Conventional wisdom says that losing weight quickly is
neither safe nor sustainable.
If you crash diet to
drop pounds or try something like a juice cleanse you always gain the weight back!
Not so fast: A new study from the University of
Melbourne tested the the widely held opinion that people who lose
weight rapidly gain it back rapidly and found that it might be just
that—an opinion.
The study went on for more than three years and took place
in two phases. Two hundred volunteers were divided evenly into two groups:
either a rapid or gradual weight-loss program. The participants were all obese
but otherwise healthy and aged between 18 and 70 years. The rapid weight-loss
group was given an extremely low-calorie diet (450
to 800 calories) over the course of 12 weeks, while the gradual group reduced
calories by 400 to 500 calories a day over the course of 36 weeks.
Scientists aimed for both groups to reduce their body weight
by 15 percent, just at different rates. They could tell their participants were
actually following the rules if their weight did indeed drop. For phase two,
over 144 weeks, all participants were instructed to follow an individualized diet for
weight maintenance. Throughout the entire study, they also had to meet with a
dietitian regularly and perform mild to moderate exercise every day, like
a brisk walk.
By week 144 of the study, both groups had gained most of
their weight back. The gradual weight-loss group gained, on average, 71.2
percent of their weight back, and the rapid-loss group gained, on average, 70.5
percent back.
In discussing these results, the researchers note that
the similar rates of regain suggest that it’s a myth that you “should” lose
weight slowly. In fact, they say that members of the rapid weight-loss
group were more likely to hit their targeted weight and were more likely to
start working out regularly on their own accord. They suggest that
getting big results quickly may have been a source of motivation for those
participants.
While the results are interesting, they are definitely not
an excuse to crash diet. Researchers noted that the strict diets of the rapid
group made it impossible to obtain normal (and necessary) nutrients—obviously a
huge problem. What's more, this study was done on obese people so it's unclear
if those who are only slightly overweight would see similar results.
If you are
going to attempt quick weight loss, the researchers suggest you speak with a
dietitian to work on a plan that ensures you get the vitamins and minerals that
you need. And keep in mind that even if both groups saw similar results, the
slow-and-steady method is still much less disruptive to your everyday life—and
therefore a much less miserable approach if you’re trying to drop pounds.
