Maximum Weight Loss

A recent study has provided a nice equation to use when planning and monitoring your weight loss program. It also backs up my own findings with clients, plus the findings of two world renowned companies with whom I consult.

The study was conducted to look at the maximum amount of weight that can be lost without compromising lean body mass (LBM). This differentiation is vital, since as I’ve discussed previously, loss of LBM lowers metabolic rate. So even though somebody may lose substantial amounts of weight (Fat Mass and LBM), if a good proportion of that is LBM you actually end up with a slower metabolism than when you started, and essentially pave the way for both a lifelong struggle with weight, and eventually (and far more rapidly than your body would have before) fat gain.

This is commonly caused by employing the usual methods of weight loss which attempt to lose body fat far too quickly, use insufficient protein, and also often fail to use resistance exercise to maintain muscle. In doing so, they compromise both muscle and performance.

In this recent study (which is pretty representative of the prior evidence), researchers at the Norwegian School of Sports Science in Oslo, reduced the caloric intake of one group of athletes by 30% (Fast Loss), and another group by 19% (Slow Loss). The diet continued until both groups lost 5% bodyweight, which took the Fast Loss Group between 5 and 6 weeks and the Slow Loss Group between 8 and 10 weeks. To assist in maintaining muscle mass, they used four resistance workouts per week. (1)

Results showed that although the Fast Loss Group did not lose significant lean mass (there was however a slight reduction) or strength, they did not improve performance either, which you would expect from an effective training program. Their fat mass was reduced by 21%.

The Slow Loss Group gained 2% lean mass, and gained significant strength in the one–repetition-maximum strength test and improved performance in other tests. However, this group reduced their fat mass by 31% (10% more than the Fast Loss Group), leaving them not only leaner, but, due to the increased LBM, also with a faster metabolism.

The authors concluded that a weekly loss of 0.7% of your bodyweight is a good level in which to aim. This percentage is about the maximum you should ideally lose if long term body-compositional change is your goal. In fact, one of the companies I correspond with leans towards a percentage of between 0.4-0.6 per week as the maximum a client should lose for long term change.

This is extremely frustrating for a lot of clients of reputable coaches as they (the clients) have been deceived into believing the 2-3 lb per week bullsh*t touted by the big multi-national ‘weight loss’ companies. As I’ve exposed before (http://tinyurl.com/7kpslr4) this figure (2-3 lb) has more to do with guaranteeing repeat custom, than your long term success. I personally don’t want customers to come back for repeat weight loss programs, if they do, it means I wasn’t successful in the first place. I don’t do failure.

Quick example: If a female client came to me weighing about 161 lbs, the MAXIMUM weight loss I would want to see in the first week would be about 1 lb. The following week I would expect slightly less as we are now re-starting from a reduced set-point, and so on as we re-adjust through subsequent weeks.

However, bear in mind that this is if the person is both weight training and eating optimal amounts of protein. In which case, especially if they are new to weight training, the scale may not even register a drop in bodyweight as we may be gaining LBM in excess of the drops in bodyfat. The scale may even show an upward trend, at least for a while.

Both from the research and in real-world situations the best strategy for long term improvements in body composition and in terms of metabolic rate, is to take it slow, do regular resistance exercise, take the right type and amounts of protein each day, and lose NO MORE than 0.7% bodyweight per week.

References

1. Garthe I, Raastad T, Refsnes PE, Koivisto A, Sundgot-Borgen J. Effect of two different weight-loss rates on body composition and strength and power-related performance in elite athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2011 Apr;21(2):97-104.