How fast can I lose fat?
0.5–1% of bodyweight per week; faster than that and you start paying for it in muscle and performance.
The athlete study that compared rates found the slower group kept more muscle and strength. Leaner people have less fat to draw on, so they do better at the slow end of the range; people with more fat to lose can usually sit at the faster end.
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Sources
3
- Garthe, I. et al. (2011). Effect of two different weight-loss rates on body composition and strength and power-related performance in elite athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 21(2). 0.7%/week preserved lean mass and strength better than 1.4%/week.
- Trexler, E.T. et al. (2014). Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 11(1). Larger and faster deficits produced greater metabolic adaptation.
- Helms, E.R. et al. (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 11. Recommends losing 0.5–1% of bodyweight per week to hold on to muscle.