How the heck do I know if I'm doing this right?

Seeyoubabyweight

I started 150lbs, set the goal for 135lbs, but if I can do it I'd love to get down to 125lbs.

I changed my lifestyle last month. Cut out junk food and late night snacks. Started cooking healthy meals and filling up on fruits/veggies. I set MFP goals to 1lb/week and was honest that although I don't exercise, I have an on the go job so I am lightly active. I've been averaging a 1300calorie intake/day which is where I should be according to MFP calculator.

I posted yesterday that I was shocked and happy that I managed to lose 10lbs last month. I thought I was on a good role. 10lbs/month IS NOT MY GOAL, I will be happy with a 3lb/month loss.

I've learned it was most likely water weight and now things will get tougher. Yet I also have all these warnings that I'm being too aggressive, that I'm going to start losing muscle rather than fat if I keep it up.

That is not what I want, so how in the world is someone supposed to be excited and motivated to be losing the weight, when the whole time they may be doing it wrong? How am I supposed to know whether its fat or muscle I'm losing?
From what I have researched if you are using the muscles its less likely you are losing it. I work with students who are in wheelchairs, I push the chairs all day, I'm lifting them (30-50lbs) a few times/day and supporting them while they try to walk. I'm on my feet walking hallways constantly, so my muscle gets use, just not from a gym or traditional exercise. I just don't know if that's enough to keep them during my fat loss attempts.

I was so excited and motivated by my January numbers, yet now I am ready to throw in the towel and switch to maintenance rather than loss as I'm terrified I'm screwing up my body.

queenliz99

The last 10 pounds are the slowest of all. Patience is required. You need to set your weight loss to .5 pound a week. Exercise is for health so it not needed for weight loss. But lifting weights will help keep your muscle mass. read this

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

segacs

Yeah, don't freak out. I lost the first 10lbs really quickly, too. It slowed down to a steady 0.8-1lb/week after that.

If you're still losing much faster than you'd like to be after another few weeks, just increase your calories by 100 or so at a time until you get to the rate of loss that you'd like to see. Online calculators are just estimates; it's possible you're more active than you think you are.

And from what you describe, it's highly unlikely you're dropping muscle mass. It's probably a combination of water weight and fat loss.