Should You Try to Lose Weight Fast?

Is learning how to lose weight fast a good idea? This is a controversial topic because for many people it is an important goal. In reality, rapid weight loss is often unsustainable.

Re-contextualising the goal of weight loss in relation to optimising health, happiness, recovery and performance can be a better way to approach and think about this subject.

Below are examples from top athletes, including Meredith Root, Lauren Fisher and Annie Thorisdottiron on how they approach their nutrition in regards to weight loss, body fat percentage, performance, long term health and self-acceptance.

We hope you can find their approaches helpful.

LEARNING HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST – UNDERSTANDING CALORIE BALANCE

Calorie balance is the ratio between calories taken in and calories expended by any one individual at any given time. This is the MOST IMPORTANT factor when it comes to changing your weight.

The calories you need and expend on a daily basis will be individual to you based on your age, lifestyle and fitness habits.

There are 3 states of calorie balance:

• Negative calorie balance (hypocaloric diet)
• Calorie balance (eucaloric diet)
• Positive Calorie balance (hypercaloric diet)

It is impossible to be in more than one of these states at any one time.

• A negative calorie balance will always result in weight loss. “Even though body water alterations may occasionally mask this loss of tissue, it is always going to occur, with ZERO exceptions so far discovered.”
• A eucalorie balance means that the athlete will not gain or lose weight because they expend as many calories as they consume.
• A positive calorie balance means that the individual is consuming more calories than they are using.

When it comes to learning how to lose weight fast, this is as important factor. But it overly simplifies a complicated process.

Why Sustainability Is What Matters Most in Your Nutrition

CrossFit Games athlete and qualified Nutritionist Meredith Root shared her thoughts on the way that the industry often focuses disproportionately on this aspect of learning how to lose weight fast.

MEREDITH ROOT’S PERSPECTIVE ON CALORIE BALANCE

“Calories in/out are only one variable of many that determine if and when someone loses body fat. Resting metabolic rate, NEAT, willingness to exercise, desire to eat/not eat are all impacted by calories in AND impact the total calories someone burns.”

“How about increase calories, get the person to sleep and move more and then see what happens…There are plenty of people who I know have experienced performance and body composition improvements by INCREASING calories.”

“I could go on about the effects of a calorie deficit on cortisol and thyroid hormones and the effect those have on your ability to lose body fat…How about recommend that people seek out coaching or work with a professional to understand where they are at currently from a metabolic health standpoint before deciding if cutting calories is the right path for them? Just a thought.”

She posted these comments in response to Sheila Barden’s advice about how to lose weight fast.

LAUREN FISHER

“I don’t have a flat belly because I believe in fueling my body for performance over restricting my calories to look a certain way. Yeah if I starved myself or cut down my fats and still trained as much as I do I might finally get that 8 pack but reality is my body type won’t. I like to eat and I know when I don’t eat enough I just don’t feel good during training. And a lot of it also comes down to genetics.”

“So I’m sorry but I will never be one of the girls with no belly fat at all and I’m okay with it. I’m not an Instagram model, I’m an athlete and what we do is completely different here so if you don’t like the way I look you can unfollow. Thank you!”

“I eat around 3000 calories a day and I feel HAPPY and HEALTHY in my body. Yeah some of my pictures on Instagram don’t look attractive or my muscles might be bulging because usually a photographer comes in the middle of my training session. I’m not posing for the camera or starving myself before so my abs will pop through. I’m trying to be the best me and if I get a cool picture in action I’m going to share it. BE REAL, BE TRUE, BE YOU. “

Find out what Icelandic CrossFit icon Annie Thorisdottir thinks about this topic…

ANNIE THORISDOTTIR

Does your nutrition change from day to day depending on the type of training that you are doing that day (i.e. a recovery day versus a training day for example)?

Most days it’s the same, but on rest days I don’t need to eat as much as on double training days.  However, I need enough nutrition for my body to recovery well and be ready for the upcoming week.

Why is it important for athletes to focus on their nutrition?

We have consistency in our training, recovery and sleep.  Nutrition is such a big part of being an athlete.

It’s so important to make sure that the body is getting what it needs to be able to perform at its best.

For me it’s mostly about making sure I’m having enough food and food at the right times.

Do you have a natural bodyweight that you feel most comfortable at when it comes to performing?

My bodyweight is around 70kg, give or take 1kg, and that’s where I feel quite good.

Usually during competition it might be 1-2kg less, not because I try to, but because the intensity increases and the body is in a peak state to perform. A little lighter but just as strong.

How does your nutrition change during different periods of the CrossFit Year? Do you have phases where you will look to build more muscle for example? Or to cut weight before a major event such as the CrossFit Games?

My nutrition is pretty much the same throughout the year.  I might try to have a little more food during off season (and be a little bit more relaxed) to have more to build muscles but that will only be around 1kg more.  I always keep in my base conditioning as well, even though it might not be the same intensity and volume of CF workouts. Even my cheat meal on Saturday nights stays firmly in place the whole year around.

What is your speciality meal if you have to cook?

Fajitas!!  Just love it and we make them probably on average 5 days per week haha.

What are your go-to foods when you want energy?

Probably breakfast (eggs and oatmeal) as its easy for me to eat and gives me lots of calories.

Does a lower body fat percentage make for a more competitive CrossFit Athlete?

Depends on lower than what.  One of the things I love about CrossFit is it doesn’t matter what you look like but what you can do with your body.  Of course being too heavy will make some of the gymnastics and conditioning harder, and being to small/light will make it it harder to move heavy loads and come down on your recovery.  It’s about finding that perfect balance for your body type.

On an intensive training day, how many grams of protein and carbohydrates would you have to eat?

I consume over 3,000 calories a day. My exact macro amounts change a bit each day depending on the food choices I make from the RP Diet Templates and whether or not I am training 1x per day, 2x per day, or resting.

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM AMANDA BARNHART

“Moral of the story- even Athletes competing at the  CrossFit Games don’t keep the exact same body composition all year round, so don’t beat yourself up if you have an “off” season. Feeling healthy and happy is what truly matters! I’m so excited to get back to my routine because that’s what makes me feel my best  “