Early 'Rapid' Weight Loss Might Support Better Weight Loss Success

While a definitive optimal rate of weight loss that provides the best weight loss success in the long term has never been officially established, most weight loss experts agree that a healthy rate of weight loss is anywhere from 0.5 to 2 pounds per week.  Needless to say, this is a pretty wide range and someone who loses 2 pounds per week is going to lose a lot faster than a person who loses 0.5 pounds per week.  But the question remains... are there benefits to losing weight at one pace compared to others?

To answer this question, researchers from the University of Florida examined the rate of weight loss in a group of middle-aged (about 60 years of age on average), obese (average BMI ~37) women who followed a weight loss plan for 6 months and received follow-up support for an additional year.  As part of the weight loss plan, the study volunteers were encouraged to reduce the amount of calories they consumed in order to lose about 1 pound per week. 

As expected, the rate of weight loss differed among the women in the study.  The study investigators grouped the weight loss volunteers into three groups based on their rate of weight loss during the first month of the study:  (1) FAST (lost at least 1.5 pounds per week), (2) MODERATE (0.5 - 1.5 pounds per week), and (3) SLOW (less than 0.5 pounds per week).  Differences in long term weight loss success were examined between groups.  The results of this analysis showed that:

• After 6 months, women in the fast group lost more weight (30 pounds) than women in the moderate (20 pounds) and slow (11 pounds) groups.
• Similar results were observed after 18 months when the study was completed with women in the fast group (24 pounds) losing more weight than women in the moderate (16 pounds) and slow groups (8 pounds), though it is clear that each group showed a small amount of weight regain.
• Women who lost weight at a moderate or fast pace were 3-5 times more likely to lose at least 10% of their initial body weight, a percentage that has been shown to have health benefits.

These are fascinating study results that suggest a more rapid weight loss, within the accepted healthy rate of loss, at the beginning of a weight loss program might support better long-term weight loss success.   Women in this study who lost at least 1.5 pounds per week lost more weight overall, were able to maintain their weight loss, and did not experience any greater weight regain than the other groups.  However, losing 1.5 pounds per week takes real committment to one's weight loss plan.  In order to lose 1.5 pounds per week, a person has to burn 750 more calories per day than they eat.  While 750 calories per days seems like a lot, if this is approached as a combination of diet (eat at least 375 calories less per day) and exercise (burn at least an additional 375 calories per day), achieving a 750 calorie deficit will be less daunting.

Following a regular diet and exercise routine, like my easy diet plan, can make it easier to target this kind of weight loss.  Dieters in my weight loss clinical trial lost 26-29 pounds on average in 16 weeks, which averages to just over 1.5 pounds per week.  Of course, individual results did vary with some volunteers losing more and some losing less.  To learn more visit us at www.drtabor.com.