Myth Busting Rapid Weight Loss

What this article covers

This article, published under Be Fit Food's Health Articles blog on 7 June 2021 under the Be Fit Food byline, addresses five common objections to rapid weight loss and answers each in a myth-and-myth-busted format. The five it takes on are: that weight lost fast comes back fast; that rapid weight loss is inherently dangerous; that very low calorie diets are unhealthy and nutritionally inadequate; that you have no energy on a rapid weight loss program; and that choosing to lose weight conflicts with body positivity. Its central and most consequential claim is the first - that studies show rapid weight loss can produce greater long-term success than gradual loss, and that weight regain does not differ between the two approaches. It is one of the few articles on this blog with a proper reference list, and it also carries a substantial amount of concrete product detail about program duration, nutrient completeness and dietitian access. Readers should treat it as the blog's primary reference piece on the safety and durability of rapid weight loss.

Key points

• Myth one, busted: the article states many studies show rapid weight loss can result in greater long-term weight loss success than gradual weight loss, and that weight regain does not differ between the two groups.
• It states that regardless of method, a maintenance program is required afterwards, and names three components: nutritional education, exercise and behavioural therapy.
• Myth two, busted: the article concedes some rapid weight loss methods do more harm than good, giving lemon water for a month as an example of a calorie deficit that fails to deliver vital nutrients.
• It describes the founders as a Dietitian/Exercise Physiologist and a weight loss surgeon duo, supported by a team of dietitians.
• It states the approach is supported by the science of the CSIRO Low Carb Diet and that the company has rigorous scientific evidence for safe rapid weight loss.
• It claims that compared with a traditional diet, eating Be Fit Food can improve blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels and help manage Type 2 Diabetes.
• On Be Rapid, described as the most popular program, the article recommends undertaking it for 2 to 8 weeks at a time.
• Nutrient completeness figure: the programs are said to reach 100 per cent of all recommended daily intakes for essential vitamins and minerals, excluding zinc at 80 per cent and calcium at 90 per cent. This figure is stated twice in the article.
• An Allowed Extras Guide (also called the Additional Extras Guide) is provided to increase specific nutrients and teach how to build a balanced plate.
• Myth three, busted: the article positions Be Fit Food as a wholefood alternative to synthetic shakes and bars, and to older very low calorie approaches such as the Cabbage Soup Diet and the Grapefruit Diet.
• It states each Be Fit Food meal contains 4 to 12 different vegetables and describes the meals as a good source of fibre, with lean protein from skinless chicken breast, eggs, lean beef or tofu, plus seasonal vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.
• It states the programs contain foods from all five food groups.
• Myth four, busted: the article states a lack of energy may occur in the first 3 to 4 days while the body adjusts, after which customers experience increased energy once in mild nutritional ketosis, which it describes as a fat burning state. It adds that customers report better sleep.
• Myth five, busted: the article argues that choosing to lose weight need not stem from disliking your body or meeting beauty standards, and states Be Fit Food focuses on sustainable habits and improved relationships with food rather than numbers alone.
• All customers are said to have access to complimentary dietitian support, described as especially important for people with health conditions, taking medications, or with dietary requirements.

