How fast should I expect to lose weight?

jennybunn67
jennybunn67 Posts: 6
edited January 2015 in Introduce Yourself
47 yo. 5'3" Sedentary. SW 177. 1200 calorie diet. How fast can I expect to drop pounds? Began Jan 1 and seems really slow. Goal right now is 150.

Replies

  • stainlessneil
    stainlessneil Posts: 65 Member
    It should be slow, as long as it's still trending downwards. Tv shows like The Biggest Loser promote unrealistic and unhealthy expectations for weight loss. Each week you should aim to lose 0.5 - 1.0 kgs or 1-2 lbs. Seems slow, but just keep tracking it and logging it week after week and it soon adds up. If you lose weight faster than that it starts to become crash dieting which is not sustainable in the long term. That is what causes people to stack the weight back on after they reach their goal. Just aim for a healthy lifestyle change and the weight loss will take care of itself
  • Grumpy_Marmot
    Grumpy_Marmot Posts: 385
    Wadda what? I differ a little - if you change up the diet and add just 30 minutes of activity and ramp it up as you go along you will drop significant weight the first four weeks. As it tapers, just tack on more activity... If your sedentary now, it's as easy as walking for 30 minutes and change it up to 45 minutes after a couple of weeks... You will nail that goal in no time at all! Good luck!!
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
    You're not looking to lose a lot of weight so 1-2lbs is your goal. The first week you can lose quite a bit cause you just cut out all the junk. However, if you did add exercise, you could lose weight steadily, since inactivity will make it easier for your body to plateau.
  • jennybunn67
    jennybunn67 Posts: 6
    Thanks everyone. Having a hard time getting motivated to move, but I know I have to. Going on 3 wks and might have lost 5 lbs.. maybe. Scales at work, so have to weigh with my clothes on. Not sure about accuracy. Im doing pretty well with the healthy eating though and staying around 1200 calories.
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    5 pounds in 3 weeks is pretty good!

    You could add some exercise and bump up your calories. 1200 is pretty restrictive and the exercise is good for your head as well as your body.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    It took me 9 months to lose 70lbs at a rate of 1-2lb per week. I've kept it off since the mid 90s. Slow and sustainable wins the race!
  • pansyviolet
    pansyviolet Posts: 34
    You're really doing great. But I agree, excerise is so very important for a healthy and life time weight loss
  • jennybunn67
    jennybunn67 Posts: 6
    I am concerned about the calories bc I dont yet have a food scale and am estimating. Almond milk smoothie for breakfast, salad for lunch, and most of my calories at dinner.
  • jennybunn67
    jennybunn67 Posts: 6
    Does it matter how I get my calories, like if they are carbs?
  • oncem0re
    oncem0re Posts: 213 Member
    Invest on a scale - it's $10 but it's life changing! Good luck to you - I'm the same phase as you are, I'm on the start of my 3rd week and so far lost 6lbs... hopefully get to reduce it 1-2lbs a week steadily.
  • jennybunn67
    jennybunn67 Posts: 6
    Will do. Thanks and congrats
  • 1bellringer1
    1bellringer1 Posts: 55 Member
    I did away with most of my carbs, no potato's, pasta, bread, or rice and to be honest I really don't miss them. That was advise from my Doc to get my diet moving and keep up a steady loss of 1 1/2 to 2 lbs per week. I don't feel nearly as stuffed or bloated all the time with all that out of my diet. I've added back in an Everything Smart Bagel from Toufayan for my lunch sandwich and it has 100 cal and 21 grams of carbs.
  • Cajunkitty70394
    Cajunkitty70394 Posts: 63 Member
    Hi I just started here a few days ago , didn't lose any yet but in the past counting calories worked for me . Good luck hun ;)
  • jennybunn67
    jennybunn67 Posts: 6
    Ive cut way back on carbs but haven't completely taken them out. Just did 25 mins on treadmill..trying to get active. Feels good.
  • stainlessneil
    stainlessneil Posts: 65 Member
    My breakdown is 50% carbs 30% fat and 20% protein. I just make sure my carbs are the fibrous kind (muesli, bread, pasta, rice) and not the sugary kind. I also make sure my fats are mostly monounsaturated which are the good fats (peanuts, olive oil, avocado) although I still get a bit of "bad" saturated fat too, but that's in the meat which I'm eating for its protein content. Also, the majority of my carbs are at breakfast followed by a decent amount during the day, some with my protein shake immediately after weight training to help with recovery, and then just sometimes a small amount with dinner or sometimes none at all. So just taper them down from a.m. to p.m.

    At the end of the day, eat whatever keeps you feeling energized and stops you feeling hungry as long as you stay under or on your calorie target, because the only thing that causes weight loss is a calorie deficit (regardless of the carb/fat/protein balance) Remembering of course that if you only ate 500 calories if ice cream everyday then sure, you'd lose weight, but you'd end up pretty sick and malnourished too.
  • ransaka
    ransaka Posts: 135 Member
    Hello and welcome to MFP!
    If you’re just starting out I’d recommend reading these two threads as they contain good, honest information that will set you on the right track:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

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