When you are trying to lose weight, losing it too quickly can be unhealthy for you, according to Medline Plus. To lose weight in a healthy manner, balance dietary changes with an increase in physical activity to achieve a gradual reduction in weight.
Safe Weekly Weight Loss
In general, a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week is ideal, Medline Plus says. Losing weight more rapidly may be dangerous because you are cutting too many calories from your diet or exercising to the point of excess. While it's possible to experience fluctuations in how your weight loss progresses -- more one week and less the next -- it's safe to aim for a gradual loss of 1 to 2 lbs. each week.
The Science Behind Weight Loss
Every pound of fat on your body amounts to the equivalent of 3,500 calories. That means to lose 1 lb. in one week, you will have to reduce your caloric intake or increase the amount of calories you burn off by 3,500 calories in the seven-day period. To lose 2 lbs., you have to increase that figure to 7,000 calories, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Reach these caloric goals with a combination of more physical activity and fewer calories consumed.
Weight Loss Tips
If you're just starting on your weight-loss journey, begin slowly, and gradually introduce changes to your diet and exercise routine. Doing too much at once may turn you off from this new lifestyle and make you more likely to slide back into your old, unhealthy habits. The Weight-Control Information Network suggests changing your diet to eliminate foods with added sugars and fats and building a healthy eating plan around whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein. And keep this in mind: Women should not reduce caloric intake to less than 1,200 and men to less than 1,500 calories per day without medical supervision, Medline Plus says. When you start exercising, begin with a short and simple workout and gradually increase how much time you spend on your workout and how intense it is.
Benefits of Weight Loss
Once you start seeing the numbers of the scale fall, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that what you are doing each day making you much healthier. Being at a healthy weight means you are less likely to develop serious medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, the CDC reports. You'll even be at a lower risk for certain types of cancer and for having a stroke or heart attack. If you are overweight or obese, every pound of weight loss helps. Losing 5 percent to 10 percent of your total body weight reduces your risk for these chronic diseases. And as the weight loss continues, your risks will fall even more.
Member Comments