Want to lose more than a pound a week?

I'm only losing about a pound a week, I've gone from 10stone9.4 to 10stone8.6 so I don't think that's even a pound! I can't work out the point something of a pound.
Will eating 100 calories less again make a difference? I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week. I only go over when I've come home from a long 10 hour shift and need more food or when I spend the day with family and have no control over the meal plan, so it's not often. Sometimes I'm under my calorie goal and don't eat more as it says I'll go over my carbs.

I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled. I've really been struggling this last week and my work days this week changing mean I have no time to exercise tomorrow, maybe today depends how tired I am.
I don't want to cut my calories too much as I've already completely changed my diet, I eat less carbs than I used to, hardly ever have bread and no sugary stuff. I'm drinking only water, which I'm getting sick of and don't drink too much tea.
It's probably because of the times I've gone over my calories but I can't help it when I visit my family, I already only eat with them one day a week to stay in my calorie goal.
Is there anything I can do? Or is this it? I've really struggled to stick to it this week and have managed to despite two days of going over

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,816 Member
    Total +1 to what @middlehaitch just said. Slower is more sustainable, too, and helps you learn how to modify your eating to stay at a healthy weight permanently. Keep it manageable! (Kudos to you for figuring out how to lose a pound a week and still enjoy your time with your family, BTW).

    What I wanted to add: I'm concerned that you may feel that people "should" lose QuickQUICKquick because of the silly TV weight-loss shows, weight-loss marketing pitches, and over-stated magazine/web articles. Unless substantially obese, this "lose 20 pounds in a month" nonsense is unreasonable and unhealthy.

    Your body can only metabolize a certain (fairly small) amount of fat daily. The less excess fat currently on your body, the less this amount becomes. Massive weight loss rates risk loss of lean body mass (i.e. muscles - and our hearts are muscles!), fatigue, and unattractive side-effects like hair thinning, brittle nails, etc.

    Your pound a week rate sounds perfect. As you get down to 10-15 pounds from goal, it would be good to slow things down further, to 0.5 pounds a week or less. You can reach your goal in a healthy, strong way, and be ready to stay at goal forever.
  • Smccabe8
    Smccabe8 Posts: 129 Member
    I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week.

    I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled.

    Just checking... you mean 1,400 a DAY right?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    How tall are you (in feet and inches) and how much weight do you want to lose (in pounds)?
  • jessiethe3rd
    jessiethe3rd Posts: 239 Member
    Weight is funny... It doesn't come off the scale all the time. Stick with it. If you have a deficit then your body will fall in... Its just a matter of patience and time.
  • JenRainbow1
    JenRainbow1 Posts: 74 Member
    Paiger816 wrote: »
    I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week.

    I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled.

    Just checking... you mean 1,400 a DAY right?

    Yeah, 1,400 a day. I was rushing to type as usual as i was on my way to work
  • JenRainbow1
    JenRainbow1 Posts: 74 Member
    Honestly, I have to check my height as I've forgotten it! And I never was sure how much I wanted to lose. I wanted to lose the weight I'd put on recently but I wasn't sure how much that was as only recently (since starting calorie counting) did I own a scales. Like most people I want to have a smaller mid section and it is a bit smaller.
    I want to be a healthy weight, I need to check my BMI again.
    There's probably nothing wrong with a pound a week I am just trying to rush it when I shouldn't be. It's my nature to rush things and to be hard on myself. You can't do that really.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    I'm only losing about a pound a week, I've gone from 10stone9.4 to 10stone8.6 so I don't think that's even a pound! I can't work out the point something of a pound.
    Will eating 100 calories less again make a difference? I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week. I only go over when I've come home from a long 10 hour shift and need more food or when I spend the day with family and have no control over the meal plan, so it's not often. Sometimes I'm under my calorie goal and don't eat more as it says I'll go over my carbs.

    I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled. I've really been struggling this last week and my work days this week changing mean I have no time to exercise tomorrow, maybe today depends how tired I am.
    I don't want to cut my calories too much as I've already completely changed my diet, I eat less carbs than I used to, hardly ever have bread and no sugary stuff. I'm drinking only water, which I'm getting sick of and don't drink too much tea.
    It's probably because of the times I've gone over my calories but I can't help it when I visit my family, I already only eat with them one day a week to stay in my calorie goal.
    Is there anything I can do? Or is this it? I've really struggled to stick to it this week and have managed to despite two days of going over

    You mentioned 10 hour work shift. It made me wonder about how much sleep you are getting. When I work long shifts it takes me awhile to unwind and my sleep is less sound. That affects my weight loss. Just a thought.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    1lb a week (or almost that) is great! keep up the great work, slow and steady is more sustainable :smiley:
  • Wicked_Seraph
    Wicked_Seraph Posts: 388 Member
    edited May 2016
    Honestly, I have to check my height as I've forgotten it! And I never was sure how much I wanted to lose. I wanted to lose the weight I'd put on recently but I wasn't sure how much that was as only recently (since starting calorie counting) did I own a scales. Like most people I want to have a smaller mid section and it is a bit smaller.
    I want to be a healthy weight, I need to check my BMI again.
    There's probably nothing wrong with a pound a week I am just trying to rush it when I shouldn't be. It's my nature to rush things and to be hard on myself. You can't do that really.

