150lbs+ to lose. Eat goal calories?

tony090370

Hi,

I've been tracking my eating and exercise on MFP since 1st July, and have so far lost 18lbs. I have a huge amount to lose overall and I really think that I have found the best way to achieve it now, but I'm a little uncertain about whether I should aim to eat my goal calories every day or not?

I've set my goal to lose 1.5lb per week and still have a goal of 2060 calories per day due to still being very heavy. My job is sedentary, so any exercise I do is also added on to that daily total. The problem I find is that most days I am around 400-500 calories below goal, hence the average of 3lbs lost per week instead of 1.5lb.

Just wondered what people's thoughts are on this. I don't really want to eat more most days, so I would be almost force feeding to get to goal. On the other hand, I do want this to be a complete lifestyle change that is sustainable, so wonder if I should try to eat more and be happy with 1.5lbs per week?

Would really appreciate any feedback?

Thanks,
Tony

TeaBea

Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

Why does 1500-1600 calories feel like "force feeding"? Are you meeting protein and fat goals? What many people do when starting a diet is restrict calorie dense foods (nuts, nut butters, avocado, olive oil, cheese, full fat dairy).

In order for this to be a lifestyle change make sure you are including your favorite foods....not just "diet" ones. Of course treats won't make up the bulk of your calories, but learning moderation for all foods is a good habit for the future.

kristen6350

I would try not to eat less than 1500. That's the minimum for men. Losing fast isn't as wonderful on your body that you might think, yes it takes less time, but you may end up losing more muscle than fat.

I wouldn't force yourself to eat more, but I would eat higher calorie things...maybe re-vamp your diet a bit to add in more nuts, full fat dairy and avocados? These things are higher in calories, but wouldn't require you to eat unhealthy, but still get your calorie count up...

jemhh

1% of bodyweight per week is often cited as the max healthy rate. Are you exceeding that? If so, I'd suggest eating more.

tony090370

Wow, quick replies! Thank you.

I am currently 325lbs and last week I lost 3.75lb, so a little above the 1% of bodyweight.

Thanks for the tips. I'm eating 3 x 300ish calorie meals during the day and then a larger evening meal of around 600-700 calories. All good, healthy food and I don't really want any more most days. I will add in some of the things you guys have suggested and see how that works.

VintageFeline

I honestly believe in making hay while the higher calorie goals to lose sunshine still shines. Your intake has to reduce as you reduce in size so eat as much as you can to still lose I say because let's face it, none of us got overweight not enjoying food!

daniip_la

Don't exceed more than a 1% body weight per week loss. You can sustain that amount at your current weight, but try to get in enough calories to not exceed it.

I only weigh about 15lbs less than you, and I find that if I'm eating to lose 3lbs per week, I get headaches and bouts of dizziness after a few days. So I would advise against letting yourself reach that point.

tony090370

More good advice - Thanks!

One big thing I have cut out almost completely is beer. I was drinking an average of 800-1000 calories per day before, so easy to see how I gained the weight over several years. I need to stay off the booze as much as possible, so will have to try to eat more calorie dense food instead.