If you read ads in the newspaper, watch infomercials on TV, or click on internet pop-ups, you’d assume that quick and easy weight loss is a piece of cake. “Lose 10 pounds in two weeks,” “Lose 10 pounds in 10 days,” and “Lose 10 to 18 pounds in less than six weeks” are just a few of the claims that set our expectations for the task of melting away extra fat. But are those results really possible?
The National Institutes of Health and the American College of Sports Medicine state that weight loss of one or two pounds a week is the maximum. According to these groups and many others in the medical community, if the dieter follows this guideline, he or she won’t lose lean body fat or suffer from hydration. One or two pounds a week certainly sounds wimpy in comparison to claims by the weight loss industry!
How does one sort through fantasy and truth? Well, first consider the amount of energy required to lose 10 pounds of fat. There are about 3,500 calories of stored energy in one pound of fat, so 10 pounds of fat is 35,000 calories of energy. Most people burn only about 100 calories walking or running a mile. So if you want to lose 10 pounds in a week, you’d have to run or walk 350 miles a week – or 50 miles every day. Of course, this assumes that you don’t change your eating habits during that week.
Do you think it’s possible to cover 50 miles a day in walking or running mode? Even if you could, you’d be incredibly hungry and probably overeat. So losing 10 pounds in a week by exercise alone seems pretty silly, doesn’t it?
Perhaps one can lose 10 pounds a week solely by dieting; in other words are you capable of not eating 35,000 calories in one week (that’s 5,000 calories a day)? As an example, think about the typical woman who is 5’5″ and 170 pounds. She exercises no more than 30 minutes a day, not including her daily routines around the house or at work. She maintains her 170 pounds on 1,900 calories a day. You can see that it’s impossible for her to lose 10 pounds a week since she would have to eat less than nothing (1,900 minus 5,000 is negative 3,100 calories)! But what if she ran 31 miles a day and ate nothing? That would do it, but of course it doesn’t make sense.
Because 10 pounds of body fat in a week is out of the question, how realistic is the two pounds per week “safe” weight loss guideline? Once again, to answer this question, let’s go back to the numbers. Two pounds of fat weight is equivalent to 7,000 calories or 70 miles of running/walking per week. Is it reasonable to expect someone to run 10 miles per day every day of the week and at the same time consume the same food as usual? Or to eat 1,000 calories less than usual for seven days without going crazy? For our sample woman, cutting 1,000 calories would mean eating about half her usual intake and about 500 calories less than what her body really needs to maintain basic functions at rest.
Losing 10 pounds of fat each week really isn’t practical (or possible!), so we need to consider the alternative “guideline” of no more than a 2-pound weight loss in a week. To do this, let’s go back to the numbers. For example, 2 pounds of fat is 7,000 calories or 70 miles of running or walking every week. Should we expect a dieter to run or walk every day and still consume his or her usual foods? Or eat 1,000 calories less than usual for 7 days – then not go on a food binge every day? Thinking about our typical woman again, cutting 1,000 calories from her daily diet amounts to consuming around half her intake. This is about 500 calories fewer than what she must have to just keep her basic existence intact.
Calculating the math is important in the beginning, and you need to consider these calculations before starting a diet. When you’re satisfied with the math, then it’s up to you to set realistic and reasonable goals. Keep in mind that a day’s worth of dieting and exercise probably won’t affect the weight you see on your scale the next day. But don’t get discouraged – stick with your diet and over time you’ll see the fat melt away.
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