Why “Lose Weight Slowly” Might Be Wrong, Especially on GLP-1s

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]Hey guys, what's up? I got a juicy one for you today. So, everyone says that slow weight loss is healthier. The slower you lose it, the more likely you are to keep it off. If you lose weight too fast, you will destroy your metabolism. You'll gain it all back.

[00:00:21]You'll lose all your muscle. You'll end up with loose skin. And listen, I understand why people say these things because yes, there is absolutely situations where aggressive dieting can go horribly wrong. Crash dieting, starving yourself, eating 600 calories, doing endless cardio, not eating protein, not lifting weights, destroying your hormones, burning yourself out entirely, mentally, physically.

[00:01:03]That absolutely can happen. But here's the problem. The fitness industry has taken that nuance and turned it into this blanket statement that fast weight loss is always bad. And I am going to challenge that today because when you actually start digging into the clinical research, the realworld outcomes with real people and the psychology behind successful weight loss, things become much more nuanced than social media likes to pretend. And honestly, I think this conversation matters more than ever right now because of GLP1s.

[00:01:58]Because millions of people are suddenly losing weight faster, more successfully than ever before. And people are panicking. You're losing weight too fast. They're hearing, "You're going to ruin your metabolism.

[00:02:17]You're just going to gain it all back.

[00:02:19]You're losing muscle. You look sick."

[00:02:24]Meanwhile, many of these people are finally improving. They are improving their blood sugar, insulin resistance, inflammation, blood pressure, mobility, confidence, their hope, their quality of life. So today we are going to talk about all of it, the science, the myths, the psychology, the nuance, the risks, the benefits. And I'm also going to tell you where aggress aggressive fat loss can make sense and who it can help and how to do it intentionally, intelligently without destroying your body because aggressive fat loss is not automatically bad. In fact, for certain individuals, especially those with significant amounts of body fat to lose or who have serious metabolic dysfunction, in fact, faster weight loss can actually be incredibly beneficial psychologically and metabolically. And the key is to know how you do it. And honestly, I think this is one of the most misunderstood topics in the entire weight loss space. What do you think?

[00:04:05]Leave a comment. Have you heard this before? What are your thoughts? Do you believe it? Did you not believe it? What is your experience with fast versus slow weight loss? All right, let's get into it. So, if you're new here, my name is Jules. A little bit about me. I'm 55 years old. I am 5 foot one. I have lost over 50 pounds. I started with a GLP1.

[00:04:36]It was OMPic back in September 2022.

[00:04:39]I hit my goal weight in May of 2023.

[00:04:43]Woohoo. I've been maintaining now of about 113 lbs for 3 years. I'm married.

[00:04:51]I have four kids, three who are young adults out on their own.

[00:04:58]And I am probably most proud of my family. That is for sure. But I'm really proud not just that I lost the weight and that was amazing and exhilarating. But I'm really proud that I have been maintaining my body composition, my weight, the whole maintenance now for three years.

[00:05:24]Because however you want to slice it and dice it, maintenance, I'm telling you, is harder. Maintenance is where the biology fights back. Maintenance is where your appetite can come back. I know it has with me, not to the same extent as it was before, but you're still playing around with a lot of different variables that start to come back in maintenance.

[00:05:53]Maintenance is where life happens, stress happens, hormone fluctuations happen, motivation can begin to fade a little bit more, and the excitement of the whole weight loss, yeah, that wears off, too. But this is where many people will realize that it's not just about losing the weight. It's about becoming someone who can sustain the weight loss.

[00:06:25]And yes, I started my GLP1, as I mentioned, back in 2022.

[00:06:31]And I am incredibly open about this because I think that that transparency, it really matters to people because this medication changed my life. It regulated my appetite that was completely unregulated, dysfunctional.

[00:06:53]Literally for decades, my entire adult life, I have had the biggest appetite.

