Does Rapid Weight Loss Pose Real Risks?

[Builderman]

Blueeyedme said:

Builderman said:

Bluecost10 said:

skaylife said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

Your starting weight plays a big role here. At 4,5 weeks in on GLP-1's, things are typically quick right at the start. Up to this point, what you've dropped is just extra water. Once actual fat loss kicks in, the pace will ease off. So at this stage, I'd say there's no need to be concerned yet.

I'm with you on this. That said, during the first few weeks a lot of people drop a big amount of weight, and the reason is that it's largely water. The question is what comes next. Things slow down, and right there is where a lot of people slip up. They push to shed the maximum amount possible, so they begin starving themselves. Education on this point is genuinely needed.

I aim for 180 grams of protein each day. I do resistance training 4 times a week, yet my daily intake is only about 1600 calories. Right now I'm looking for ways to raise my calories while keeping that protein amount unchanged. I just need to bring the loss down to roughly 1 pound a week by eating more.

When I began Reta I was at 287, so even though I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and have plenty to lose, I'm not the heaviest person around.

Wow!! What on earth is going into your body?

I’ve been eating a massive amount of the new Costco pre packaged chipotle char grilled chicken along with cottage cheese. My carbs are kept pretty low. If I need more protein on a given day, I’ll sometimes have a fair life shake.

 

[woundcarping]

Builderman said:

woundcarping said:

Builderman said:

Bluecost10 said:

skaylife said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

Your starting weight plays a big role here. At 4,5 weeks in on GLP-1's, things are typically quick right at the start. Up to this point, what you've dropped is just extra water. Once actual fat loss kicks in, the pace will ease off. So at this stage, I'd say there's no need to be concerned yet.

I'm with you on this. That said, during the first few weeks a lot of people drop a big amount of weight, and the reason is that it's largely water. The question is what comes next. Things slow down, and right there is where a lot of people slip up. They push to shed the maximum amount possible, so they begin starving themselves. Education on this point is genuinely needed.

I aim for 180 grams of protein each day. I do resistance training 4 times a week, yet my daily intake is only about 1600 calories. Right now I'm looking for ways to raise my calories while keeping that protein amount unchanged. I just need to bring the loss down to roughly 1 pound a week by eating more.

When I began Reta I was at 287, so even though I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and have plenty to lose, I'm not the heaviest person around.

My Tirz journey began at 282lb, and 4 weeks afterward I switched to Reta while sitting at 272lb.

Everyone has their own approach, but if I stayed at my original weight and dropped merely 1 pound each week, that wouldn't sit well with me... it's not a problem per se, just slower than what I'm aiming for, and my own data/experience so far backs that up. Beyond that, DEXA scans let me get a rough split between fat and lean mass lost, which gives me a better handle on my actual calorie deficit than simply assuming 3500cal per pound of fat. By those calculations, my daily deficit has been running about 1100 calories on average.

View attachment 10082

How much does it cost you to get DEXA scans?

$200 a pop, and it takes an hour of driving to get them done. Scan number 5 is coming up in a few weeks.

Builderman said:

Blueeyedme said:

Builderman said:

Bluecost10 said:

skaylife said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

Your starting weight plays a big role here. At 4,5 weeks in on GLP-1's, things are typically quick right at the start. Up to this point, what you've dropped is just extra water. Once actual fat loss kicks in, the pace will ease off. So at this stage, I'd say there's no need to be concerned yet.

I'm with you on this. That said, during the first few weeks a lot of people drop a big amount of weight, and the reason is that it's largely water. The question is what comes next. Things slow down, and right there is where a lot of people slip up. They push to shed the maximum amount possible, so they begin starving themselves. Education on this point is genuinely needed.

I aim for 180 grams of protein each day. I do resistance training 4 times a week, yet my daily intake is only about 1600 calories. Right now I'm looking for ways to raise my calories while keeping that protein amount unchanged. I just need to bring the loss down to roughly 1 pound a week by eating more.

When I began Reta I was at 287, so even though I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and have plenty to lose, I'm not the heaviest person around.

Wow!! What on earth is going into your body?

I’ve been eating a massive amount of the new Costco pre packaged chipotle char grilled chicken along with cottage cheese. My carbs are kept pretty low. If I need more protein on a given day, I’ll sometimes have a fair life shake.

Also be sure you're getting fat every day — it's the most calorie-dense macro and it helps the gall bladder keep contracting and emptying.

Carbs taste great and go down easy... every so often I catch myself being a grumpy twat, and it turns out a few carbs snap me out of it, probably something to do with blood sugar. (Not diabetic)

 

[JoonyO]

Builderman said:

spanky2026 said:

Dropping pounds at that rapid pace - and that speed is quick - tends to bring on issues such as gallstones, hair shedding, muscle wasting, and so on.

