At what point does 2lbs a week become unrealistic?

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  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited March 2015
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    A very very general guideline that certainly has exceptions, would be .5 to 1% change in bodyweight per week.

    But that's really a secondary question.

    The primary question is:

    What do I have to do with my training and diet in order to sustain a 2lb/week weight loss?

    Followed by:

    Can I adhere to that?


    For most people the answer is that you have to bring calories really low and bring activity up quite a bit and it's an awful scenario that you won't adhere to.


    Also, I would challenge your claim that you see lots of people losing 2/week who have less to lose than you do. That's quite rare if you are referring to steady, weekly losses. I'd also like to see how those people are doing weeks or months from now.


    Here's are some great questions I think you should ask yourself right now:

    1) Am I losing weight somewhat regularly over time?
    2) Am I forming good habits around food and exercise that I can adhere to for a very long time or does this feel like a stressful diet that will one day be "over"?
    3) Do I have enough energy to function and to perform adequately in the gym?

    ^ This stuff is important. It's WAAAAAY more important than whether or not you are losing .5 lbs per week or 2lbs per week.

    I agree with this. I ignored the lbs/week thing and focused on % bodyweight per week, mainly because that 2lbs/week feels and looks and has a different impact on a body that is 6'2" and one is 5'2" (that's me!) and it sounded illogical to me. Also, it really does mean that you are focusing on what is right for YOU and not for anyone else.

    For myself, I lost pounds very quickly to start with, then deliberately started slowing things down progressively, but I lost at a rate of about 1-1.3% bodyweight/week for the first 8 months and then it slowed to about 0.5% until I approached my target. Maybe it was a bit quick to start with, but it worked for me and I was OK with it.

    Yes, I agree with this too, and it's pretty consistent with my experience, at 5'3.

    I actually stopped worrying about rate per week (vs. simply making sure I was losing consistently) when I switched to TDEE, which I did at around 150 or so (my goal is 120). I did maintain a loss of about 1.5 lbs/week for a while after that, instead of the 1 lb/week I'd expected (because I was running a lot) and then as I got closer to goal and started running less due to winter it leveled off to 1 lb/week and now (since I hit 130) it's been more like .5 lb/week but not so consistent, sometimes nothing, sometimes 1 lb. I was trying to keep a 500 lb deficit based on TDEE and now more like a 250-300 lb deficit, but my workouts have been harder to judge since I am varying my cardio more and doing more weight-oriented workouts.
  • RainyDaysAgain
    RainyDaysAgain Posts: 69 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Here's are some great questions I think you should ask yourself right now:

    1) Am I losing weight somewhat regularly over time?
    2) Am I forming good habits around food and exercise that I can adhere to for a very long time or does this feel like a stressful diet that will one day be "over"?
    3) Do I have enough energy to function and to perform adequately in the gym?

    ^ This stuff is important. It's WAAAAAY more important than whether or not you are losing .5 lbs per week or 2lbs per week.

    This was very helpful to me also. Thank you for posting it.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    My goals are quite similar-I'm also 5"6"" and started at 205. Low 190s now. While 130 is a reasonable goal-I'm making my first goal 150. (it's been a long time since I was there).
    I have not lost 2lbs a week but I do see slow and steady progress.
    I know that high intensity workouts will speed my weight loss but at 56 I'm more content to take it slow and gradual.
    Good luck on your journey.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    SilverRose89 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    A very very general guideline that certainly has exceptions, would be .5 to 1% change in bodyweight per week.

    But that's really a secondary question.

    The primary question is:

    What do I have to do with my training and diet in order to sustain a 2lb/week weight loss?

    Followed by:

    Can I adhere to that?


    For most people the answer is that you have to bring calories really low and bring activity up quite a bit and it's an awful scenario that you won't adhere to.


    Also, I would challenge your claim that you see lots of people losing 2/week who have less to lose than you do. That's quite rare if you are referring to steady, weekly losses. I'd also like to see how those people are doing weeks or months from now.


    Here's are some great questions I think you should ask yourself right now:

    1) Am I losing weight somewhat regularly over time?
    2) Am I forming good habits around food and exercise that I can adhere to for a very long time or does this feel like a stressful diet that will one day be "over"?
    3) Do I have enough energy to function and to perform adequately in the gym?

    ^ This stuff is important. It's WAAAAAY more important than whether or not you are losing .5 lbs per week or 2lbs per week.

    Sorry I missed this post. Very well said, thank you.

    And while I know I certainly have seen people with less than me to lose, lose 2lb a week you are quite correct that I have no idea if it's steady and how they will be doing months from now.

    I can answer yes to those three questions (and a definite 'no' to does it feel stressful and something I hope one day will be over). Which I'm really glad I asked myself.

    Thanks :flowerforyou:

    (I really do love this forum)

    Something else to consider... when you say you have seen other people lose 2 lbs per week, do you mean the posts on your Friends feed? Because MFP auto posts for you when you lose, but NOT when you gain. I went for several weeks where I kept gaining and losing the same stupid lb over & over again. But it looked to my friends like I was losing a pound every 2 weeks because "Gained 1 lb" was never posted :). I actually posted out of guilt that I kept gaining and losing that pound!

    It sounds like you are doing awesome to me!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It depends on how determined you are. Someone fairly lean can do a PSMF and continue losing rapidly - but it takes pretty strong mental fortitude.
  • Ellaskat
    Ellaskat Posts: 386 Member
    at the point you're so hungry you might eat the arm of the person sitting next to you ;)
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    I have lost an average of 4.1lbs per week (1.9kg) but I am extremely overweight. I was 115kg and today 98.8kg. Sorry not sure in pounds but roughly 253ish to 217-218.

    My loss looks "extreme" but my BMI was 51 and I would probably have suffered serious health issues or even death in my 30's if I had carried on like that.

    I know full well that it won't keep going down like this and I won't drop below 1200 calories. I am satisfied around 1200 and don't get that knawing hunger like I used to when I waa overeating.

    My grandma (68 yeara of age) is also eating about the same as me but losing 200-500 grams per week.

    You're doing so well! Keep it up!
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