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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
What is the safe & healthiest weekly weight loss per week when dieting?
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8th Dec I weighed 15st 7lb I now weight 14st 7lb. I am being advised is should be losing 4lb per week if I am dieting correctly . -
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Chris Fonda
Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Dietitian
As an Accredited Sports Dietitian, APD and athlete (springboard diver), Chris has both professional and personal experience in sport at the sub-elite and elite level.Chris … View Profile
What we generally say is that a weight loss of around 0.5-1.0 kg (1.1 - 2.2 lb) per week is what we would consider sustainable weight loss. Or you could also look at losing 5-10% of your body weight in 6 months (also very sustainable).
The problem with losing weight too quickly is that you will be losing valuable muscle mass (not fat mass) which will slow your metabolism down making it harder to lose weight. This is why “yo-yo” dieters find it very difficult to lose weight.
I hope this helps answer your question. If you require further assistance with your weight loss, I would recommend you consult an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), you can find one at the Dietitians Association of Australia website (www.daa.asn.au) and click on “find an APD” tab. Good luck :)
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Arlene Normand
Dietitian
Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile
The healthiest way to lose weight is neither crash diets nor bursts of exercise. The body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise. It has to become a lifestyle. It is suggested that a healthy weight loss is between 2-2 ½ kg per month.
For example, someone who hasn't exercised for years shouldn't rush into running miles a day or pounding the treadmill. Not only will the struggle to do so leave you feeling disheartened and demotivated, you're also far more likely to injure yourself and set your fitness levels back further.
The same goes for people who suddenly start starving themselves. Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food ‘allowed’ can lead you to be deficient in the nutrients and vitamins that your body needs.
So, if you need to lose weight, what should you do?
Energy needs and weight loss
Your body uses food for energy. It stores any excess energy as fat. This means if you eat more food than your body needs for daily activities and cell maintenance, you'll gain weight.
To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat. The most effective way to do this is to both reduce the amount of calories you eat and increase your levels of activity. This is why experts talk about weight loss in terms of diet and exercise.
Introduce changes gradually
Small changes can make a big difference. One extra biscuit a week can lead you to gain 2 kg a year – cut that biscuit out of your diet and you'll lose the same amount.
You're also more likely to stick to, say, swapping full-fat milk for semi-skimmed or making time for breakfast each morning than a diet that sets rules for all foods.
You should think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits. While weight-loss goals are usually set in term of weeks, the end game is to sustain these changes over months and years, ie lifestyle change for life.
Increase your activity levels
Someone who increases the amount they exercise, but maintains the same diet and calorie intake, will almost certainly lose weight.
No matter if you hate gyms – even light exercise, such as a short 20 minute walk, will be beneficial if done most days of the week.
Every single time you exercise more than usual, you burn calories and fat.
There are lots of ways to increase the amount of activity you do. Team sports, aerobics classes, running, walking, swimming and cycling. Find something you enjoy that's easy for you to do in terms of location and cost. You're then more likely to build it into your routine and continue to exercise, despite inevitably missing the odd session through holidays, family commitments, etc. Get out and about at the weekend. Leave your car on the drive and walk to the shops. Every extra step you take helps. Always use the stairs instead of the lift, or get off the bus a stop before the usual one and walk the rest of the way.
Reduce your calorie intake
There are no shortcuts to losing weight in a healthy and reasonable way.
Eating 300 to 500 calories less per day should lead to a loss of between ½ - 1 kg per week. This is a realistic target. It may seem slow, but it would add up in a year.
Below are ways to reduce calorie intake without having to alter your diet significantly.
Replace fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water.
Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.
Eat less lunch than usual. For example, make your own sandwich and limit the use of margarine or butter and full-fat mayonnaise (store-bought sandwiches often contain both).
Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee.
Have smaller portions of the food you enjoy.
Avoid having a second helping at dinner.
Cut out unhealthy treats – such as confectionary, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.
Cut down on alcohol intake.
All these things will influence your health in a positive way.
Finally, don't be tempted to skip breakfast – or any meal to lose weight. While skipping a meal will reduce your calorie intake for that hour, it will leave you much hungrier later on.
Not only are you likely to overeat to compensate, but you'll often make bad choices to fill the gap: a cereal bar is not as healthy as a bowl of cereal or as filling, leading you to ‘need’ something extra for lunch.
Irregular eating habits also disrupt your body's metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight in the first place.
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