What it actually takes to lose a pound of fat
When someone starts a weight loss programme, method, or invariably a diet, they are full of excitement and optimism about their future weight loss, but when they announce on day 3 that they’ve lost 2 pounds, we congratulate them, but not for weight loss.
Why? Why are we not celebrating their outstanding weight loss achievement?
The truth is that while weight loss has indeed occurred, it’s simply not possible for most people to lose a pound of fat - let alone 2, in 2 days, whatever the method they’re using. While weight LOSS has been achieved, the truth is the person who’s just started ‘losing weight’ has probably just lost water weight or stomach contents. It takes quite a bit of effort to shift two pounds of actual fat.
Here, we share what it takes to lose a pound of fat so you can understand the maths around energy in and out, and understand weight loss in the early days of any new regime for what it is. Eatiful is not a fad diet. Eatiful is not a diet at all. Rather it is a way to change how (not necessarily what) you eat, for the long term. It provides you with an enjoyable, sustainable way to change your whole approach to eating, and change your relationship with food. We are realistic, we are honest, we are in it to support you for the long term. Understanding fat loss, and understanding it properly, will serve you well. So to start with we want to bust a few myths. Myths like ‘it’s possible to lose more than a couple of pounds in a week’ or myths like ‘you can lose a pound of fat in a day’. Ready? Let's get started.
It’s important to remember that a pound of fat equates to 3,500 calories. That is to say that to lose a pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat. Now, unless you exercise like crazy, you’re unlikely to burn 3500 calories in one day, let alone burn 3,500 calories on top of what you eat.
Let’s say you normally eat and burn 2,000 calories to stay the same weight. Many people do. The amount of calories you usually eat and the amount of calories you usually burn in one day may not be 2000, but for argument’s sake, let’s take this as a baseline.
Now let’s imagine you start a new weight loss method. Regardless of the method - it could be calorie counting, WW, Slimming World, Keto or Intermittent fasting, or even weight loss medication or even slow eating - the method will help you to change what (or how) you eat to lower your intake so you are in a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is when you burn more than you eat.
Let’s say with a baseline of 2000 calories, you now eat 1,750 calories (250 fewer calories) and burn off an extra 250 calories through exercise; you will have created a calorie deficit of 500 calories.
At this rate, it will take a week to have burned off an extra 3500 calories - to lose one pound of fat. (That’s a deficit of 500 calories a day x 7).
You could eat fewer calories and do more exercise and your daily deficit will go up. Let’s imagine you eat 1,250 calories* and burn 250 calories a day through exercise on top of your normal activity, you’d have a daily deficit of 1,000 calories.
1000 x 7 = 7000. That’s two pounds of fat that it’s possible to lose in a week.
Losing one pound a week is considered a reasonable speed at which to lose fat, and losing 2 pounds of fat a week is considered quick. Aiming for a gradual, sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is generally considered a healthy and achievable goal.
If you get weighed and you’ve lost a pound of weight in a day, you haven't lost a pound of fat unless you’ve eaten nothing at all and done an extra 1500 calories of exercise, as an example. It’s extremely unlikely and would be very hard. It also would not be sustainable.
It's also important to note that weight loss is never linear; there will be fluctuations in weight due to factors such as water retention and muscle gain and loss. On any day you may lose some fat, some water and even some muscle, you may also gain muscle. Your stomach contents, and how often you visit the loo also play a large part in your day-to-day weight fluctuations.
Now you know what it takes to lose a pound of fat, we hope you agree it's best not to watch the scales on a daily basis and definitely not advised to worry should you put ‘weight’ on.
When you want to lose weight in the form of fat, worrying about small fluctuations isn't helpful. Instead, focus on the longer-term goals and in the short term focus on the non-weight achievements.
In the early days of any health transformation programme, focus on achievements like:
Sticking to the plan
Documenting your progress
Noticing how you’re feeling
Congratulating yourself for small wins
The dangers of assuming early weight loss is all fat loss means you may get disappointed when this weight loss slows. By understanding the process properly, you will be better equipped to understand the changes your body will go through as you get to know and practice the Eatiful method. You will lose weight, much of it will be fat, it will take time. Be patient and trust in the process.
*Yes, we know not all calories are created equal, but that’s a topic for a whole other article ;)