[00:06:59]If you haven't seen any of my other videos, go watch those because I do talk about that more. But I had to tell myself to stop eating. My brain had to go, "Okay, I think you've had enough now. You need to stop." because I just had an un unregulated dysfunctional appetite and my satiety, that feeling of getting full just it never really was there until I had the GLP1. I had food noise and I had cravings and it helped to improve the biological side of being overweight. All of that metabolic dysfunction that people love to pretend that it's just willpower.

[00:07:41]I did also change my entire lifestyle.

[00:07:45]Now I have always been an athlete. I have always been involved in trying to keep my body strong, trying to be lean, trying to eat healthy. So that has been an ongoing thing my entire life. I've always done that. But it's different now. The way I train, how I train physically, mentally, the whole thing, it completely is different. I do strength train. I prioritize protein. I do a lot of walking. I sleep better now because I prioritize that. I track my food. I have better routines. I have changed my identity. I have changed who I am. And who that person is reflects on the outside who I've always known I was on the inside. And over time, I didn't just lose weight. I completely changed my body composition. I built muscle. I lowered my body fat. I got stronger.

[00:08:57]I improved my health. And along with all of that, my confidence went way up.

[00:09:04]Essentially, I improved my entire quality of life. And one thing I noticed really quickly during my own journey was the faster that I saw progress in myself, the more motivated I became. And that motivation, that momentum, it really matters a lot. And I think that something the nutrition world massively underestimates is how quickly you want to see results because people act like motivation doesn't matter. Psychology doesn't matter. But human beings are not robots.

[00:09:51]We're we're just not. Seeing progress, seeing the changes, it really matters emotionally, it creates belief and belief is incredibly powerful. So why is the fitness and nutrition industry so obsessed with going slow in weight loss? Somewhere along the way, the entire world out there became obsessed with the idea that slower is better.

[00:10:23]It's automatically superior. That slower weight loss is healthier. It's more sustainable or it protects your metabolism. Prevents regain. Slow weight loss prevents loose skin. I'm sure you've heard some of these things, right? Leave Leave a comment if you have or what you have heard slow weight loss is beneficial for. And again, there's nuance here. I'm not saying it's black and white, all or nothing. Definitely, there's nuance. But when you ask where is the actual evidence providing that slower weight loss leads to better long-term outcomes, things get pretty quiet there, let me tell you, cuz I did the research.

[00:11:08]Because a lot of this is repeated as dogma rather than science. Now, let me be really clear. I'm not saying that everyone should aggressively diet. I am not saying that everyone should try to lose 5 lbs in a week. And I'm not saying to starve yourself. That is what I'm not saying. But this is what I am saying. I am saying that aggressive fat loss can absolutely make sense for some individuals, especially for people who have obesity, people with really severe insulin resistance, people with type 2 diabetes, high inflammation, mobility issues, people whose health markers are deteriorating rapidly. And why? Because reducing body fat quickly in those situations can create very meaningful improvements in health markers really fast. Blood sugar improves, blood pressure improves, joint mobility or joint pain I should say improves, inflammation improves, sleep apnea improves, mobility and then there's the psychological part. Seeing rapid improvement in your own body can create motivation, hope, belief, adherence, consistency.

[00:12:44]And that matters tremendously because one of the biggest reasons that people will quit is discouragement.

[00:12:56]Is not seeing results. Feeling deprived.

[00:13:01]feeling hopeless, feeling like nothing is working. And when people suddenly see the scale is moving, the clothing is fitting differently, you're getting looser in those pants, their face is changing, inflammation is dropping, something shifts mentally. They start to believe that they can actually do the damn thing. They start to believe in themselves and that belief can become a catalyst for lifelong change. Okay. What does the research actually show? Now, let's talk about this because this is where things get really interesting.

[00:13:53]There have been multiple studies comparing rapid versus gradual weight loss, and the results are not nearly as one-sided as social media makes it seem.

