2 pounds per week?

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Hello All,

I read that two pounds was the most that could feasibly be lost per week after the initial rapid loss of water weight. However, I read this in a book about the psychology of staying on a diet, so I'm not sure if the author was basing this on science or just repeating a rule of thumb. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Andrew

Replies

  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    1 rule of thumb is

    Pound per week goals
    75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range

    Another is 1% of your body weight.

    The goal is to lose fat and lose as little muscle as possible, and slower weight loss along with a goo diet helps with this.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    It's physically possible to lose more, but it's not healthy, and can lean to starvation, in which case your body will store as much as it can as fat, so really pushing too much will hold you back.

    Huh? Starvation mode is a myth.

  • doittoitgirl
    doittoitgirl Posts: 157 Member
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    It isn't the most you COULD lose. But it is the most you should probably aim for. And even then, that is if you have a significant amount of weight to lose. If you only have 20lbs to lose, I couldn't recommend setting a goal of 2lbs per week. But if you had 100lbs to lose, I'd say go for it.
  • donharkrn
    donharkrn Posts: 187 Member
    edited January 2018
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    2 pounds a week is the safest goal in fat loss. As stated above, that requires an average calorie deficit of 1000 calories each day. You will either have to eat an extremely dismal amount of food or workout really hard, like 1.5 hours each day of pretty intense training. If you try to push past 2 pounds a week, you're probably not sparing muscle. On that note, read up on your macronutrients and ensure you are getting an adequate amount of protein. :smile:
  • abbefaria4
    abbefaria4 Posts: 46 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the responses