I’ve got no hair left to lose, so that side effect doesn’t worry me. Gallstones, though… that’s something I’d rather avoid.

Speaking from my own life, I can confirm that what you're saying is true. The pain has been likened to giving birth. It was only after my 10th child that I gave in and had it taken out. Looking back, I regret that decision, because now I understand how strongly diet influences it, and I think I could have fixed the issue if I'd had today's knowledge back then. This took place at the start of the covid scheme, a time when I still trusted Drs somewhat and believed the food "pyramid" was truthful...

 

[Shittersfull]

Whatever suits you best is what you should do. To me, carrying severe obesity is a bigger problem than dropping pounds quickly. So if your weight keeps you from exercising, and shedding it "too quickly" still brings you to a place where exercise becomes possible, where you build different routines, feel better about who you are, and lock in lasting shifts — then more strength to you.

 

[Builderman]

JoonyO said:

Builderman said:

spanky2026 said:

Dropping pounds at that rapid pace - and that speed is quick - tends to bring on issues such as gallstones, hair shedding, muscle wasting, and so on.

I’ve got no hair left to lose, so that side effect doesn’t worry me. Gallstones, though… that’s something I’d rather avoid.

Speaking from my own life, I can confirm that what you're saying is true. The pain has been likened to giving birth. It was only after my 10th child that I gave in and had it taken out. Looking back, I regret that decision, because now I understand how strongly diet influences it, and I think I could have fixed the issue if I'd had today's knowledge back then. This took place at the start of the covid scheme, a time when I still trusted Drs somewhat and believed the food "pyramid" was truthful...

Back in January I dealt with kidney stones…if that's any indication of what this is like, I want no part of it.

 

[Bluecost10]

Builderman said:

Bluecost10 said:

skaylife said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

Your starting weight plays a big role here. At 4,5 weeks in on GLP-1's, things are typically quick right at the start. Up to this point, what you've dropped is just extra water. Once actual fat loss kicks in, the pace will ease off. So at this stage, I'd say there's no need to be concerned yet.

I'm with you on this. That said, during the first few weeks a lot of people drop a big amount of weight, and the reason is that it's largely water. The question is what comes next. Things slow down, and right there is where a lot of people slip up. They push to shed the maximum amount possible, so they begin starving themselves. Education on this point is genuinely needed.

I aim for 180 grams of protein each day. I do resistance training 4 times a week, yet my daily intake is only about 1600 calories. Right now I'm looking for ways to raise my calories while keeping that protein amount unchanged. I just need to bring the loss down to roughly 1 pound a week by eating more.

When I began Reta I was at 287, so even though I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and have plenty to lose, I'm not the heaviest person around.

Based on what has worked for me, I would suggest blending a shake that includes raspberries, low fat quark, oats, and protein powder. Simply combine all the ingredients, then pour in a small amount of water at the end to avoid an overly thick consistency. You can tweak the amounts without difficulty to match your calorie and protein targets. It also staves off hunger for quite a while.

 

[5byfive]

Blueeyedme said:

Builderman said:

Bluecost10 said:

skaylife said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

Your starting weight plays a big role here. At 4,5 weeks in on GLP-1's, things are typically quick right at the start. Up to this point, what you've dropped is just extra water. Once actual fat loss kicks in, the pace will ease off. So at this stage, I'd say there's no need to be concerned yet.

I'm with you on this. That said, during the first few weeks a lot of people drop a big amount of weight, and the reason is that it's largely water. The question is what comes next. Things slow down, and right there is where a lot of people slip up. They push to shed the maximum amount possible, so they begin starving themselves. Education on this point is genuinely needed.

I aim for 180 grams of protein each day. I do resistance training 4 times a week, yet my daily intake is only about 1600 calories. Right now I'm looking for ways to raise my calories while keeping that protein amount unchanged. I just need to bring the loss down to roughly 1 pound a week by eating more.

When I began Reta I was at 287, so even though I'm carrying a lot of extra weight and have plenty to lose, I'm not the heaviest person around.

Wow!! What on earth is going into your body?

I aim for 200 daily, though it typically lands closer to 220. Hitting that isn't tough at all. Things like 93% lean ground beef or turkey, eggs plus egg whites, Greek yogurt with high protein, and the occasional protein bar or shake do the job. Spread a solid amount across each meal and snack, and it adds up quickly; miss protein at breakfast and you'll spend the rest of the day trying to catch up.

