Wife not confident with MFP. She only lost 2lbs in 2 weeks

raven56706
raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So my wife is now using MFP to lose weight. She wants to lose 20lbs. She has set her calorie intake to be 1250 cal per day. She is looking to lose 2 lbs a week.

She has been following it to a T but something is keeping her back. Im not sure what it is but she needs some encouragement or advice. She has begun going to the gym 3 times a week but just going to classes.

I dont think she is drinking enough water but not sure if thats the only thing. I also think since she isnt so fat, she isnt losing as much weight as other overweight people. But im not sure.


any advice you can give to her.
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Replies

  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    One lb a week is great! Better than zero!!!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    With 20 pounds to lose, 1 pound per week is perfect progress!
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Sounds like she's doing fine. What's the problem, exactly?
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    1 pound per week is about the most she can expect to lose without putting her health on the line. She's doing it right and she's doing great.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    The only problem she's having is setting her expectations too high. With 20 pounds to lose, 1/2 to 1 pound per week is a more realistic goal.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    I'm trying to lose 20lb and to be realistic I set to lose 1/2 lb a week. I've lost 14 lbs since November. As you can see, it's working. It'll take longer, but I also haven't had to give a single thing up and it'll be easier for me to maintain this for my life. Remind your wife that the 20lbs isn't an end-goal...she doesn't get to stop doing what she's doing now when she reaches a 20 lb loss...she'll have to keep it up to maintain. So losing 2 lbs a week with such a big deficit will be tough...it was for me when I did it that way and it's why I gained most of the weight back the last time. I've read a ton on here and learned...never again.

    Other things I do:
    1. Weigh everything - I have a scale and I measure it all.
    2. Don't freak out if you go over one day - make it a week's worth of measurement.
    3. Work out so you can eat back your calories
    4. Look at how you set the whole thing up - unless her butt is on the couch all day long, she shouldn't put her activity level at sedentary.

    It may take longer for her to lose weight, but with only 20 lbs to go, she should really be trying to do it more slowly. 2 lbs a week is unrealistic and may end up being unhealthy/unsustainable.
  • theJTfitness
    theJTfitness Posts: 142 Member
    I understand her frustration. Losing a pound a week is great though. She should be commended for that. Some things to remember for her:

    Weight will fluctuate. She may have lost more than a pound a week. Maybe less. Who knows? Don't freak out over 1 pound. A TREND of weight-loss is what is important. People here are fond of saying "Weight loss isn't linear." She should be patient and be accurate with her MFP tracking. If she isn't as overweight as others, it will be harder to hit that "gold standard" of 2lbs a week.

    Good luck to her!
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    i thought the same thing too but she expects like 5 lbs or maybe even 2.... she saw how i lost 57 lbs but i was very overweight... she is different. i think her body type is very different.


    i mean its a slow process but its a safer one than most diets out there. i used mfp and i lost all of my weight but it took a while.
  • _Pseudonymous_
    _Pseudonymous_ Posts: 1,671 Member
    1 pound per week is about the most she can expect to lose without putting her health on the line. She's doing it right and she's doing great.


    ^^THIS
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    1 lb a week is not bad...
    Tell her to be patient and keep on it.

    And if she ain't weighing/measuring her food w/ a scale, then she should start
  • Unknown
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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Your wife's expectations are unrealistic for her body.
  • 120by30
    120by30 Posts: 217 Member
    She's making excellent progress. If she would change her goal to losing .5 or 1 pound per week, she will have more calories to eat and the risk of burnout goes way down.
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
    As above, her problem is impatience and not understanding how weight loss works.

    Educate her :)
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    1250 calories a day, plus gym three times a week is probably not enough calories. I am currently 180lbs, I am set to eat about 1500 calories and I wear my armband which tracks my calories and adds more if necessary (ALWAYS NECESSARY). I can go to work and sit on my behind most of the day, then come home do the dishes and watch a movie. I'll still get an extra two hundred calories added. I burn daily 2500 calories without exercise. Add Zumba at a 600 calorie burn, and I need to eat 2500 calories just to keep up.

    I'd up the level to only lose 1lb a week and see how her body reacts.
  • KendraT1992
    KendraT1992 Posts: 32 Member
    1 pound per week is about the most she can expect to lose without putting her health on the line. She's doing it right and she's doing great.

