You want to lose weight as quickly as possible. We totally get it. Seeing results fast can be really motivating.
And while it may be tempting to under-eat or do an excessive amount of exercise in order to lose weight fast, it can lead to a host of negative consequences that can be detrimental for your health and set you up for failure when it comes to keeping the weight off long-term.
Here are some of the key reasons why taking a slower approach is going to be significantly more beneficial for you:
1. Better for your metabolism
Fast weight loss can cause your metabolism to slow down, making it more difficult to lose weight in the future and potentially leading to weight regain. On the other hand, slow and steady weight loss helps maintain a healthy metabolism, making it easier to keep the weight off long-term.
2. Less muscle loss
Fast weight loss often leads to a loss of muscle mass in the process, which again can reduce your metabolic rate and reduce your ability to burn calories as a result. Slow fat loss, on the other hand, focuses on burning fat while preserving muscle mass, helping you to maintain a healthy weight and body composition.
3. Less risk of rebound weight gain
Fast weight loss is often followed by a rebound weight gain, where the body regains the weight that was lost quickly, often with additional weight. This can be discouraging and can lead to a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. Slow fat loss helps you develop healthy habits that can be sustained long-term, reducing the risk of rebound weight gain, and increasing your chances of maintaining your progress.
4. Allows for a more balanced lifestyle
Rapid weight loss often requires drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle, which are usually impossible to sustain longer than a few weeks and can lead to feelings of deprivation and subsequent overeating. Slow fat loss, on the other hand, allows you to make gradual changes to your diet and lifestyle, helping you to develop healthy habits that can be sustained long-term in order to get the results you want.
5. Healthier for your body
Rapid weight loss often involves crash diets or extreme calorie restriction, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies, decreased energy levels, hormonal issues and other health problems. Taking a slower approach allows you to ensure that you are still eating a balanced diet, so that you are getting all of the nutrients you need to maintain optimal health.
6. More room to move when you reach a plateau
If you start your diet on 1200 calories you’re giving yourself no room to move when your progress plateaus. When you stop getting results (which will happen at some point), your metabolism will have already adapted to your low intake which means that you’ll have to reduce calories even further to continue making progress, which is not realistic or sustainable. The goal with dieting is to lose fat while eating the highest amount of calories possible. You only need to reduce them when you are no longer responding despite great compliance.
As you can see, taking a slower approach to fat loss instead of trying to lose weight as quickly as possible is a healthier, more sustainable, and less stressful way to achieve your goals. By making gradual changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can reduce the risk of negative consequences and develop healthy habits that can actually be sustained long-term. If you are looking to lose weight, we highly encourage you to focus on slow and steady progress rather than quick, dramatic changes. Your body and your mental health will thank you.
If you’re ready to put an end to the restriction and yo-yo dieting for good, we’re here to help. Click here to find out more about how our 1:1 Personalised Coaching has helped thousands of women get the results they want while finding food freedom.