Trying to lose 1kg per week for next 8 weeks

87jessielim

Any tips to sustain 1kg weight loss per week?

Tacklewasher

Provide your stats.
Height
weight
age
sex
goal weight

And understand that 1 kg (2.2 lbs) per week may not be an appropriate goal unless you have over 50 lbs to lose.

87jessielim

Hi tacklewasher,
I'm 1.57m tall, 53kg, 30yr old, female.
My goal weight is 45kg.
I'm generally fit and has always hover around 44-45kg but this year I let go too much and can't seem to satiate my appetite somehow and probably also the lack of exercise... I'm determined to fit back into my petite self again if I could get some tips? Thank you！

Silentpadna

Much too aggressive, in my non-expert opinion. You would need a 1000 calorie deficit to do that in theory. That would most likely, based on numbers I ran, take you under the minimum recommended intake - even if you were super-active.

You are already reasonably close to goal weight. In order to "fit back" into your petite self again, you're best off taking enough time to do it healthy. 1kg/wk is close to 2% per week. Your fat won't burn that quickly, given that you are not heavy to begin with. You'll end up losing lean body mass and you won't be any more healthy.

Give it time. Do it right.

TavistockToad

Silentpadna wrote: »

Much too aggressive, in my non-expert opinion. You would need a 1000 calorie deficit to do that in theory. That would most likely, based on numbers I ran, take you under the minimum recommended intake - even if you were super-active.

You are already reasonably close to goal weight. In order to "fit back" into your petite self again, you're best off taking enough time to do it healthy. 1kg/wk is close to 2% per week. Your fat won't burn that quickly, given that you are not heavy to begin with. You'll end losing lean body mass and you won't be any more healthy.

Give it time. Do it right.

Yep, pretty much this...

87jessielim

Hi Silentpadna,
Thanks for the advice. It's certainly easy to put on the pounds though, sigh...
Do I need to track my food intake? Is there any specific percentage macro I should follow which I can track on this app? I'm so new to this but I really want to do it right. Many people are boo-boo-ing carbs and I don't want to mess up anything. I'm kinda desperate to lose the weight though as I'm really very upset how I've let myself go so far.

collectingblues

Macros are certainly up to you, but yes, if you want to eat in a deficit you should track your intake and calories to make sure that you're eating what you think you're eating.

apullum

Honestly, my best advice is not to focus on your pace of weight loss. The scale likely won't move at a particular steady pace. Most people lose relatively quickly at first, then more slowly as you get closer to your goal. We all also have normal weight fluctuations due to water retention and other factors. Set a reasonable calorie goal that puts you in a deficit and that you can maintain over the long term.

It helps a lot to measure and log your food as accurately as possible. Most people who don't log accurately wind up accidentally going over their calorie budgets. Get a food scale and a good set of measuring cups/spoons.

You don't have to count carbs if you don't want to. Weight loss is just about eating fewer calories than you burn. If you find that you don't feel satisfied after a high-carb meal, that might be a sign that you'd be happier eating more protein and fewer carbs. Eating enough protein also helps your body retain muscle mass. But you don't need to give up carbs in order to lose weight.

87jessielim

Could anyone pls guide me as to the percentage macro most ideal for weight loss for my case?
And any particular workouts might be most suitable? As in cardio or more strength training? Thank you！

TavistockToad

87jessielim wrote: »

Could anyone pls guide me as to the percentage macro most ideal for weight loss for my case?
And any particular workouts might be most suitable? As in cardio or more strength training? Thank you！

Mfp defaults are fine.

Both cardio and strength training ideally

87jessielim

Thanks collectingblues, I will definitely make use of this app from today to track every morsel！

JaydedMiss

87jessielim wrote: »

I'm kinda desperate to lose the weight though as I'm really very upset how I've let myself go so far.

Jumping into losing weight in a self hating punishing manor is not okay. You need to love yourself and nurture that love daily. Even if you dont, Fake it until you do. Treat your body right, Treat it like you want it to be, And youll get there. Do you want to be a starving anorexic by starving yourself there miserably, Or a happy healthy fit well nourished person. People have provided help on the how, Im just touching up in the why. The most successful dieters realize self love trumps self hate every time.

