Most people who want to lose weight will choose to diet. The caloric restriction may be minimal (a deficit of 250-500kcal/day), moderate ( a total intake of 1200-1500kcal/day), or severe (a total intake of 400-800 kcal/day). If followed strictly, weight loss will occur.


Studies show that a person who follows the 400-800 kcal/day or the 800-1200 kcal/day diet will lose approximately 75 % body fat and 25% fat-free weight (all of the tissues of the body minus the BF) and a person who follows the 1200-1500kcal/day diet loses 90% body fat and 10% fat-free weight. The 1200-1500 kcal/ day deit is obviously the better choice to follow, but even that will not preserve lean body mass.

However, fat-free weigth loss may depend on how much excess weigth the individual started with and needs to lose. Over-fat individuals have an excess of both body fat and fat-free weight, this excess fat-free weight is there to support and move the extra weight that comes with being overfat. Therefore, as one loses total body weigth, less fat-free weight is needed and therefore is not critical - basically the lower your total body weight the less you need anyway to move & support the body. Example: a person who weighs 120 pounds burns off less energy than a person who 150 pounds but would also need less energy (kcal) throughout the day. Basically, it will even out. If you are following a low calorie diet, it would be very wise to try to preserve as much lean tissue by lifting weights or participating in some form of resistance training program.

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