Too slow for a "big girl"
Bedazzled35
Posts: 50 Member
I decided in the new year to sort my weight out once and for all.
My SW was 240 and I'm 5'7. GW is 150. I put my stats into MFP with a 2lb a week loss and lightly active. I got 1500 calories. I've been trying to make sensible food choices with the odd treat. After reading some of the posts on here I've purchased a food scale and log everything accurately.
I'm not body confident enough for the gym but have been walking more and using an exercise bike at home. I eat back half the calories in case I'm over estimating.
I'm currently 228 and starting to see small changes.
My issue is that family and friends say I must be doing something wrong as weight "should be dropping off a big girl like you".
I'm in no great rush and recognise that the changes I make need to be forever this time. Should I smile sweetly and ignore them or do they have a point?
My SW was 240 and I'm 5'7. GW is 150. I put my stats into MFP with a 2lb a week loss and lightly active. I got 1500 calories. I've been trying to make sensible food choices with the odd treat. After reading some of the posts on here I've purchased a food scale and log everything accurately.
I'm not body confident enough for the gym but have been walking more and using an exercise bike at home. I eat back half the calories in case I'm over estimating.
I'm currently 228 and starting to see small changes.
My issue is that family and friends say I must be doing something wrong as weight "should be dropping off a big girl like you".
I'm in no great rush and recognise that the changes I make need to be forever this time. Should I smile sweetly and ignore them or do they have a point?
57
Replies
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Congrats! 12 pounds is plenty for 6 weeks. You're doing good and right on track.
The problem here is that people are so used to "miracle diets" that they expect weight loss to happen overnight. It does not. Keep at it, they'll be falling all over each other to compliment you in a few more months.37 -
Ignore, ignore, ignore! You've got a plan, you're doing it, and it's working!42
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Bedazzled35 wrote: »I decided in the new year to sort my weight out once and for all.
My SW was 240 and I'm 5'7. GW is 150. I put my stats into MFP with a 2lb a week loss and lightly active. I got 1500 calories. I've been trying to make sensible food choices with the odd treat. After reading some of the posts on here I've purchased a food scale and log everything accurately.
I'm not body confident enough for the gym but have been walking more and using an exercise bike at home. I eat back half the calories in case I'm over estimating.
I'm currently 228 and starting to see small changes.
My issue is that family and friends say I must be doing something wrong as weight "should be dropping off a big girl like you".
I'm in no great rush and recognise that the changes I make need to be forever this time. Should I smile sweetly and ignore them or do they have a point?
Ignore your friends and family, it should not be dropping off. 1-2lbs per week is as fast as you want to be going. People who lose weight too quickly are the ones who typically end up regaining.
Stick at what you're doing and I'd recommend not going into to it too much with family and friends because quite often they'll have weird and wonderful ideas of how weight loss should work that have nothing to do with science or common sense.
As long as you're logging accurately with your new food scale at the ready and being sensible with your exercise calories (50% is a good starting point) you should see the weight loss averaging the rate you expect over 4-6 weeks. If your loss appears to be less/more than the 2lb rate, adjust the amount of exercise calories eaten back accordingly.
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I love that you have read some of the great posts on MFP already AND you've bought a food scale!
- ignore those nay sayers, you're doing it the right way and you will get results.
All the best.18 -
Well done for your weight loss. I just don't understand one thing: How come half your neighbourhood knows what you are up to? With due respect: but this is your life, your body, your own decision. You are doing something for your health by yourself - unless your "friends" are all medical doctors, health dietitians, psychologists, professional trainers and what have you - tell them to butt out. Even better - start sticking your nose into their private affairs and they will realize soon enough, how annoying that is.8
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Congratulations on the amazing weight loss so far!
As for the comments, smile sweetly, nod and let it go in one ear and out the other.
My parents are like this with me. I am 279lbs and they can't understand why they can't see changes yet in only 4 weeks.... It's partially my fault as I was silly last time I lost weight and was losing 5lbs+ a week so they saw it pretty quick but obviously it was something I couldn't sustain.
After joining MFP and having a good read through the posts here I now know slow and steady is the way to a healthy lifestyle I will be able to sustain forever.
Keep up the amazing work!22 -
Ignore them. They don't have a point and that is perfect progress you've got there.9
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Anyone I've known that had weight "drop off" had it "pile back on" when they stopped "dieting". This is because they haven't taken the time to develop a healthy relationship with food and learn portion control. Keep going at a healthy rate, like you are, and be comfortable when 2lb a week stops being sustainable and you need to drop to 1lb a week and then 0.5lb.9
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ignore them.
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You are losing at exactly the rate you should be.5
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I agree--you are doing just fine. Just tell them that you want it to last this time. Then button up and don't rise to any bait. They'll see soon enough. Then they'll tell you you've lost too much and are "too skinny". Be prepared.10
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Congratulations, you're doing awesome! Just say thanks, but it's going exactly as I've planned, and then ignore them :drinker:8
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The average person can only metabolize about 1% body fat a week...and you are looking to lose fat, not muscle and such, so it sounds like you are doing everything healthy and perfectly sustainable!!!! Keep up the awesome work and ignore anyone who says otherwise!!!3
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You are so very smart! This is a long term project so the less said about it the better.
Have some witty comebacks at the ready for the nosy people and remember you owe no-one an explanation.
