Losing 5lbs in 3 weeks too slow?

OlgaKelmis

I started my weight loss on 2/25/19 at ~235/232lbs. Since then I have lost 5-8lbs in 3 weeks. I feel like I am losing weight too slowly. I stopped eating out and "snacking binges". I have tried to stay near 1200 cal/day - but I could go up to 1500 some days. I have been diligently counting calories, measuring everything out, and making healthier alternatives to the usual foods that I would ear. I have not been doing any exercises (which I believe is where the problem is) - partly because I've been lazy about it. I feel like for my weight I should have easily dropped 5lbs in a week. I had several previous dieting fails before where after several weeks I gave up due to lack of progress. I am trying REALLY REALLY hard to chill out and be patient. Is this normal, has anyone experienced this, does anyone have any advice?

TavistockToad

Too slow for what?

Sustainable weight loss is better than a crash diet

debtay123

It is actually more normal to lose1-2 pounds a week- You are doing fabulous and If you want to to be permanent you have to know that weight loss takes time.

WinoGelato

You need to adjust your expectations. How much weight are you trying to lose? 1-2 lbs per week is usually the most aggressive rate of loss recommended for those with 50-100 lbs to lose.

manderson27

How much is it 5or 8 lbs? Either way that is a good. 1-2lbs is the recommended rate of loss. Be patient, this is key to weight loss. You will not lose the same amount every week anyway. Weight loss fluctuates from day to day week to week.

Stick to the calorie allowance MFP has given you. Weigh everything with a food scale, check the database entries you use are accurate and give it time.

californiagirl2012

Some weeks not losing will happen as well, and it doesn't mean too slow. The body weight scale is a poor measure of progress in such a short period. Jot it down and keep doing the process. Focus on the food scale not the body weight scale. The food scale trumps the body weight scale any day and for life!

kmcadam78

I think that's a very respectable weight loss. You have a journey ahead of you and patience is going to be vital.
If you are worried about your weight loss ask yourself , are you truthfully weighing all your food and logging it correctly, r u logging everything is. Milk, butter.
I would also say that the tone of your post makes it sound as though you are depriving yourself of enjoyment. It's really important to enjoy your meals and have a little something tasty everyday so as you don't feel deprived if you want long term success.
I have lost 83lbs so far in 8 months and am going to send you a friend request. If you want I can help, motivate and keep you accountable 👍

PAV8888

OlgaKelmis wrote: »

I started my weight loss on 2/25/19 at ~235/232lbs. Since then I have lost 5-8lbs in 3 weeks. I feel like I am losing weight too slowly. I stopped eating out and "snacking binges". I have tried to stay near 1200 cal/day - but I could go up to 1500 some days. I have been diligently counting calories, measuring everything out, and making healthier alternatives to the usual foods that I would ear. I have not been doing any exercises (which I believe is where the problem is) - partly because I've been lazy about it. I feel like for my weight I should have easily dropped 5lbs in a week. I had several previous dieting fails before where after several weeks I gave up due to lack of progress. I am trying REALLY REALLY hard to chill out and be patient. Is this normal, has anyone experienced this, does anyone have any advice?

So, in the past, you gave up because THE EFFORT YOU WERE PUTTING IN WAS NOT REWARDED WITH SUFFICIENT PROGRESS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE PAIN AND SUFFERING!

The problem was **NOT** lack of progress.

One lb down is one lb less than you were a month ago. And THAT is PROGRESS.

But it won't be ENOUGH progress to compensate for your pain and suffering if you make the process TOO HARD.

So the problem is that you have been conditioned to believe that you have to SUFFER to lose weight.

I have news for you! You DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER in order to achieve your goals and lose weight.

You are already going WAY TOO HARD and, because of it, questioning your current excellent results!

You *can* have excellent results OVER TIME with a moderate amount of consistent effort.

Or you can keep going all out and burning out once inevitable issues to your path to weight loss crop up.

Nobody's weight goes straight down. Weight loss is a series of ups and downs... that mostly, on AGGREGATE, TREND down.

Long term adherence is much more important than fast results.

PAV8888

Here comes a very simple to understand and not so simple to implement truism:

Weight change is a function of caloric balance over time.

A small change in that balance applied over a long enough period of time produces significant results.