    I agree with this completely. I also have only 20lbs to lose. It can seem frustrating, but any loss is GREAT. Remind her she didn't gain the 20lbs i a week, so it's not going to come off fast either. Slow and steady wins the race everytime!
  • sw33tp3a11
    sw33tp3a11 Posts: 4,646 Member
    I've worked out for almost a month and have lost only 4 lbs. It takes time. Its healthy to lose 1 or 2 lbs a week. Everyone is different. Tell her not to lose Motivation. Take it a day at a time. This is a long journey. Good luck
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Does she know you made this thread?
  • dltaylorii
    dltaylorii Posts: 132
    S*** takes time.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    She has been following it to a T but something is keeping her back. Im not sure what it is but she needs some encouragement or advice. She has begun going to the gym 3 times a week but just going to classes.

    I dont think she is drinking enough water but not sure if thats the only thing. I also think since she isnt so fat, she isnt losing as much weight as other overweight people. But im not sure.

    If she's concerned with her progress, why isn't she posting to the forums? I know you probably think you're helping, but it's coming off as a little controlling. You are implying that 'just' going to classes at the gym isn't enough. You're guessing her water intake is to blame.

    You are right about one thing: she has less to lose, so she will lose it more slowly. I don't think it would be wise to try to figure out what she is doing "wrong." Even if you are trying to help alleviate her frustration, even if your heart is in the right place, it won't be as helpful as simply encouraging her to keep with her plan. She can hunt for answers on the forums for herself if she feels that she's not getting to where she wants to be.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    So my wife is now using MFP to lose weight. She wants to lose 20lbs. She has set her calorie intake to be 1250 cal per day. She is looking to lose 2 lbs a week.

    She has been following it to a T but something is keeping her back. Im not sure what it is but she needs some encouragement or advice. She has begun going to the gym 3 times a week but just going to classes.

    I dont think she is drinking enough water but not sure if thats the only thing. I also think since she isnt so fat, she isnt losing as much weight as other overweight people. But im not sure.


    any advice you can give to her.

    Perhaps she just hasn't reached a sufficient level of commitment to making it happen (to the degree you think it should)?

    You know, somewhere around the level of commitment one would need to make their own posts in the forums instead of having them done by proxy?

    (Just a thought. My wife hasn't reached that level of commitment yet either...but I don't think it has anything to do with her water consumption.

    Also, two weeks is a little early to make a decision about the effectiveness of her commitment.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,993 Member
    At only 20lbs to lose, 1lb a week is fine. People shouldn't try to lose more than 1% of their body weight a week, unless they are very overweight or obese.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    One pound a week is great. Big pounds/week losses are for people who have more to lose than her. A little bit like 20 pounds should be slow and steady, or it will all rebound right back on once she starts trying to maintain. Get her to read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Man, once she sees this, you're in deep sh**.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Man, once she sees this, you're in deep sh**.

    IKR?
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    ok i got more info because i was wrong...


    she has it set to 1 lb a week. So she is getting her goal. I find it odd that 1lb a week is 1250 but i think its because of her body type. She isnt overweight.


    and SonicDeathMon... you should have seen her when she stepped on the scale. super angry.
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
    Your wife's expectations are unrealistic for her body.

    THIS.

    1) 1 pound a week is FANTASTIC. She's setting unrealistic expectations. It takes months for people to see noticeable difference.
    2) If she's exercising or not being a complete couch potato 24/7, then her calories are waaaay too low. Her body will most likely want to hold onto the fat because she's depriving herself. She's probably netting at around 600-800 cals per day. That's starvation.
    3) The smaller she is, the harder it is for fat loss to happen. It took me 4+ months to lose 10 lbs. I went from 110 to 100 lbs.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    ok i got more info because i was wrong...


    she has it set to 1 lb a week. So she is getting her goal. I find it odd that 1lb a week is 1250 but i think its because of her body type. She isnt overweight.


    and SonicDeathMon... you should have seen her when she stepped on the scale. super angry.

    I'd just ask a mod to wipe this thread. Start posting offensive stuff or something bc seriously, she's gonna post about you posting this and get 100 recommendations from unhappy MFP wives for divorce.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    One pound a week is more than sufficient. Did she gain more than a pound a week? I'm betting no. So she should keep expectations reasonable and not hope for more than the gained per week.
  • ZombieEarhart
    ZombieEarhart Posts: 320 Member
    Yep, a pound a week is great progress. In fact, she should probably be aiming for .5 pounds a week, with only 20 pounds to lose.

    ETA: pretty excited for the wife to show up!

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