Is it really unhealthy? I mean really

[markpeterson45]

Why is fast weight loss considered unhealthy? I can't tell you how many times I have read that anything above 4lbs a week isn't good for you.

A 290lb 6ft male has a maintenance level averaging 3000 calories under the sedentary category. That same person would burn around 1300 calories per hour of riding a stationary bike around 14mph.

If this person had a lot of spare time for whatever reason and could ride that bike 3 hours a day spread over 3 sessions and ate 1500 calories, they would burn 1.5lbs worth of calories per day. Why is this unhealthy? He would be eating plenty of calories and exercising for just 3 hours but would be burning 10lbs worth of calories per week. Why exactly would this be a bad thing like I've heard so much?

 

[IHeartExercise]

From someone who is too engrossed in this stuff and is still not an expert so someone please advise if I have something wrong. *smile*

This guy would have to make sure he is truly replenishing his body. 1500 calories is not considered enough caloric intake for a man based on many standards. Riding a bike for 3 hours is great as long as he is drinking enough water and taking in enough nourishment. Your body gets to a point where it does not have anything to really burn. If you exercise without feeding your body adequately your body essentially begins feeding off of itself.

Anything above 4lbs a week is usually water weight just like people who obsess over the scale and agonize over the 3-5 lb fluctuations each day. When it is not water weight it gets into the realm of fad dieting. You are shocking your system too much. That might work for people who are getting their jaws wired shut or having some type of weight loss surgery. Not for people who want a change in lifestyle that they can keep up and none of us want eating disorders or longterm health defects either.

This guy probably will not be able to ride a bike for 3 hours everyday for the rest of his life and take in only 1500 calories.

 

[Steve]

Beating your body into submission tends to play out poorly.

That said, I have no problem with faster weight loss than what the common recommendations suggest assuming it's done right and there's a good bit of weight to lose.

 

[maverick2]

I agree with Steve. I think there are definitely *healthy* ways to lose weight more quickly than the 1-2 pounds a week, if you have enough time for exercise and food prep.

That being said, a three hundred pound man trying to bike three hours a day is likely (in my opinion) to give himself a heart attack or develop joint issues.

Strenuous exercise has to be undertaken pretty gradually, to prevent burnout and injury.