Should I change my goal from 1Ib to 1/2Ib a week?

jasmineemmaeats

Apologies if this has been asked and discussed before - I couldn't find a thread but am happy to be directed elsewhere if I've missed something!

I've been steadily losing weight at 1Ib per week for the last four months and am now within a healthy BMI range but would like to lose another 12Ibs ish to be in the middle of healthy BMI rather than close to overweight (I'm currently 5 foot 5 and weight 10 stone 7).

To continue losing at this rate MFP suggests a 1,290 calorie goal which is pretty low for me but I exercise a lot and use a Fitbit which is synced to my account. Eating back some of my exercise calories I usually end up eating around 1,500/1,600 calories a day which feels very sustainable.

I've seen a few people around the forums mention reducing weight loss to 1/2Ib per week as you reach healthy weights and approach your end goal. I just wondered what the reasoning is behind this? Is it just because the calorie deficit gets harder to maintain as your weight gets lower? Because if that's the case, I feel okay at the moment with what I'm doing. Or is there another reason that it would be beneficial to change my goals and slow down my rate of weight loss?

Thanks so much for your help!

kommodevaran

I think reducing your weekly weightloss now, is a good idea. The thought behind it is that your body (fat reserves) can't sustain a calorie deficit sufficient to let you lose 1 pound per week anymore. Adjusting expectations is also, generally, a good idea, because disappointment usually leads to feeling miserable, which usually leads to giving up, and you don't want that

ceiswyn

It’’s to do with losing muscle.

Your body has to burn something to make up the calorie deficit, and if you have less spare fat it can’t burn fat fast enough so burns muscle instead.

WinoGelato

There are a couple of reasons to slow down weight loss as you get closer to goal- the two most important, IMO are:
1. To preserve lean body mass, as @ceiswyn describes above
2. To help ease the transition into eating at maintenance cals AND minimize any rebound weight gain from glycogen stored being replenished when you do transition. People eating at a steeper deficit often have a harder time figuring out how to fit those extra calories worth of foods in their day, 250 cals extra isn’t much at all but 500 cals extra can be a challenge if you’re focusing on balance. Also people often see that rebound weight gain, kind of the opposite of the initial water weight woosh that is experienced when you first start losing.

I would change the goal now and also start looking at how accurate you think your FitBit will be for predicting your maintenance cals so you can determine how much to eat back when in maintenance.

workinonit1956

I agree with the ladies above. I did just that recently when I was at a similar point-normal BMI but wanting to lose a bit more. I switched to 1/2 pound a week, and with the added exercise calories I get from my synced Fitbit, I feel I’m “practicing” for maintenance as I slowly continue to lose.

VUA21

Yes.

As you have less excess body fat to lose, you now need to decrease your rate of loss. I have about 10-20lbs to go myself (10lbs will put me at the absolute high end of normal weight), and it's taking quite a while, I don't mind. But, I notice physical changes faster with less weight loss.

2018gettinghealthy

I meet with a dietitian regularly and she has always told me to set my goal for no more than a half pound a week. I use a fitbit but don't sync it to myfitnesspal because I don't know how accurate it is. That's just my own decision. Also, as you loose weight you need to go in and update your goal regularly, even if you don't change your goal. This will adjust your caloric needs. So if you started out with 1500 cals and then lost say 20 lbs, you need to adjust because you don't need as many calories now. You may know this already

jasmineemmaeats

Thanks so much this is all really helpful.

2018gettinghealthy wrote: »

Also, as you loose weight you need to go in and update your goal regularly, even if you don't change your goal. This will adjust your caloric needs.

I've been doing this all along, just haven't yet changed my weekly weight loss goal so this will be the first time.

Thanks everyone - I knew there was probably more to it than I realised! Will change my goal at the end of the week (just because I've already meal planned for this week).

AvandHK

That’s possibly the best choice you’ve made in terms of fat loss