Fast weight loss: What's wrong with it?

When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. Fast weight loss is usually followed shortly by rapid weight gain. Besides, 1 pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, so you need to burn 500 more calories than you eat each day to lose just 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days). If you're losing more than 1 to 2 pounds a week, it's either water weight or lean tissue you're losing, not fat. Weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week may seem like an agonizingly slow pace, but if improving your health is a long-term goal, the speed of your weight loss isn't important.