What's your WEEKLY weight loss goal, and why?

lessjess2

Everyone I've ever talked to has been in a real hurry to lose weight. Just curious to see if there's anybody out there who chose a loss of less than 2 lbs per week?

Why did you chose the goal that you set here on MFP?

Is the goal realistic? Do you meet it consistently when you stay within your allowed calories?

fitniknik

I chose 1 lb a week... and i loose about that... Its sustainable I dont think I could live on less food a day!

yellowfairy

My goal is 1 pound a week-and I am basically doing that. I have lost 6 pounds in five weeks. I need something smaller and more attainable to me, or I will get discouraged and give up.

jamaka1

hi jess, i never my goal of 2lbs per/wk. i,m on a 1200 cal, most days i make it due to my exercise. i guess i like setting goalsand the important thing is that i dont gain. there is a saying that the problem with ppl is that we aim low & we meet it, so why not challenge ourselves.

BriannaSkye

I joined hoping to lose 1-2 pounds a week. I have lost more but will try and cut it back. I lost 75 pounds a few years back in just over 7 months and it was too much for my body to handle, my cycle was thrown way off and I had trouble getting pregnant which the doctors think had something to do with my weightloss. I have found when you lose it slowly you are more likely to keep it off. I used weight watchers last time and Im trying this to lose my preganancy weight!

andreahanlon

I choose the 1 pound a week option because I want to live a healthy lifestyle for my whole life -- not just loose weight and gain it back 2 months after I stop trying. Instead of forcing myself to work out hard and as a result, giving up, I decided to only make changes that I could foreseeably keep for the rest of my life. I have been on MFP for around 15 weeks and have lost 18 pounds. I consistently eat within my calorie limits with occasional binges (due to stress/etc), but I realize that as long as I eat healthy the rest of the week, I can keep the damage of overeating occassionally to a minimum. I don't exercise much but try to move around, stretch, etc. for at least 10 or 15 minutes in the morning. And I walk outside when the weather is nice.

I think the other reason I decided on one pound a week is because I started dieting when I was 10, and since then have gained then lost, gained then lost, gained then lost... I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be healthy for my whole life.

One pound a week works for me!

Mollydolly10

I chose to lose half a pound a week. I don't have much weight to lose. I was 5'4" 128 lbs when I started, currently 118. Because I didn't have much to lose, I decided a) I didn't have to do it super fast, and b) losing half a pound as opposed to 1 or 2 will be much more realistic when I switch to maintenance soon. Not to mention, I had mine set to lose a pound a week for a little while, but it was tough, I was only allowed 1200 calories, so days when I didn't exercise, I was screwed, which was a lame feeling!

I think some people can get overeager to lose it all really fast, but honestly, if you are going from a sedentary, food-lover lifestyle, it would be impossible to sustain a 1200 cal/day diet with exercise 5 times a week. even if you did, once you reach your "goal" you would probably breathe a sigh of relief and start going back to the old ways. So to me, it's about making a REALISTIC lifestyle change - and that change is different for everyone!

When I was set for losing a pound a week, I would always be over in calories (over 1200) and end up losing about a pound or half a pound a week. Now that I've reset my goals to losing half a pound of week, I feel more intrinsically motivated to exercise because I WANT to, and not because I "HAVE" to because I'll be in the red! Before, exercise would be more of a punishment and a feeling of guilt, but now I love it, and I love running and training for races!

It's really done wonders for me mentally, and I have been losing half a pound or a pound a week, so just the same, but I am allowing myself more "relaxation" and less pressure!

abyt42

I set my goal at 2 pounds a week...because, as you've said, I was impatient to be smaller. However, I've slowed way down (and anticipate losing less than a pound a week at my current activity level and 1200 calories a day.) I'm still impatient, I've just accepted that it's a marathon, and not a sprint......

caitlinclock

I set mine at 2 pounds because I really want to lose weight and I think I still have a decent amount to lose. Sometimes I lose more and sometimes I lose less.

ashlee954

When I first started I did 1200 cals/day which was the lowest MFP can recommend. That put me at a 1.4 lbs/wk loss. I would have done less cals if it were healthy for a sustained period of time. I LOVE food so it was difficult, but manageable. The others are right in that this is a lifestyle change so you want to be realistic, but as soon as I hit my goal I was allowed so many (it seemed) more cals per day. So that was GREAT! If and when I gain a pound (or 4, as is with current holiday fiascos) I know exactly what to do to lose it.

SKelley1218

I set mine to 1lb a week because I figured I could do that even in stressful or busy weeks such as finals and the holidays. So far I have lost about 6lbs in 4 weeks so I have been losing a little more than my goal each week.

modernfemme

My goal is 1 pound a week-and I am basically doing that. I have lost 6 pounds in five weeks. I need something smaller and more attainable to me, or I will get discouraged and give up.

