Losing weight. A goal that some people may work to attain during their fitness journey. As tempting as it may be to drop the weight as fast as you can, too much of anything can be more detrimental than good. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some of the risks of rapid weight loss are slowing down your metabolism, losing muscle mass, and missing out on important nutrients.
Metabolism is the process of transforming food and drinks into energy. According to the Mayo Clinic, factors that influence your metabolism are sex, age, and size. Typically, individuals who are larger, younger, and male will have a faster metabolism as they tend to have more muscle. As age increases, metabolism tends to slow down due to the loss of muscle. That being stated, when losing weight too fast, it can cause your metabolism to significantly shift because it is your body’s way of ensuring that you don’t starve. Thus, slowing down your metabolism means it is easier for you to gain the weight back due to how your body isn’t used to consuming large numbers of calories.
As stated before, a rapid weight loss can also lead to a loss of muscle mass, as well as a risk of nutritional deficiencies. When going into a calorie deficit (burning more calories than consuming), it is crucial to not cut more than 500 calories from your basal metabolic rate (the average amount you burn on a daily basis). However, if being supervised by a professional, you may be able to increase that number. According to Healthline, if you’re not eating enough calories on a daily basis, it can lead to a deficiency in important nutrients such as iron, vitamin B12, and folate. Symptoms such as hair loss, fatigue, and poor immune function are a result of a nutritional deficiency. Moreover, rapid weight loss can not only lead to fat loss, but muscle loss as well. According to a study conducted in 2015, 25 participants were only consuming 500 calories for five weeks, whereas 22 other participants were consuming 1,250 calories for 12 weeks. The results were similar in terms of weight loss, however, the individuals who were only consuming 500 calories lost six times the amount of muscle compared to those consuming 1,250 calories.
All in all, if weight loss is one of your goals, remember that doing it at a moderate pace and staying consistent will allow you to gain muscle as well as lose weight.
SOURCES
[The effect of rate of weight loss on long‐term weight regain in adults with overweight and obesity - Vink - 2016 - Obesity - Wiley Online Library](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21346)
[Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories - Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508)