it is downright not healthy. There are many downsides of attempting to lose weight too quickly.
- You are likely to lose your hard-earned muscle that gives you shape.
- You are likely to ‘burn out’ before you’re at the weight you truly want to be at, increasing the chances of impulsive eating.
- You’re actually more likely to regain the lost weight.
- The worst possible scenario? You psyche yourself out of the whole process and end up in a worse spot than you were in before.
The first is possibly the worst of all, many do not realize the downsides of losing their hard- earned muscle. It can:
- Decrease your Resting Metabolic rate (now you burn even less calories)
- Increase your likelihood of being injured
- You’ll start to have a soft or “skinny fat” appearance.
So all of that being said… What is a good pace for weight loss?
Being patient and moving slowly on your journey is the best way that we can ensure long term success. Many of my clients (I am also guilty of this) are too focused on the FINAL outcome. Focus on what you CAN and WILL accomplish that week, and then celebrate your small victory and parlay it into bigger successes. Did you eat all the meals you were supposed to this week? Did you drink the amount of water that was asked of you? NICE!! A slower weight loss pace allows the client to be more comfortable and gives the body time to adjust and ensure that the loss is sustainable and something that will be able to be kept.
Scientific research shows that people who lose less than 1% of their current bodyweight are much more likely to keep that weight off, and isn’t that what actually matters? The numbers on the table below might surprise you, but some people like myself are visual learners and do better seeing it this way. I like to have my clients on pace to have them lose 1% of their bodyweight weekly because this allows them to have more than enough food and not get cranky!
Many circumstances might even require more patience. Any progress beats no progress. It is important to realize that even if you lose half a pound every week for a year, that is 26 pounds. Imagine what you’d look like next year if you kept 26 pounds off!
Are you ready to get in the best shape of your life? DM ME! Or email Chrismtraining@gmail.com
