Setting goals

spatulamom

So I've been at this for a few weeks and have lost just a little over 5 lbs. I still have a good 90 lbs to lose and I have my daily calories set to lose 1 lb a week. I've looked to set it to lose more, but the calorie deficit seems very low (right now, I'm getting 1520 calories a day, which has been fairly doable. Setting it to lose 1.5 lbs a week would give me 1270 and setting it to 2 lbs would give me 1200.)

Now, I typically earn about 125-170 exercise calories 4-5 times a week and sometimes I eat them, sometimes I don't. Most of the time, I'm coming up under my calorie goal each day.

I feel like I'm going to have a long haul at 1 lb a week (I've honestly never had this much to lose) but worry that I'll risk becoming discouraged if I'm eating a lower calorie goal, even if I'm losing.

How did you determine which rate of weekly weight loss to choose?

jemhh

First off, good work so far!

Now, IMO 1270, even net with exercise cals of 170, is not much to eat. I would suggest sticking with your current 1 lb. rate. Everybody is different but I just cannot eat that little. For me, being able to eat more made the slower process tolerable. I mean, you could always try the 1.5 pounds and then switch back if it's not enough food but that is my own experience. FWIW, it took me about a year (1/2/14-12/15/14) to lose 52 pounds and it actually kind of sped by. I averaged 2 lbs/wk for the first 4 months or so and then .5/wk after that.

TheLegendaryBrandonHarris

Well, it sounds to me like you've already got a good bit of it figured out.
"I...worry that I'll risk becoming discouraged if I'm eating a lower calorie goal, even if I'm losing."

If you can lose 1 pound a week and not make yourself too uncomfortable by eating 1520, then it looks like you are in the right spot.

BZAH10

Mainly trial and error. I think you answered your own question, though: the 1520 cals. per day is doable. 1270 or less, probably not. No need to suffer while you're losing weight. Some weeks you'll lose more than others. Just be consistent for a while and see how it goes. You may need to make changes here and there, but losing at a slower pace gives you body and skin time to adapt.

I like that your calorie expenditure seems to be accurate. Lots of people wildly overestimate that number, so that's a plus.

Basically, keep doing what you're doing, accurately log your food, be active and give it more time!

spatulamom

Thank you both! I think I do have it in my mind, I just needed to write it out and see if that's how it really came across to others as well. I feel like I'd make it a couple of days on 1270 and then get annoyed and set myself back up to 1520.

I'm averaging a little more than a lb a week, so even if that slows down, I'm still on the right track. Thank you!

jaga13

I would stick to your current rate. If you up your exercise to 170 each time, 5 days a week, that gives you almost another .25 lb each week, so keep it up! Or maybe some days eat around 1400 instead of 1520, if you are comfortable with it. It doesn't have to be an even 1, 1.5, or 2 lb loss. You're doing great!