    Precisely.

    Weight loss is not a race, and putting a time limit on it is one of the surest ways to set yourself up for failure.

    Please be aware that weight loss is not going to be linear. Your weight will fluctuate; you might be up a few pounds, down a few pounds week to week. However, (in my case) it averages it out to a loss of 1-2 lbs a week. Just BE PATIENT, and allow yourself to figure out how to have a healthier relationship with food and yourself.

    I'm back up - I was ~192 before the weekend and now I'm back up to around 196 to 197. It's probably due to salt, not drinking enough water, and not exercising enough. Normally I'd freak out and go OMG NOOOO but now I'm just like "k, that pizza and ice cream fest was amazing but time to get back on track ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

    j3xmcuduncy7.png

  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    I'm only losing about a pound a week, I've gone from 10stone9.4 to 10stone8.6 so I don't think that's even a pound! I can't work out the point something of a pound.
    Will eating 100 calories less again make a difference? I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week. I only go over when I've come home from a long 10 hour shift and need more food or when I spend the day with family and have no control over the meal plan, so it's not often. Sometimes I'm under my calorie goal and don't eat more as it says I'll go over my carbs.

    I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled. I've really been struggling this last week and my work days this week changing mean I have no time to exercise tomorrow, maybe today depends how tired I am.
    I don't want to cut my calories too much as I've already completely changed my diet, I eat less carbs than I used to, hardly ever have bread and no sugary stuff. I'm drinking only water, which I'm getting sick of and don't drink too much tea.
    It's probably because of the times I've gone over my calories but I can't help it when I visit my family, I already only eat with them one day a week to stay in my calorie goal.
    Is there anything I can do? Or is this it? I've really struggled to stick to it this week and have managed to despite two days of going over

    You mentioned 10 hour work shift. It made me wonder about how much sleep you are getting. When I work long shifts it takes me awhile to unwind and my sleep is less sound. That affects my weight loss. Just a thought.

    How much did it actually affect it? I'm really curious about how much sleep loss would affect loss of weight.
    I mean, how many pounds do you think you lose with less sleep than with more sleep? And how many hours are we talking about? 5 vs 9, or 7 vs 10?

  • JenRainbow1
    JenRainbow1 Posts: 74 Member
    You mentioned 10 hour work shift. It made me wonder about how much sleep you are getting. When I work long shifts it takes me awhile to unwind and my sleep is less sound. That affects my weight loss. Just a thought.[/quote]

    I probably haven't been getting enough sleep, and I stayed up late to watch The Eurovision Song Contest. I tried to go to bed early the next two nights in a row but both times my boyfriend came to bed later and woke me up. Also he starts work early in the morning and I wake up then. It's so bright in the mornings now that I'm waking up too early so I haven't been sleeping well. I did a HIT workout this morning and I'm so tired!
    It could be my once or twice not eating right.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    Gamliela wrote: »
    I'm only losing about a pound a week, I've gone from 10stone9.4 to 10stone8.6 so I don't think that's even a pound! I can't work out the point something of a pound.
    Will eating 100 calories less again make a difference? I'm eating 1,400 calories a week, I do at least three HIT workouts/cardio a week. I only go over when I've come home from a long 10 hour shift and need more food or when I spend the day with family and have no control over the meal plan, so it's not often. Sometimes I'm under my calorie goal and don't eat more as it says I'll go over my carbs.

    I was originally eating 1,200 calories a week but according to a BMI calculator that was too low and I struggled. I've really been struggling this last week and my work days this week changing mean I have no time to exercise tomorrow, maybe today depends how tired I am.
    I don't want to cut my calories too much as I've already completely changed my diet, I eat less carbs than I used to, hardly ever have bread and no sugary stuff. I'm drinking only water, which I'm getting sick of and don't drink too much tea.
    It's probably because of the times I've gone over my calories but I can't help it when I visit my family, I already only eat with them one day a week to stay in my calorie goal.
    Is there anything I can do? Or is this it? I've really struggled to stick to it this week and have managed to despite two days of going over

    You mentioned 10 hour work shift. It made me wonder about how much sleep you are getting. When I work long shifts it takes me awhile to unwind and my sleep is less sound. That affects my weight loss. Just a thought.

    How much did it actually affect it? I'm really curious about how much sleep loss would affect loss of weight.
    I mean, how many pounds do you think you lose with less sleep than with more sleep? And how many hours are we talking about? 5 vs 9, or 7 vs 10?

    Sleep deprivation messes with your hunger hormones and thus makes it harder to stay in a calorie deficit.

    My stress and munchie levels are ever so much more manageable when I get adequate sleep and regular exercise. On the rare occasions when I don't get enough sleep and am battling low-leptin / high-ghrelin fueled cravings, sometimes I give in and sometimes I use cognitive behavioral techniques to resist.

    http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/sleep-obesity1.htm
    http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-deprived-test-3057-143.html
    http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips