When people try to lose weight through methods like dieting, they often hope to see quick results in terms of weight loss. However, experts say that losing weight too quickly can lead to excessive muscle loss, which is actually detrimental to health. So, how do we know if we are losing weight too fast? Are there any signs that can help us gauge this?
According to Nick Fuller, the head of a research project at the Charles Perkins Center at the University of Sydney in Australia, muscle is a key factor in determining the body’s metabolic rate. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories.
When people diet to lose weight, they create a calorie deficit, which means the body does not get enough energy from food to meet its needs. As a result, the body starts breaking down fat and muscle tissue for fuel.
When the amount of muscle available to burn calories decreases, the body’s metabolism slows down. This can quickly reduce the speed of weight loss and impact our ability to maintain weight over the long term.
As for how to know if you are losing too much muscle, Fuller explains that measuring changes in muscle mass is not easy. The most accurate way is to use dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to scan the body and obtain data on weight, body fat, muscle mass, and bone density.
However, the cost of using such equipment is high. Fortunately, there is a free method – you can judge whether you are losing too much muscle while dieting by looking for three signs:
According to Fuller, rapid weight loss is one of the early signs of extreme dieting and excessive muscle loss. The loss of muscle mass from rapid weight loss (more than 1 kilogram per week) is greater than with slow weight loss.
Slow weight loss tends to better preserve muscle mass and often comes with the added benefit of losing more fat.
Feeling fatigued, moving slowly, and having difficulty performing physical activities (such as exercising or doing household chores) are strong signals of muscle loss.
Research has shown that a decrease in muscle mass could negatively impact your physical functioning.
Emotional fluctuations and feelings of anxiety, stress, or depression may also be signs of muscle loss.
Studies indicate that low muscle mass can have negative effects on mental health and emotions. This appears to stem from the relationship between low muscle mass and neurotrophins, proteins that help regulate mood and feelings of happiness.
So, how can you maintain muscle mass while dieting? Fuller suggests three methods:
– Foods rich in protein play a crucial role in muscle growth and maintenance. Research has found that these foods also help reduce muscle loss during dieting.
However, consuming more protein does not mean only eating protein. Meals should be balanced, incorporating protein, whole grain carbohydrates, and healthy fats to meet daily needs.
A study on obese older adults found that resistance training can almost completely prevent muscle loss caused by dieting.
Relying solely on dieting to lose weight will reduce muscle and fat, slowing down metabolism. Thus, ensuring that you include appropriate exercise in your weight loss plan to maintain muscle mass is essential.
You don’t need to go to the gym to exercise. Using body weight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and squats, as well as weightlifting and strength training equipment, can be just as effective.
Research shows that over half of the weight lost through dieting is regained within 2 years, and over 80% is regained within 5 years.
However, following a slow and steady approach to weight loss can prevent the body from activating defense mechanisms to protect weight and prevent weight regain.
Fuller concludes by saying that long-term weight loss ultimately involves gradually changing your lifestyle to ensure you develop habits that can be sustained for a lifetime.