Consistency and making a series of small changes over time is much more effective, in my opinion, in bringing about long term changes in how we approach food and daily activity.

bpotts44

I think you need to moderate your expectations. 1-2 lbs per week is a healthy fat loss rate. I would recalculate your calories and continue being diligent about weighing/measuring your food. The next step would be to incorporate some exercise into your routine. Good habits expressed over a long period of time is what is required for a lasting weight loss and change to your health.

helene4

You’re doing it! Yay! Stay the course

I lost 1lb this month!
(Granted, I’m down to trying to lose the last 10lbs)

I’m eating the highest possible amount of calories I can and still lose weight, and I’m not feeling deprived because of it.
I don’t want to get caught up in some starve/binge cycle. I also want to keep my metabolism up - so doing a lot of strength training to build more muscle

I think (I’m not a scientist) that when at rest, fat burns 5 calories an hour and muscle burns 20
So I’m toning up 🏋🏽‍♀️

You’re on your way, keep moving forward, remember the tortious won the race

nooshi713

5 lbs in a week is NOT realistic.

I dont know where these ideas about weight loss come from.

Strudders67

Why are you only eating 1200 calories a day? That sounds REALLY low for your starting weight, even if you're 80 years old and only 4'10" tall. As you lose weight, you've got nowhere to adjust to, given that the minimum MFP will allocate is 1200. Is that really what MFP gave you when you entered your height, weight etc - or did you pick that number? If you're starving yourself, apart from not being good for your health, it's not sustainable and you are likely to give up.

Also, you don't need to exercise to lose weight, you just need to eat fewer calories than your body is burning.

musicfan68

nooshi713 wrote: »

5 lbs in a week is NOT realistic.

I dont know where these ideas about weight loss come from.

The unrealistic expectations of huge weight loss come from shows like The Biggest Loser" and commercials for weight loss programs. They brainwash people into thinking everyone should lose weight really fast.

savithny

Did you gain it faster than 2 pounds a week?
Why would it come off faster than that? You'd have to cut more than 1000 calories a day, EVERY day, out of your diet to lose it any faster than that - and that kind of eating isn't sustainable.

lynn_glenmont

savithny wrote: »

Did you gain it faster than 2 pounds a week?
Why would it come off faster than that? You'd have to cut more than 1000 calories a day, EVERY day, out of your diet to lose it any faster than that - and that kind of eating isn't sustainable.

I wouldn't recommend this as an argument for convincing people they shouldn't shoot for more than 2 lbs a week, because many of them will easily recall a week, a weekend, a day, or even a meal where they gained 5 lbs or more. Yes, mostly in water or food-in-the-gut, but they're not likely to be convinced by the argument that they didn't gain more than two pounds a week, because in their minds, they did.

PAV8888

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

savithny wrote: »

Did you gain it faster than 2 pounds a week?
Why would it come off faster than that? You'd have to cut more than 1000 calories a day, EVERY day, out of your diet to lose it any faster than that - and that kind of eating isn't sustainable.

I wouldn't recommend this as an argument for convincing people they shouldn't shoot for more than 2 lbs a week, because many of them will easily recall a week, a weekend, a day, or even a meal where they gained 5 lbs or more. Yes, mostly in water or food-in-the-gut, but they're not likely to be convinced by the argument that they didn't gain more than two pounds a week, because in their minds, they did.

And, even more importantly, just because it is "healthy" to lose between 0.5 and 2lbs a week (and the government and everyone TELLS us this is so), it does NOT follow that it is healthy and *optimal* for EVERYONE to lose at the cherry picked VERY TOP OF THE **KITTEN** RANGE. <-- it is a RANGE. Sort of like BMI is a RANGE. And being "within the healthy-ish range" does NOT equal "optimal" for everyone.

AnnPT77

You've been watching too many reality TV weight loss shows.

In the actual real world, you're doing just fine.

Buckle in for a long - but sustainable and healthy - ride.

nooshi713

musicfan68 wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

5 lbs in a week is NOT realistic.

I dont know where these ideas about weight loss come from.

The unrealistic expectations of huge weight loss come from shows like The Biggest Loser" and commercials for weight loss programs. They brainwash people into thinking everyone should lose weight really fast.

I agree and it is horrible. Debunk these horrible myths now.