[00:14:05]So what the research found was that both groups often regained weight at similar rates long term. Meaning the speed of weight loss itself was not the main predictor of long-term success. And that is huge because if slower weight loss automatically guaranteed maintenance, we would expect dramatically better long-term outcomes. And we do not consistently see that. And honestly, that kind of makes sense when you think about it because maintaining weight, maintaining your weight loss long term has far far more to do with the following: behavior, environment, stress, habits, biology, appetite regulation, psychology, muscle mass, activity levels, food environment. than it does with how quickly the initial weight loss or fat loss occurred. And here's another thing that people don't want to talk about that aggressive weight loss often improves adherence early on because when someone sees meaningful results quickly, they are more likely to adhere and they will keep showing up. They'll keep tracking.

[00:15:38]They'll keep lifting. They'll keep walking. They'll keep making sleep a priority. They will keep making healthier choices once they start to see the results and they know that it's actually working. The effort that they are putting in is coming out and they can see it because that momentum really matters. Human beings we are feedback driven. When something feels effective, we are going to engage in it much more deeply. Now, can aggressive weight loss backfire? Absolutely.

[00:16:19]Especially if it's done recklessly, especially if you're cutting too much. And this is where the nuance matters because aggressive fat loss without resistance training, without adequate protein, without recovery, without sustainability can absolutely lead to muscle loss, hair loss, fatigue, burnout, metabolic adaptation, hormonal disruption and rapid regain. But those are not inevitable outcomes of faster weight loss. Those are outcomes of poorly managed weight loss. Big difference. So why can aggressive fat loss help some people? This is the part that I really want people to hear.

[00:17:22]Aggressive fat loss is not automatically unhealthy. And in some cases, it can absolutely absolutely be the best approach at least temporarily, especially with people who have high body fat percentages, especially for someone who is carrying around an excessive amount of body fat. And there is often a bigger energy reserve available for those folks. And reducing that body fat more aggressively for a period of time can improve insulin sensitivity, blood sugar mobility, energy, cardiovascular risk, systematic inflammation really, really quickly. And mentally that rapid improvement can become lifechanging. And I think a lot of people underestimate the psychological benefit of how losing weight quickly in the beginning can improve all of the biological markers, but just mentally it just keeps you going. And the pain of being overweight and the pain of being obese, that part is is really underestimated.

[00:18:43]There is so many repercussions as we have probably all felt when we look in the mirror and we are not happy with how we look. We are not happy with how our clothes are fitting. We are not happy with how we are moving through life.

[00:19:00]There is shame involved. There is exhaustion. There's inflammation. and joint pain and hopelessness and then all the fat diets and the failed diets and the embarrassment and the the food obsession and the constant mental battle. So when someone finally experiences reduced cravings, weight loss, physical relief, hope that matters. That psychological relief matters. Honestly, sometimes seeing that rapid weight loss is exactly what keeps someone going and it keeps someone from quitting this health journey. Because for most people, slow progress, it feels emotionally unbearable. And after decades of struggling, now again, I'm not saying go starve yourself. I am saying there are scenarios where more aggressive fat loss can absolutely be beneficial when done intelligently especially paired and and I think it it's a must paired with the appropriate amount of protein resistance training lifting weights recovery sleep hydration sustainability of the behavioral changes the psychology of keeping the momentum going. I honestly think this is such an underrated topic in weight loss.

[00:20:36]Momentum is so important because people love to talk about calories and macros and science, but they forget that there's human psychology involved. And when people start to see the results, the identity will start to shift. And identity is everything. When you feel like you are someone and you're saying to yourself, I am someone who can succeed. I am someone who follows through. I am someone who is changing.

[00:21:13]I am disciplined. I have willpower.

