Losing 2 pounds a week

salemnye

So I have a goal to lose around 56 pounds by the end of August which is about 2 pounds a week. So if every day were like today, I ate about 1500 calories and I logged about 560 exercise calories and I don't eat them back because I'm not hungry afterwards.

So if I get about 500 calories or more burned a day for 6 days a week and eat between 1200-1500 I should lose 2 pounds (or more would be great too) a week?

I'm 5'6" and 198.

AmyRhubarb

Weight loss is not linear - we don't lose the same amount every week all the time, no matter how consistent we are. Hormones, sodium, sleep, stress - many things factor in, and daily fluctuations in weight are totally normal.

As for not eating back exercise cals - you're leaving your body with a net of close to 1000 cals a day, which isn't enough fuel for someone your age, height and weight. You need to eat those calories. MFP has you at a deficit with the daily goal before you do a minute of exercise - meaning you could eat all 1500 cals every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose. Exercise burns off more cals and leaves you with too large a deficit, which can cause you all sorts of problems in the long run - we see it on the boards here all the time. You might lose at first, but then weight loss stall, metabolism slows, energy drops, hair falls out, nails become brittle, etc, etc. Not to mention that eating too low results in muscle lost along with fat, and you want to keep that lean muscle.

Follow MFP's plan, it works great. Weigh and measure foods (get a food scale if you don't have one, they don't cost much) and log as accurately as possible. And have patience. Track your measurements and take some progress photos along with weighing - often you'll see progress there while the scale is busy messing with your head.

Good luck!

ndj1979

so you are netting 1000???

is your goal to be skinny fat?