Short vs long-term weight loss timeline? Fitness coach shares 4 reasons why the pace matters

But is racing against the clock really the best way to move forward with fitness goals? While the world may revolve around it, from sunrise to sundown or work deadlines, health goals may require you to think beyond the calendar.

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Fitness coach Raj Ganpath addressed the concept of short- and long-term approaches to weight loss in a September 22 Instagram post and revealed 4 key insights showing that the end result depends on the pace of weight loss. Raj Ganpath talked about three types of pacing: short-term approach, moderate approach and slow, sustainable approach.

1. Duration

The weight loss goal is tied to a target date, which sets the tempo for the fitness journey. While weight loss may seem all about exercise and diet, the bigger picture that sets the tone is the duration you choose, which can vary from a sprint to a jog.

The fitness coach revealed that the pace determines the sustainability of the weight loss result as well. He said, “If you want to follow the short-term quick approach, you can get this done in 5 to 6 weeks; if you want to go with the moderate approach, 10 to 12 weeks; if you want to go with a slow, sustainable approach, 15 to 20 weeks.”

2. Calorie deficit

One of the fundamentals of losing weight is maintaining a calorie deficit, i.e eating less and burning more calories, creating a gap to drop the weight. But calorie deficit, too, has a nuanced approach, depending on the pacing.

Raj elaborated these three approaches:

• Short-term approach: Create a deficit of about 1,000 calories every single day. This is not easy. You will have to deprive yourself on the nutrition side, push yourself with movement, and do this day after day, almost perfectly.
• Moderate approach: Create a deficit of about 500 calories on a daily basis. Not as hard as 1,000, but still requires a solid training plan, a solid nutrition plan, and about 80 to 90 per cent consistency.
• Slow, sustainable approach: Create a calorie deficit of about 250 to 300 per day. This is doable by most people. Increase the amount of energy you are burning by about 100 to 200 by exercising a little more or walking a little more, and reduce the amount of calories you are consuming by about 100 to 200. You can do this by pulling out a chapati or two, a couple of slices of bread, or reducing some rice.

3. Risk of muscle loss

Now, losing weight also comes with one downside—if the steps aren’t right, you risk losing muscle. Otherwise, after weight loss, you could end up looking scrawny. It is important to maintain a healthy body composition and preserve muscle mass.

Here are the three approaches and how they impact muscle mass, as Raj shared:

• Short-term approach: Expect 50 to 60 per cent of your total weight loss to be muscle loss.
• Moderate approach: 20 to 40 per cent of your total weight loss would be muscle loss.
• Slow, sustainable long-term approach: Only about 5 to 15 per cent of your total weight loss will be muscle loss. This is a good thing.

4. Risk of weight regain

Keeping the weight off may sometimes take you back to square one, gaining the lost weight. How to go about it? According to him, a slow approach is best. Why a slow, sustainable approach works, he said, “Give your body time to adapt, you give yourself time to build new habits and routines, and as a result, the chances of you gaining the weight back are actually very, very low.

He warned that the short-term approach may seem like the faster approach, but the slower long-term approach is actually the faster approach.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.