Goal Question.... is 1lb per week best?

coverley54

I'm 5'4, started at 166 lbs. When I used the questionairre here for determining goals, i put 2 lbs per week/ 30 min exercise/5 days p/week. I need to lose at least 30 lbs. It determined i shouild eat 1200 per day. Now i'm thinking 1 lb would be a better goal, what do you all think?
Thanks

Edit: i just redid the goal page inputting 1lb per day and it came up with the same 1200 calorie recommendation??
Very confusing, not sure what to do?

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Yes 1 lb would be best. Many people find that 1200 calories isn't enough. I started at 169 lbs at 5'4" and was unhappy and tired eating so little.

Really you should only use 2 lbs per week if you've got more than 50 lbs to lose.

Also double check your activity level. I was a stay-at-home housewife with no kids when I started. I chose sedentary, but it turned out I was lightly active.

coverley54

i just redid the goal page inputting 1lb per day and it came up with the same 1200 calorie recommendation??
I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true.
Very confusing, not sure what to do when both 1lb and 2 lb choice comes up the same/ 1200cal/rec?

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

i just redid the goal page inputting 1lb per day and it came up with the same 1200 calorie recommendation??
I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true.
Very confusing, not sure what to do when both 1lb and 2 lb choice comes up the same/ 1200cal/rec?

That's because you're choosing sedentary I'm guessing. What MFP does is take your BMR and multiply it by an activity multiplier. That gives your TDEE (maintenance calories). Then it takes away 500 or 1000 calories based on what you've chosen as your goal. If that number is below 1200 it will set you at 1200 because that's the lowest number at which you can get adequate nutrition.

Why are you choosing sedentary? What's your work and workout schedule like?

grandevampire

I disagree with defining a universal "best".

It really depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you have 200kg to lose, maybe you can afford to target 2lb/week (although of course you don't have to unless the weight is resulting in an impending medical risk). However, for someone with less than 10lbs to lose, even 1lb/week is probably too much of a cut.

Think of it as diminishing returns in terms of the rate at which you can reasonably lose weight.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Here follow this post-- it's the easiest explanation of setting your own calorie goal:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I disagree with defining a universal "best".

It really depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you have 200kg to lose, maybe you can afford to target 2lb/week (although of course you don't have to unless the weight is resulting in an impending medical risk). However, for someone with less than 10lbs to lose, even 1lb/week is probably too much of a cut.

Think of it as diminishing returns in terms of the rate at which you can reasonably lose weight.

This is absolutely true. I meant best for the OP based on the stats she gave.

coverley54

I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true:sad:
I need to lose at least 30 lbs for my height. 5'4"

congrats Angel on your 45lb wt loss,,,,,,,,AWESOME!
also, thanks for the link, I think i will learn what's best by keeping on the program and making adjustments as needed, LIKE EXERCISING MORE, thats my goal

littlebee26

I'm 5 4 and weigh 139lbs. I want to lose 20lbs. I start training with my personal trainer on 1st July. I will be eating 1200 calories a day and weight training 3 days(an hour each session) per week. I want the 20lb off 10wks from my start point. Starting to think now that my calories are too low!! Anyway, I'll give it a go and see how I get on. I can always up my calories if I'm finding it difficult I suppose. Anyways, I just want to wish you the very best of luck

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true:sad:
I need to lose at least 30 lbs for my height. 5'4"

congrats Angel on your 45lb wt loss,,,,,,,,AWESOME!
also, thanks for the link, I think i will learn what's best by keeping on the program and making adjustments as needed, LIKE EXERCISING MORE, thats my goal

So you sit all day and don't move around?

coverley54

I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true:sad:
I need to lose at least 30 lbs for my height. 5'4"

congrats Angel on your 45lb wt loss,,,,,,,,AWESOME!
also, thanks for the link, I think i will learn what's best by keeping on the program and making adjustments as needed, LIKE EXERCISING MORE, thats my goal

So you sit all day and don't move around?

I do light housework, but yes, i have a shoulder injury, along with compressed cervical discs which i am getting decompression treatments for now, lot's of body pain too.
I am doing a stretch/tone exercise daily now, which is a big deal for now. Planning more walking too, just getting started with this, so being honest, i am sedentary for now, getting better though. This site is a great motivator, so glad i found this place:flowerforyou:

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I also checked the sedentary choice because it's true:sad:
I need to lose at least 30 lbs for my height. 5'4"

congrats Angel on your 45lb wt loss,,,,,,,,AWESOME!
also, thanks for the link, I think i will learn what's best by keeping on the program and making adjustments as needed, LIKE EXERCISING MORE, thats my goal

So you sit all day and don't move around?

I do light housework, but yes, i have a shoulder injury, along with compressed cervical discs which i am getting decompression treatments for now, lot's of body pain too.
I am doing a stretch/tone exercise daily now, which is a big deal for now. Planning more walking too, just getting started with this, so being honest, i am sedentary for now, getting better though. This site is a great motivator, so glad i found this place:flowerforyou:

Well, you may be sedentary, but you could be lightly active. I have a lot of health issues (lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic migraine) and in the beginning, like I said, I thought I was sedentary because I was spending a ton of time on the sofa. It turned out not to be so.

My advice for now is to follow the link I posted. Re-evaluate in 4-6 weeks, based on how you get on.

coverley54

Thanks Angel .......will do!

grandevampire

I'm 5 4 and weigh 139lbs. I want to lose 20lbs. I start training with my personal trainer on 1st July. I will be eating 1200 calories a day and weight training 3 days(an hour each session) per week. I want the 20lb off 10wks from my start point. Starting to think now that my calories are too low!! Anyway, I'll give it a go and see how I get on. I can always up my calories if I'm finding it difficult I suppose. Anyways, I just want to wish you the very best of luck

To be realistic, you cannot just "want" very much to finish at a given date and wind up getting the desired results. As mentioned above, whether or not a 2 lb/week loss is realistic highly depends on how much fat you have to lose in the first place.

If you exceed the deficit your body can handle effectively, it has the amazing ability to find ways to make the excessive cut bearable by becoming very efficient with using only what you give it. A sluggish metabolism is how some tall people can manage to eat 1200 calories and not feel hungry all day, but when they up their calories they can still continue to lose (but feel more energetic in the process).

I think of the rate at which you can lose is not what you impose on your body through sheer willpower, but rather being receptive to what your body is actually *capable* of handling. When your determination and the physical constraints are working in concert, you get the most efficient changes to your body. Otherwise, it can just wind up being counterproductive. Whether you like it or not, this speed may not match a specific date you have targeted to have lost a given amount.

ETA: And by listening to your body, I mean...After several weeks of eating a certain number of calories, are you still raring to go when you need to start your training session, or is your body lagging just a little in terms of activation energy? When you need to climb a flight of stairs, are you hesitating then plunking up, or are you bounding up with abandon? The more energy you have available, the more your body will dispense in doing the same activities (i.e. flagging vs being hyper).

momzeeee

I disagree with defining a universal "best".

It really depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you have 200kg to lose, maybe you can afford to target 2lb/week (although of course you don't have to unless the weight is resulting in an impending medical risk). However, for someone with less than 10lbs to lose, even 1lb/week is probably too much of a cut.

Think of it as diminishing returns in terms of the rate at which you can reasonably lose weight.

Agree-I've just gone back into weight loss mode, after being in maintenance for 3 months, to lose 4-5 more pounds. I've set my weight loss goal at .5lb a week, though 1lb was tempting. I know that wouldn't be the healthiest choice though.