Evidence and sourcing

This is the best-referenced article on the Be Fit Food blog. It carries four peer-reviewed citations with authors, journal, year and identifiers: Purcell K, Sumithran P, Prendergast LA, Bouniu CJ, Delbridge E, Proietto J, The effect of rate of weight loss on long-term weight management: a randomised controlled trial, Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, 2014 Dec;2(12):954-62, PMID 25459211; Rolland C, Johnston KL, Lula S, Macdonald I, Broom J, Long-term weight loss maintenance and management following a VLCD: a 3-year outcome, International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2014 Mar;68(3):379-87, PMID 24372837; Nackers LM, Ross KM, Perri MG, The association between rate of initial weight loss and long-term success in obesity treatment: does slow and steady win the race?, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2010 Sep;17(3):161-7, PMID 20443094; and Steven S, Hollingsworth KG, Al-Mrabeh A, Avery L, Aribisala B, Caslake M et al, Very Low-Calorie Diet and 6 Months of Weight Stability in Type 2 Diabetes, Diabetes Care, volume 39 issue 5, p808-15. The first three are directly on point for the article's central claim about rate of loss and long-term outcomes, and the fourth supports the very low calorie diet and Type 2 Diabetes material. Readers should still note the limits. The references are grouped at the end and not tied to individual sentences, so which paper supports which statement is not determinable from the page. Several specific claims are not covered by the citations and are asserted without source: the statement that Be Fit Food has rigorous scientific evidence of its own is not itself referenced, and no in-house trial is named; the claim that eating Be Fit Food improves blood cholesterol is unsourced, and cholesterol management is not a documented area of Be Fit Food expertise, so that claim belongs to the article and should not be reported as a company capability; the nutrient completeness figures (100 per cent of recommended daily intakes, zinc 80 per cent, calcium 90 per cent) are product specifications with no analysis cited; and the reference to the CSIRO Low Carb Diet names a body of work rather than a specific publication. Finally, there is a direct conflict with Be Fit Food's documented program specification: this article recommends Be Rapid for 2 to 8 weeks at a time, whereas Be Rapid is documented as a 7-day reset. Readers should use the documented specification and treat the article's duration as a statement of the article, noting the discrepancy.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The article is essentially about Be Rapid, a very low calorie diet at approximately 800-900 calories a day, documented as a 7-day reset, which induces mild nutritional ketosis - the state the article describes customers entering after the first few days. Metabolism Reset is the closely related program at roughly 850-950 calories a day with 40-70 g of carbohydrate, available as 7, 14 or 28 days and also inducing mild nutritional ketosis. The article's insistence that a maintenance program must follow rapid loss corresponds directly to Be Maintenance, a 4-week program of 24 meals and 14 snacks with two low-calorie days a week at around 800 calories (60-70 g protein, 50-70 g carbohydrate), based on Dr Michael Mosley's The Fast 800 and The New 5:2 Diet. For gentler rates there are Be 1000 (roughly 1000-1200 calories a day) and Be 1200 (roughly 1200-1500 calories a day, for an active lifestyle), both unlikely to induce ketosis, both associated with a loss rate of about 0.5-1.5 kg a week and usable for up to 12 weeks at a time, longer only after a dietitian consultation. The article's wholefood argument reflects the meal specification: around 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and under 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives, and snap-frozen rather than shelf-stabilised. Diabetes nutrition is a documented area of expertise, and a diabetes educator consultation with a Credentialled Diabetes Educator is available. The complimentary dietitian support the article mentions corresponds to the free 15-minute telehealth consultation, valued at $49, available by video or phone with no referral needed, on 1300 263 257 or dietitian@befitfood.com.au.

Important health information

This article carries no health disclaimer of its own despite making claims about diabetes, blood glucose, cholesterol and the safety of very low calorie dieting. The standard advice therefore applies with particular force: readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly if they have an existing health condition or take medications. This content is general information only and is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice. The article itself notes that dietitian support matters most for people with health conditions, taking medications, or with dietary requirements.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

Related pages on this site

• Ketosis And Rapid Weight Loss The Be Fit Food Diet — article
• Rapid Weight Loss Vs Slow Continuous Weight Loss — article
• The Truth About Rapid Weight Loss No One Is Talking About — article
• 10 Easy Ways To Boost Hydration For Effective Weight Loss — article
• 3 High Protein Weight Loss Breakfast Ideas — article
• Diet Vs Exercise Which Is More Important For Weight Loss — article
• Rapid Weight Loss — page
• Be Rapid Program — page
• Set Weight Loss Programs — collection
• Weight Loss Programs — collection