I would smile sweetly “bless your heart” and change the subject such as, whether they have done their taxes yet?8 -
You are doing great! Most physicians would agree that 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy rate of loss. I get a lot of crazy advice. The only time I received more "suggestions" on how to do something was when I was pregnant. Trust the MFP community they will help you keep your goals realistic and will shoot down the myths.4
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Unfortunately when it comes to weight loss, some people think it's okay to voice their opinions about others' bodies. Those opinions are sometimes hurtful, harmful, or just plain wrong. In your case, your friends and family are wrong. Whenever weight "drops off" at a faster pace than 2 pounds per week, it is because a) it's water weight, b) the person has a very large amount to lose and is on a doctor-supervised rapid weight loss plan, c) the person has a health problem that causes rapid weight loss, or d) the person is creating an unhealthy calorie deficit. You're losing at a reasonable pace and you sound like you're following a good plan.4
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You can smile sweetly and ignore them, or you can tell them that their comments are not supportive or helpful. You appreciate their concern, but you'd rather they not make unsupportive or positive comments on your efforts and results.3
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Absolutely ignore them. If you read the forums here, over time you’ll see a steady stream of people who chose a deficit that was too large, so they couldn’t stick with it. They go straight for the 1200 calorie fast lane and crash in a few weeks.
Pick a deficit/rate that you can live with for the foreseeable future. Slow and steady wins this particular race.2 -
What you're doing is working. Just flat out ignore those other voices. Keep treking along, you are doing fantastic! Congratulations on all your success so far!2
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"I chose the plan I thought would have the best long-term results. I'm getting exactly the results I expect from the plan I chose."8
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People are too used to "Biggest Loser"-type diets and exercise plans when losing weight. Yeah, they lose weight quickly, but those plans are torturous and probably a reason why people thing losing weight is unattainable. Healthy weight loss is slow and steady and allows you to have a LIFE while you do it, along with teaching good habits that you can then bring into maintenance because all you need to do is adjust your calories up a little bit rather than figure out what to do all over again.16
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Just tell them, "thank you for your concern, and I'll let my doctor know he may want to adjust his plan at your next visit, since he's obviously missing something." Then smile and more on to the next conversation.3
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Don't listen to them!! I lost about 90 lb in my first year on MFP and that was never more than 8 lb per month even at the start. Some of my friends have expressed disappointment in losing 4 or 5 lb per month (which is totally great and reasonable) and I think it's because they have seen too many of those weight loss tv shows where people are losing 8 lb in a week.
Better to lose slowly and keep it off forever, than to lose super fast and then bounce up or down again & again. I know for some people this is an annoying thought, but I honestly felt like even if I just lost 20 or 30 lb in my first year here that would be FINE with me. Still way ahead of where I started!
The smaller you get, the harder it is to lose pounds, that much is true...but you are doing wonderfully as others have said!5 -
Keep doing exactly what you’re doing!0
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Bedazzled35 wrote: »I decided in the new year to sort my weight out once and for all.
My SW was 240 and I'm 5'7. GW is 150. I put my stats into MFP with a 2lb a week loss and lightly active. I got 1500 calories. I've been trying to make sensible food choices with the odd treat. After reading some of the posts on here I've purchased a food scale and log everything accurately.
I'm not body confident enough for the gym but have been walking more and using an exercise bike at home. I eat back half the calories in case I'm over estimating.
I'm currently 228 and starting to see small changes.
My issue is that family and friends say I must be doing something wrong as weight "should be dropping off a big girl like you".
I'm in no great rush and recognise that the changes I make need to be forever this time. Should I smile sweetly and ignore them or do they have a point?
Congratulation on your great loss! You have the right attitude, tools and thinking toward your weightloss journey. You have been educating yourself on what works and what doesn't - I can bet all my wordly possessions that your friends and family haven't been and are basing their beliefs on celebrities, The Biggest Loser and others so-called "experts".
For what it's worth, my SW was 254, CW is 241 - I've lost 13lb in 6.5 weeks. My height is 5'6", net cals are 1600 (never below 1300) and I would not want anymore than a 2lb loss per week. It's not sustainable and I enjoy life/food far too much!
Ignore those comments. Just smile and tell them you're doing this journey your way.5 -
Ignore!!! I can totally sympathize. When I first started losing weight my mom would ALWAYS make comments about how slowly I was losing weight. I told her I only wanted to lose .5 to 1 lb per week and she told me that "I could lose at least 2 to 3 lbs per week..." uh NO, that's not how that works! lol So I've learned to just ignore her and focus on achieving my own goals at my own rate. Keep doing what you're doing!4
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Despite starting at over 300lbs, I've only gone for a 1lb/500cal a week defecit. I'm allowing myself to come in as much as another 500 cals under (net, not gross), right now my weekly calories seems to be coming in at what should equal a 1.5lb loss.
In the past I've started with a bigger defecit, over restricted to come in under it, lost 10-14lbs very quickly (mostly water) , and then gave up. Most of my attempts I've given up in about a week, maybe 2. Regained quickly.
Better to lose over a longer, safer period, and keep it off, and actually learn how to eat in a way you can sustain. In a few years you'll be very glad you did something you could stick with!7 -
I would honestly 100% tell them to f#%k off. How rude! You are doing fantastic!4
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You are so very smart! This is a long term project so the less said about it the better.
Have some witty comebacks at the ready for the nosy people and remember you owe no-one an explanation.
I would smile sweetly “bless your heart” and change the subject such as, whether they have done their taxes yet?
As a Texan, reading a “bless your heart” from a Canadian warms mine. :drinker:8
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