Rapid Diet or Gradual Diet

Researchers are now saying the best way to keep weight off is to drop many pounds with a rigorous diet and exercise plan, rather than doing it gradually. They compared a rapid diet to lose around 3 pounds a week over 12 weeks, to a gradual 36 weeks diet to lose no more than 1 pound per week. The results of comparation study showed that 78% of those on the rapid diet achieved the target of losing 15% of their body weight within the determined period, while only 48% of those on the gradual diet met the target. But this study doesn't show what happened  to participants after the initial weight loss,because many doctors and dieticians believe that more weight loss is related to more weight gain thereafter, and therefor less weight maintenance.

More than that, people might think that the only way to maintain weight loss is to lose it quickly  and in a unhealthy manner, which would lead to malnutrition. The researches encourages people to make small changes to their lifestyles, that they can actually sustain, considering the main reason people gain back the weight they've lost is because of unhealthy diet, or exercise routines.

For this reason, the researches are currently following the 2 groups of people who have a rapid diet and a gradual diet, to see who keeps he weight off for good.

Researches however warned "more research is needed to determine optimal weight loss targets, and to establish best practices for optimal maintenance of weight losses ".