Once you’ve decided that you want to work on your body weight, it usually can’t happen fast enough.
Lose fat quickly with crash diets – does it work?
So-called crash diets are often the method of choice, some of which promise to lose a few kilos after just one week.
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But be careful! These programs, which are supposed to get the body in shape in record time, sound promising at first, but are usually far from reality.
Olivia Edererpersonal trainer and nutritionist, explains in an interview with FIT FOR FUN what weight loss results you can really expect and within what period of time.
Don’t dream too much
First of all, the uncomfortable truth: The probability of visibly losing fat within a week is, strictly speaking, zero.
If you actually plan to change your body permanently, you need to allow a little more time for this process – ideally six months.
Then not only short-term fluctuations in kilograms, but also long-lasting changes in type are possible.
Exercise and food – the key
Olivia Ederer explains: “In principle, you lose weight from the first second you start training and eating a reduced-calorie diet. The longer this process goes on, the more results will become visible. However, many people become demotivated because they have unrealistic ideas about losing weight.”
And she makes it clear from the start: maximum success can only be achieved through the two adjustment screws of a change in diet and more exercise together.
There are also three other important parameters that influence the weight loss result: water balance, muscle mass and your own body type.
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The scale also shows hormonal fluctuations
If it is advertised that you can lose up to five kilos in a week with a new diet – then that is nonsense, but it doesn’t even have to be a lie.
Because those who hope to profit from such advertising are simply taking advantage of the fact that many people do not know the difference between weight loss and fat loss.
While it’s almost impossible to visibly lose fat in a week, you may already notice weight loss on the scale.
However, this is usually simply due to water retention in the body. The hormonal system stressed by the diet reacts with either a decrease or an increase in storage.
Accordingly, it may be that the weight initially increases even though you have actually done everything you can to lose weight.
This is not a reason for frustration, but is completely natural and usually corrects itself.
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Muscle weight, a myth?
A second irritating factor can be the increase and decrease in muscle mass.
Especially with crash diets, the body can feel forced to lose some of its muscle mass instead of just fat in order to keep the rest of the organism running. Especially if too few protein-rich foods are consumed.
In such a case, weight loss is nothing to be happy about.
Olivia explains why: “Muscles are essential for losing weight because muscles burn energy when resting, give our body a defined silhouette and ensure an athletic appearance.”
The other way around, the scenario can of course also arise in which the increase in muscle mass means that the weight either stagnates or increases slightly. Don’t panic, your body will then be well on its way to more muscle definition.
Fat and muscle on the scales
However, it is a misconception that muscles are heavier than fat. They actually weigh almost the same.
One cubic centimeter of fat weighs 0.94 grams. One cubic centimeter of muscle tissue weighs 1.05 grams. This means that one cubic centimeter of muscle tissue weighs around 12 percent more than the same amount of fat.
And please note: fat is not converted into muscle. A fat cell remains a fat cell! When you lose fat, the volume of fat cells decreases – “the fat melts”.
So it’s worth not always blindly trusting the scales and, conversely, not letting them drive you too crazy.
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Every body loses weight individually
Depending on which body status you start from, the first successful results can appear faster or less quickly.
The clearest differences within a short period of time can be observed in people who are very overweight. This is because the body has to use significantly more energy to move even during small activities than, for example, a person of normal weight.
Olivia Ederer gives an overview of how the process of fat loss can realistically proceed – depending on your body type – and what needs to be taken into account. However, the values given are not set in stone, but are primarily used for orientation and a better idea.
Normal weight: This is how you can lose weight
If you are of normal weight, your primary goal is usually not to lose weight, but rather to look more defined. To do this, the muscle percentage must be higher than the fat percentage so that the muscles are visible.
When it comes to training, this means above all: step on the gas! Up to 50 minutes of power training like HIIT three times a week is ideal for strengthening your body.
In terms of nutrition, a lot of protein now ensures muscle building. Carbohydrates are also important immediately after training to replenish glycogen levels.

FIT FOR FUN
- After two weeks: -0.5 kg (weight) / -0.3 kg (fat)
- After a month: – 2.5 kg (weight) / -1 kg (fat)
- After six months: -5.5 kg (weight) / -3 kg (fat)
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Overweight: How to lose pounds
If you are only slightly overweight, you can start exercising right away – of course in accordance with your own body feeling.
Alternating endurance and strength training three times a week is a good way to get rid of fat deposits.
In addition, a change in diet to include lots of fiber (e.g. in vegetables) and fewer carbohydrates (e.g. fewer white flour products) optimally complements the training.

FIT FOR FUN
- After two weeks: -1.5 kg (weight) / -0.5 kg (fat)
- After a month: -3.5 kg (weight) / -2 kg (fat)
- After six months: -10 kg (weight) / -6.5 kg (fat)
Being very overweight: This helps
For people who are very overweight, even a little exercise is enough to get the body going and burn energy.
At the same time, for the same reason, great care must be taken with the joints.
Jogging, for example, is initially taboo. Swimming is the best place to start. Swimming three times a week for up to 30 minutes is the gentlest workout.
The diet should also be changed gradually so as not to overwhelm the organism. First of all, you should avoid fast food and reduce your consumption of sugar and white flour products.

FIT FOR FUN
- After two weeks:-5.5 kg (weight) / -2.5 kg (fat)
- After a month: -10 kg (weight) / -3 kg (fat)
- After six months: -15 kg (weight) / -8 kg (fat)
Healthy in the long run
“A sustainable approach with realistic time expectations without starvation and frustration is always preferable to short-term shock diets,” says Olivia Ederer. “My experiences as a personal trainer and nutritionist show that only a long-term approach is truly successful.”
This may be bitter for those who have pinned all their hopes for quick weight loss on a crash diet. At the same time, it can be encouraging for those who may be at a point where their motivation is flagging.
Because: If you stick with it, you will reach your goal sooner or later.
Those who approach their transformation process realistically from the outset are more likely to stick with it because they will notice that their own plans increasingly coincide with the milestone goals that have actually been achieved.
It can help if you don’t approach it like a new battle every day, but instead Routines integrated into his lifestylethat make it easier to stay in the flow.
“Because,” says Olivia Ederer, “losing weight is not the art. The great art is to maintain your weight in the long term and to create a lifestyle out of the changes.”
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