weight loss limits

yb wrote:
> hi, i've been told that in general it is safe to lose 1 - 2lbs per
> week. why the 2lb limit?

It is a rule of thumb, not a hard and fast rule. A loss of 2 lbs of
fat per week represents a weekly calorie deficit of about 7000 calories
(in theory) -- about 1000 calories per day. Most people would be doing
better than average to sustain that kind of deficit long enough to
reach their total weight loss goals -- for example, 25 weeks (half a
year) to lose 50 lbs.

Most people who lose at a faster rate are trying crash programs.
Typically, the weight loss is not sustainable over the long haul; and
they might lose the "wrong" weight -- muscle along with fat. But such
programs can work for a well-disciplined person.

> If someone increases cardio, to say, 2 hours daily and manage
> it, while still eating healthily couldn't they lose more safely?

Yes. But you might do well to add resistance exercises to build muscle
rather than simply increasing cardio.