Change target loss/week when you get closer to goal?

RM10003

I'm about 9 pounds off what I've set as my goal weight. I've seen people say that you should lower your target weight loss per week to 0.5lbs (but of course people say all sorts of wacky things....)

I have heard that it gets harder to lose as you get nearer your goal, and since I've been losing pretty steadily lately (some weeks only 0.5 lb, I'm not perfect) I am reluctant to mess with what I've got going on. Is there any reason I should be changing up my calories in at this point?

RM10003

Bump?

tonytoo

Only if you want to. I can't think of any other reason. For instance, if you were conservative originally but you've stuck really well to the regime and figure you can do it another few months. Maybe then you'd change your goal to a few more pounds lighter?

wooseyuk

I picked my initial target of getting to 90KG, that seemed *so* far away to me at the time (116.6kg starting weight!) but as the weight tumbled off i decided to look into what my BMI says is the correct weight for me, at around 94KG i set my new goal, 75KG which is the middle of the healthy range for my height/age. I would say just pick a good target and if it goes well, perhaps look at your BMI to see if that weight is heatlhy for you.

Sean_The_IT_Guy

some folks find the last few lbs harder to come off at a 1-2lb/week loss rate and find it helps to drop to 0.5lbs/week, eat a little more close to maintenance, and that helps the last couple stubborn pounds come off, although more slowly. it also helps the eventual transitition to eating at maintenance, so you don't have such a calorie jump when you do reach your goal, and you get less issues of food rebound.

kirstyfairhead

I think it depends on what you are doing now, what your current deficit is and what your goals are. My understanding of the logic behind reducing loss targets is that the less fat you have available to burn, the more likely the body is to use other stores of energy (i.e lean body mass/muscle) in order to provide fuel to function. So if you continue to force your body into a large deficit you may be losing more lean mass than you would want to. In order to try to ensure that the weight you are losing is actual fat you let your body do it more slowly.

I have around 10lbs to go and have started strength training. This is because I specifically want to reduce my body fat% and work on a lean, defined look. I know that this is going to take a long time and a lot of effort and I'm fine with that, so losing the weight on the scale is less important.

If however, you are primarily just looking to drop a dress size then all of this may be less important to you and 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. Just a word of warning though, the chances are that even if you don't change your current method, your weight loss will slow down as you head towards your goal and you shouldn't be disheartened. It is totally normal for this to happen!

RM10003

Thanks, everyone! At my goal I'll be at BMI of 23 which is not super thin, but I think reasonable for me (the only time I was thinner as an adult, I was hyperthyroid with no muscles, and while everyone said I looked great I felt like death). As a 45 year old I am also afraid of looking gaunt--I have already lost more from my face than I would have expected.

Goal is fitness/health, not dress size, but I think I'll just leave myself at 500 calorie deficit for now and see how it goes. Also have a vacation coming up in wine country that is sure to be a massive calorie fest, so I'll need to work that back off.

onedayatatime12

If you're the type of person who gets plateaus then definitely change it. If not, keep going, I would say!

RM10003

If you're the type of person who gets plateaus then definitely change it. If not, keep going, I would say!

Yeah, I've been on a good losing streak lately which is why I am hesitant to change it up, but that sounds like a plan for when the next plateau rears its ugly head.