Whether you’re using a GLP-1 medication or trying to diet on your own, it’s important to make sure you’re not losing weight too fast -- otherwise, you could risk losing muscle mass as well.
“Anytime you lose weight, you’re going to lose a little bit of fat and muscle. The goal would be to lose more fat, and we spare as much muscle as possible. And the reason we want to spare muscle is when we decrease our muscle mass, we have a risk of sarcopenia, and that’s just decreased muscle. But that makes us weaker, more prone to injury,” explained Julia Zumpano, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic.
Zumpano said losing too much muscle can also compromise your immune system and slow your metabolism.
So, how much weight is considered safe to lose per week?
Between one to two pounds is generally recommended.
However, Zumpano notes someone who has more weight to lose might notice a bigger drop in the beginning and then it tends to slow down.
To help avoid rapid weight loss, she said it’s best to choose a diet that isn’t too restrictive and also includes plenty of protein.
“If we can try to slow down that rapid weight loss a little bit, then as we’re losing weight, we maintain adequate muscle mass by doing light resistance training and meeting protein needs. So those are the two ways that we really want to support that muscle mass. And then hopefully just the fat will be the main part of the weight loss,” said Zumpano.
Signs of muscle loss include feeling physically weaker and noticing that your muscle definition has faded.
You may even notice a change in your balance and coordination.