 

[BNLFL]

woundcarping said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

I landed on a personal target of 1% down per week when I was putting my own rules together. Once you get into the 1.25-1.5% range and hold it, the research shows a pretty obvious jump in problems. For me, 1% felt like a number I could actually build a plan around while still pushing hard. It's been 29 weeks now, and I'm still exactly on pace to wrap up in 16 more weeks, with almost no lean mass lost since January, and with any luck my gallbladder will come through completely unscathed.





View attachment 10080

About 2lbs each week. When I work it out, mine comes to 2.2lbs per week. I keep track of it with a spreadsheet.

 

[BNLFL]

I saved this so I can pull it up for the people in here who push back whenever I say they're dropping too many pounds each week.

 

[JoonyO]

I had no idea Quark was overweight...

 

[Shaqdiesel]

eidos said:

I once knew a chef who passed away from heart failure during a serious weight-loss regimen, and this was despite having medical oversight.

So yes, it does happen.

This is exactly why having medical supervision matters. At minimum, you need blood work, blood pressure monitoring, and an ECG.

How fast you lose weight should be measured as a percentage of where you started. Dropping 5 pounds when you begin at 400 is not equivalent to dropping 5 pounds when you begin at 150.

If you're not experiencing an irregular heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, or severe tiredness, you can take some comfort. But issues with the kidneys or liver won't show up without testing. The pancreas and gallbladder can also be impacted. A competent doctor can keep an eye on these things.

Trouble can occur when fat has accumulated in the body over many years, and during that time, the person has been around solvents that dissolve in fat. That list includes paints, cleaning agents, gasoline, insecticides, and pesticides, among others. These can get released into the system and trigger acute poisoning.

If you've gassed up your car occasionally or painted a room or two at home, that's not a concern. What we're discussing is repeated and ongoing exposure.

 

[puttmayn]

I started at 260. My first reta injection was on April 19, and today I'm sitting at 198. I'm really, really pleased, sure — but when I got my latest labs done on Thursday 7/02, I found out my liver enzymes had skyrocketed. AST 58, ALT 174. I've got another checkup today after using nac/tudca. It's possible my liver is simply still catching up with losing 60lbs over 2 1/2 months, and hopefully it levels out soon. It's also possible that gallstones are blocking some ducts.

 

[kartikeya]

woundcarping said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

I landed on a personal target of 1% down per week when I was putting my own rules together. Once you get into the 1.25-1.5% range and hold it, the research shows a pretty obvious jump in problems. For me, 1% felt like a number I could actually build a plan around while still pushing hard. It's been 29 weeks now, and I'm still exactly on pace to wrap up in 16 more weeks, with almost no lean mass lost since January, and with any luck my gallbladder will come through completely unscathed.





View attachment 10080

What I really want to know is how these calculations translate into what a person actually does. Do you have a reliable system for steering your weekly weight loss, or are you mostly just comparing numbers against a reference point?

 

[woundcarping]

kartikeya said:

woundcarping said:

Builderman said:

Growing up, I kept hearing that dropping weight too quickly could be harmful.

I figure at some extreme, say 10 pounds weekly, that's likely rough on the body. But where's the line separating dangerously fast from fast yet safe? And does it truly cause long-term damage the way some say?

So far I've lost 26 pounds, averaging 5.6 pounds per week, and I feel better than I have in years.

I landed on a personal target of 1% down per week when I was putting my own rules together. Once you get into the 1.25-1.5% range and hold it, the research shows a pretty obvious jump in problems. For me, 1% felt like a number I could actually build a plan around while still pushing hard. It's been 29 weeks now, and I'm still exactly on pace to wrap up in 16 more weeks, with almost no lean mass lost since January, and with any luck my gallbladder will come through completely unscathed.





View attachment 10080

What I really want to know is how these calculations translate into what a person actually does. Do you have a reliable system for steering your weekly weight loss, or are you mostly just comparing numbers against a reference point?

There’s no mystery to it: when the pounds came off quicker than I wanted, I increased my food intake or dialed back the exercise. When they came off slower without a clear cause, I cut calories or moved more.

The one unexplained stall happened in May after I started creatine. I fell about 6lb short of where I wanted to be, yet the DEXA scan showed less lean mass loss than I had predicted. So I quit the creatine, introduced a small amount of Sema, increased my walking slightly, and within 3 weeks I was back on track.

 

[deleted.user.26]

Once you go past 2lbs weekly, that's generally viewed as the threshold where gallbladder problems start showing up. Close behind that come muscle loss and malnutrition concerns. Staying patient matters most if you want to reach a goal weight without wrecking your metabolism....