How fast is too fast?

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Trackingsmith
Trackingsmith Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have 16 weeks until my birthday but 28 pounds left to lose. I promised myself that I would lose this weight before my next birthday. I know if I lost almost 2 pounds a week I could do it but that's also really strenuous for the amount I want to lose. So my question to all of you is do I shoot for 1 pound a week or would 1.5 pounds a week still be reasonable?

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  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    I think most people will tell you that 1.5 pounds a week that close to goal isn't reasonable.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
    edited July 2015
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    1% of your body weight per week is reasonable.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Trackingsmith
    Trackingsmith Posts: 8 Member
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    Considering I weigh 166.2 pounds right now that would make my weight loss about 1.66 pounds at least for week one.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i think it might be a bit much. but do what you can and after your birthday, set a new goal. and all will be fine :)
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
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    I've seen many people lose 1-2 lbs/week (myself included). It tough but doable if you have the metabolic capacity to do so. I would work hard to get after your goal, but don't be discouraged if you don't hit that number by your birthday. I know you promised yourself, but focus on making progress and developing healthy behaviors and your weight will come into where it should be as a by-product.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    1% of your body weight per week is reasonable.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    This is what I would suggest. But I would also work on maintaining your muscle mass. A good lifting program will make strides in how your body will look. Because in the end, body composition > weight.
  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
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    1.5 lbs per week is entirely do-able.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    Personally, I would aim for the pound a week and stop worrying about a timeline.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    TheCurvyLady wrote: »
    Considering I weigh 166.2 pounds right now that would make my weight loss about 1.66 pounds at least for week one.

    The problem with this.........the first week of weight loss is generally higher, and it tapers down as you get closer to goal. 1/2 pound a week is recommended for those within 10 pounds of goal.

    All weight loss is not created equal. The higher your daily deficit the harder it is for your body to support existing lean muscle. Losing weight fast generally sacrifices more lean muscle than most people are comfortable with. I choose to lose at a moderate pace because I want to lower my body fat percentage.
  • cwilso37
    cwilso37 Posts: 79 Member
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    As you get closer to the goal the harder it is to lose weight. Normal recommendations are .5 lb a week per 25 lbs to lose.
  • Trackingsmith
    Trackingsmith Posts: 8 Member
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    Thanks everyone!!! I think for now I'm going to stick with aiming for 1 pound a week. If I happen to lose more then that's just a bonus. I want to be steady about this so that I can keep this stuff off my body.
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    You can definitely lose 1-2 lbs a week. Doable. The real success isn't the number on the scale though but the journey and the hard work you put in to get to that goal weight. You will notice your weight fluctuate but pay attention to how your body begins to shape itself. Find yourself a workout plan, don't deprive yourself of foods you enjoy. Feed your body what it needs and you will be amazed by the end result. People make weight loss seem harder than it actually is. It's quite simple but takes time.

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