Yesterday I wrote that I had some information to share with you regarding why I’m feeling good about losing weight slowly.
First, this goes back to last week when I shared with you how I’ve been getting an injection of motivation each Sunday by listening to Richard Simmons on Sirius Satellite Radio. I listen to him while I’m doing my healthy cooking for the week and get some healthy motivation from him and the callers he talks to.
While I was listening this past Sunday, Richard gave me a huge piece of motivation: you see, I don’t want to make myself look older than I am (who does?!), and he mentioned the fact that that is exactly what fast weight loss will do for you.
When you opt for fast weight loss, you end up losing a layer of brown fat that ordinarily lies right below the surface of the skin. This is why you see that gaunt look on people who have lost weight too quickly; I’ve seen it in before and after photos, have you, also? Well you know what? Once you lose that layer of brown fat, it doesn’t come back!
Learning this from Richard actually gave me a huge boost. I haven’t been dropping tons of weight each week, and now I’m very happy about that. If you’re like me, you don’t want to lose weight only to end up looking gaunt and tired and for me, fast weight loss (besides being unhealthy), just isn’t worth it!
I’m now feeling great about the fact that I’m not on some quick weight loss path, or an unhealthy eating and exercise plan, but instead the healthiest way of eating that I’ve ever experienced. Yes, I still have my sugar addiction to deal with, however in regards to weight loss, I’ll opt for slower weight loss any day after learning about the aging factor of fast weight loss. I love my brown layer of fat and I want it to stick around!
By the way, if you missed Richard’s show last Sunday, you can listen to the replay (12pm EST) next Sunday (11/25/07) on Sirius Satellite and hear this motivating tid-bit from him regarding the aging effects of fast weight loss. Please note that I am including this reminder not only because his show is extremely motivating, but also because I haven’t yet found a good piece of information to pass on to you for you to learn more about this topic, therefore you can hear Richard talk about it on Sirius (read this post to see about trying out a trial online subscription).
Richard is not a scientist, neither am I, but he’s wrong in this one.
Adults only have brown adipose tissue in the face and neck region, if at all. Richard is talking about plain old subcutaneous fat, which is the standard kind, and is like any other kind of fat.
Losing subcutaneous fat will cause some changes in the skin, and I am not advocating fast weight loss, but as a person loses they are going to lose that subcutaneous fat no matter what speed they go at.
Personally, even thought I have lost a lot of that fat and I am colder as a result and I have wrinkles in the front of my neck, I don’t miss it. I know my skin will eventually go back to normal. I am glad my subcutaneous fat is going, going, almost gone.
I think that when people lose too fast they risk losing their lean muscle mass, which causes a lot more problems. You can even lose organ mass if you crash diet.
Hi Jan! 🙂
Richard was talking about looking gaunt in the face, not about loose skin from losing weight too quickly (which can also happen). I agree that I’d like to learn more about how this works and I was just excited to hear this information on his program so I posted it. 🙂 If you listen to his program on Sunday, 11/25, you should hear it again (12-3pm EST) as long as they stick to their normal schedule.
You’re right that you can lose muscle mass if you don’t exercise while losing weight (both cardio and especially strength training), and if you are following an unhealthy eating program (that doesn’t include all of the basic food groups) you can also lose muscle mass.
I think that in general weight loss is taken lightly by many people, however you really do have to do it in a healthy manner, not only to look good, but also to be strong and healthy. 🙂
“She’s lost too much weight, she looks old now” is something that I hear very often were I teach cycling classes and the comment always rubbed me the wrong way because it seems rather hurtful.
It kind of makes it seem like overweight people have two choices – be fat or look old. Neither one is really much of a choice. When a supporter makes this claim, it can completely derail an individuals weight loss efforts.
Regardless of whether you drop those 40 pounds in 3 months or in a year, your skin will look basically the same in 18 months. However, if you get the weight off in 3 months your heart is not going to have to work so hard for so long.
When it gets right down to it too much empathises is placed on looking a particular way and too little is placed on the reason why people should try to keep their bodies as lean as possible.
I like what Richard Simmons does for people, I just don’t agree with someone not taking aggressive steps to correct their weight issues because they fear someone saying “you look old now.”
Hi Patrick, good to hear from you!
“When it gets right down to it too much emphasis is placed on looking a particular way and too little is placed on the reason why people should try to keep their bodies as lean as possible”….I couldn’t agree more. While I am working on losing weight, my highest goal is to improve my level of health and fitness. I want my body to operate at peak efficiency, which includes my inner organs and outer organ (my skin), which is actually the body’s largest organ.
I make sure to drink at least 100oz of water a day, which really helps. 😉