[00:21:18]Your behavior changes. Your standards change. your confidence changes. And one thing that I have noticed personally when I started to see significant changes in my body, I became that much more motivated to do all the things. I wanted to walk more. I wanted to lift weights harder and more. I made sure that I was prioritizing my protein because I'm like, "This works." I was sleeping better. I made that more of a priority. I was more motivated to do all these things because now coupled with the GLP1, I was getting results that I could see and I also wanted to protect the results. I wanted to keep that momentum going. Success reinforces more success.

[00:22:15]And I think this is the part where aggressive early fat loss, early early fat loss right from the beginning can sometimes improve this long-term adherence. Not because the speed is some sort of magical thing, but because the emotional reinforcement is that powerful. Because people like you and I, we need the hope. We need the evidence that our effort matters. And honestly, for some folks, losing one pound a month after decades of struggling, that might not be enough reinforcement psychologically, mentally to keep doing it, to keep engaged. That's just the reality. So, let me go through the dangers of doing it wrong. Let's talk about aggressive fat loss and that it can go wrong because there are risks and those risks are the following. you risk muscle loss. And that is something that I care very deeply about because no matter what you're on, whether it's ompic, wagi, muro, zeppbound, fondo, the waggoi pill, a compounding tzepatide or simaglletide or retatride.

[00:23:46]None of these medications build muscle and none of them are going to preserve muscle automatically either. You must send a signal to your muscle to tell it, I need you to stay. I need you to hang around or I want to build you up. Your body needs the signal. It needs a reason to keep the muscle. Otherwise during a calorie deficit, your body will absolutely break down lean tissue along with body fat. And that becomes especially problematic if protein intake is too low, activity is too low, your sleep is very poor and the deficit is too aggressive for too long. And this is why I am constantly telling people do not just focus on getting smaller because body composition really matters.

[00:24:46]So you need to focus on that body composition. That is why I've I get DEXA scans. That is why I absolutely love having my body composition home scale the Renfo morpho scan Nova. can check the link out in my um job descript job description in the description in my um in the video. I think it's really close to the DEXA scan. That's why I'm an advocate of it. So, go check that out if you're interested in body composition, which I think everyone should be really interested in. That is probably like the most important topic truly because muscle is metabolic insurance. Muscle will support your strength, your mobility, your insulin sensitivity, your metabolism.

[00:25:32]It will help in aging better. It will help to maintain or increase your bone density. Your whole quality of life changes when you have muscle. Especially as we get older and we age, it's so important. Especially for women, ladies over 40, 50, it is so integral. So yes, you can lose weight aggressively, but you must must must protect the muscle.

[00:26:01]And this is where a lot of people are going to mess up because they're going to undereat protein. They're going to avoid doing any sort of resistance training. They're going to just continue with endless cardio. And then what happens to their body? They become skinny fats. They lose strength. They lose functionality. and then they blame it as fast weight loss when really the issue was how they approached it. So, how do we approach aggressive fat loss intelligently? If you're going to pursue this, here is what I personally believe matters the most. Number one, protein.

[00:26:47]quality of food that you're getting within that calories that you're doing is so important. The protein has to be prioritized. It is that critical, especially during a calorie deficit. You need adequate amounts of amino acids to preserve the lean muscle. And for many people, you're looking at about 6 to 1.2 2 g of protein per pound of ideal body weight or lean mass. Now, if you want to round that up and you don't want to do the math, I generally just say one gram of protein per pound of lean mass or ideal body weight. So, what does that look like? If your ideal body weight is 120 lbs, 120 grams of protein is your target. If you are someone like myself, I'm about 113 lbs. I know that my lean mass cuz I've had it measured DEXA and the Renfo is just shy of 100 lbs. So truly my target protein is about 100 g and I can go more per day.

[00:27:59]Number two, lift weights and not just go through the motions. You have to actually challenge the muscle because progressive overload does matter because your body needs a reason to keep the muscle. So give it a reason to keep the muscle. Number three, don't stay ultraaggressive forever. Aggressive phases, right? You go in and out. You you undilate. You go in, you come out.