Silentpadna

87jessielim wrote: »

Hi Silentpadna,
Thanks for the advice. It's certainly easy to put on the pounds though, sigh...
Do I need to track my food intake? Is there any specific percentage macro I should follow which I can track on this app? I'm so new to this but I really want to do it right. Many people are boo-boo-ing carbs and I don't want to mess up anything. I'm kinda desperate to lose the weight though as I'm really very upset how I've let myself go so far.

It is easy to put on the pounds and sometimes the process for gaining is slow too. I've lost close to 50 pounds now, but as I get closer to my goal weight (about 15-20 pounds away), I have to slow it down. But it took me many years to get the 75 pounds or so I've been over.

You don't have to track your food intake, but if you want to know whether what you are doing is working, it's highly recommended. I would enter you numbers into MFP with a moderate weight loss goal, like 0.5kg per week max. I'm not sure what your activity level is, but given your age, height, and current weight, it's going to most likely spit out close to 1200 calories. Again, since you are not far from your goal weight and you have the extra burden of being petite, you're going to have to be a little more meticulous about tracking. You must eat at a caloric deficit to lose weight, regardless of the plan you use.

Get yourself a digital food scale and weigh everything. You can eat a little more if you exercise more, but food is by far the bigger factor here.

As to being able to track whether or not it's working, that will also take time. You are going to fluctuate due to water retention and there will be some days or weeks where you are doing everything right, but water retention will mask fat loss causing your scale to go up when you want/expect it to go down.

As for macros, you can do almost anything you want. Strive to get enough protein and enough fat for body functions and then adjust to whatever you can do. Whether you want to do low carb or not is up to you. Carbs are not bad for weight loss. (I've never gone low carb and I'm losing just fine). The reason cutting them works for some people is that they can feel full with less or (virtually) none. A very low carb or keto diet will help initially release glycogen stores and water, so if/when you start an eating plan like that you may see a big loss the first week. It's mostly water. Fat burns at the same basic rate depending on calorie deficit. It's the deficit that matters. I would also say that low-carb does not work without an accompanying calorie deficit. It's not magic. So find a macro mix that works for you.

Ruatine

You're already at a healthy weight, and the goal weight you want puts you at an underweight BMI. Why are you trying to lose weight at all? Just because you were at 44-45 kg in the past doesn't mean that is healthy. Maybe you should be focusing other fitness goals rather than losing weight. Just a thought.

Silentpadna

Ruatine wrote: »

You're already at a healthy weight, and the goal weight you want puts you at an underweight BMI. Why are you trying to lose weight at all? Just because you were at 44-45 kg in the past doesn't mean that is healthy. Maybe you should be focusing other fitness goals rather than losing weight. Just a thought.

It's a good thought too. OP, you may find that changing your shape is the better option. I think when I ran your numbers I came up with a BMI of around 21, which is in the healthy range IIRC. If you want to lose some fat, you can run a deficit for a bit, but strength training is going to work wonders on your body shape. You may find that 50 kg after 12 weeks of strength training will end up looking better than your "petite self" - and you may be able to do more.

Which is also healthier....right?

87jessielim

Thank you everyone! I am really amazed and thankful for your time in sharing your thoughts and experience.

@JaydedMiss : Thanks for reminding me to resonate with my inner emotions, I will set my intentions right and use that to motivate myself.

@Ruatine : True about the bmi... however I definitely know I am alot more chubby than a year ago and having an asian physique maybe makes it even more obvious when the weight (fats) comes onto all the "wrong" parts of the body, sigh... if only they could just concentrate at one place LOL. I was always around 45kg and rather lean when I was exercising often and mindful of my indulgence. But this year, I think I have allowed myself too much freedom with too much good food...

@Silentpadna : I am really appreciative of your insightful advice. I am trying to get back in shape since a few months back but it just kept failing: I will be good and eating right portion and healthy meals and then after a few days, I am back to my bad habits of all the wrong food choices. I really need to get a hold of myself before my weight continues to creep up as I am already losing self confidence wearing fitting clothings:(
I will heed your advise and go on a calorie deficit daily. I will also build in some strength trainings with TRX and weights at home. As this is the first time I am keeping a food journal, I think I should be able to achieve my goal in a few months (no, I must and I will be able to achieve this!) Thank you for inspiring me!