[00:28:30]Aggressive phases can be used extremely strategically and be incredibly useful.

[00:28:38]But eventually you do need to transition towards something that's more sustainable. And you even during the weight loss you might undilate and go more aggressive and then come out of it and then go back in and come out of it.

[00:28:51]Eventually you lose all your weight. You hit goal weight and now you have to come out of it because now maintenance starts. All right. Number four, sleep.

[00:29:00]Poor sleep will increase your hunger. It does increase appetite. It does impact your recovery. It does increase insulin resistance. It does impact that. So, make sure you're getting the right amount and quality of sleep. Create the conditions where you can get your sleep.

[00:29:20]Number five, hydration and micronutrients.

[00:29:23]Especially on GLP1s. A lot of people are undereing and they are undernourishing and that is a problem. Number six, understand that adaptation is normal.

[00:29:36]Your metabolism is adaptive, but it doesn't mean you've ruined it. It means that your body is responding to changes in energy intake and body size. That's just physiology. Number seven, the loose skin myth. All right. Before we wrap this up, let's talk quickly about loose skin because this is another thing. This is another fallacy that is constantly being blamed on faster weight loss.

[00:30:09]Loose skin is primarily related to how much weight was gained, how long the skin was stretched for, and that all plays into genetics, age, collagen, elastin. Weight loss doesn't create loose skin. Weight gain does. Weight loss simply reveals it. Now, could extremely rapid weight loss potentially make it more noticeable a lot faster?

[00:30:47]Yes, maybe in some situations, but there is no strong evidence showing that slower weight loss magically prevents loose skin. Oh, the other one, body size matters, too, right? So, if you're a smaller person and you lose, like me 50 pounds, you might have some loose skin and you're older and so forth. But if you're 6' tall and you lose 50 lbs, you may not have that same loose skin. So, it all matters. I have some. It is what it is.

[00:31:25]What am I going to do about it? You know, I'd rather take the weight loss and have a little bit of loose skin. And if you get to the point where you have a lot, then there's always surgery that you could, you know, evaluate and go to a doctor and see if that's something that is right for you because you deserve to feel comfortable in your body. So, here's my key takeaway after living this personally. Fast weight loss does not automatically mean bad. Slow weight loss does not automatically mean superior. So what matters is can you sustain it? Can you preserve muscle? Can you support your metabolism? Can you improve your health? Can you create a lifestyle that you can actually live with longterm?

[00:32:16]And honestly, if aggressive fat loss helps someone to finally get that hope to believe in themselves again, to improve their health, to make the things that they're doing successful, that matters. And it matters a lot because this isn't again of just about weight loss or body fat loss. It's about confidence, mobility, longevity, freedom. And if you're watching right now and you're wondering about your weight loss and you are wondering, should I lose weight fast? Should I do it slow? What do I do? I want you to stop obsessing over what all the other people are saying to you about your journey. Focus on building something that is sustainable for you.

[00:33:11]Protect your muscle. Prioritize your health. Take care of your metabolism.

[00:33:17]Take care of your mind. And remember, the goal is not just losing weight. The goal is to become that person who can maintain it. So, if this video has helped you, if it has resonated with you, please hit the like button. If there's a hype button after that, hit that as well because all of that support really helps me, it helps the channel, helps our community to get out there a little bit more. Subscribe if you want more information and more videos coming from me. More conversation around GLP1's, weight loss, maintenance, mindset, nutrition, motivation, and I really want to hear from you. So, leave a comment below. I love reading everything and I really want to know, are you losing weight quickly? Are you losing weight slowly right now? What has your experience been? Do you think that faster results would help to motivate you more? Or do you prefer a slower approach? I genuinely care and I love reading all the comments and your experience absolutely will help other people along in their journey. So, if you're struggling right now, do not give up. You might just need to shift your strategy away from the things you were doing and create something a little bit different to change your life. I will see you in the next video and stay