I echo this sentiment. I can still enjoy food and live life while losing weight.

HRgoldenlife

I chose a pound a week. I set a realistic, healthy, and attainable goal for me (with committment and effort). When I lost weight before, I did 1-2 pounds a week. I am just starting and lost 1.5 in a week.

Healthyby30

I chose two lbs a week because I have a lot to lose. When I get my closer to my goal, I will probably aim for .5 to 1lb/week, we'll see how it goes.

Ashley_Panda

Mine is set at 2 a week. I like a challenge but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't reach that goal. A loss is a loss for me and I'm doing more now to lose it than ever. I eat healthier, I exercise and that was something I was definitely not doing before.

Maidei

I started out trying to do 2lbs a week. But being a nutrition major in University I knew there was no way I could lose that much weight every week without doing it the unhealthy way (going below 1200 net cals/day) given my height and current weight. So I decided to consult a nutritionist. So I made an appoint, and she pretty much told me the safest way for me to lose weight and for it to be PERMANENT was to lose .5 - 1lbs a week. She put me on a 1800calorie diet because I usually burn off about 500calories from working out 4-6 days a week. This way my net is alway at least 1,300 and I don't have hunger pangs or anything because I now eat 5 times a day. 3 main meals (400-500calories each) and 2 snacks (200-250calories each). With about 2/3hrs in-between each feeding.
And it's been working great! I have so much more energy, I never feel hungry, I choose healthier foods (she gave me a guide to follow where I can pick my own foods but it tells me which food groups and how much to eat at each meal) and the weight is coming off! Losing weight really can be fun, easy and permanent if done the proper way. Slow and steady always wins the race.

HeatherShrinking

I started with losing 1.5 pounds as my goal, but then I alway found myself trying to figure out what to eat at the end of the night to reach the calories. I've switched it to 2 pounds a week now.

JulieBoBoo

My goal is 2lbs a week because I have 155 pounds to lose. I am diabetic, have high blood pressure and am on cholesterol meds. I want to try to undo the damage I'd done to my body as quickly as is healthy.
Also I know from the past that this is not an unrealistic schedule for me.

I suspect that once I get under 200lbs I'll be happy to slow down to 1lb a week. It's really not like I'm starving myself or having to work out to extremes since my SW is already so very high.

mariagrant

Please Help I am a mother of 2. My goal is 2 lbs per week and 1200 calories per day. I Just had a baby 4 months ago and would like to lose the weight. I havent been able to lose the weight or to met my goal. I excerise everyday for 20-30 min. I watch want I eat and small portion. I need some help.

molina76853

My goal is 1.5 lbs a week.

Evermyre

My goal is a pound a week. I just can't handle the calorie restrictions necessary to lose more than that on a daily basis. If I lose more, great! If not, that's okay too. It just seems way more atainable and far less likely that I'll give up then.

frostiegurl

I started my weight loss goal at 2lbs a week. Honestly, I haven't found it all that difficult to stay within the calories and also do at least 1 hour of cardio a day. I just started a week ago and have lost 8 lbs the first week. Granted, I'm assuming much of that is water weight so no biggie.

I've been using MFP in conjunction with WW and find that at the end of the day I still have points and calories to spare and don't feel hungry in the least. I came into this with poor eating habits (eating out of boredom, sedentary, etc) and have found after even the first week that I have more energy, I'm loving the food I'm eating (lots of fresh veg, fruits, fiber and lean protein). I indulge in one small soy latte a day and the rest of my fluid intake is water (at least 8 glasses a day).

This is not a diet to me, this is a life makeover so I have no intention of ever going back to the lazy food gorging person I was before.

On a side note, I've found that I don't have any cravings for all the crap I stuffed in my body before starting on this path.

MzBug

I am not sure what it is set at. I keep within my calorie allowance, do moderate exercise each week, and generally try to eat healthy. If I keep those 3 things constant I SHOULD lose weight. Right? :laugh: I have found that my body may or may not cooperate with any weekly goal I set, so, I don't set one. Some weeks I may not lose any, some weeks it will be 6. In the past if I didn't meet my weekly goal I would get frustrated, angry, and give up. So far the AVERAGE is 2+ per week. As long as I can honestly look myself in the mirror and KNOW that I did things right, it will come off eventually. Well, when ever my body decides to give it up anyway.:ohwell:

Jennwith2ns

I have it set at 2 lbs a week, but 1 lb a week is plenty for me!

Levahna

My weight loss is set at 2 pounds a week but that is because I have a lot to lose. I certainly don't always get that but it gives me room to work with if I don't get my exercise in during that week. I don't feel like I'm starving or denying myself foods I like. . . I just keep things within my numbers.
As I get closer to my desired weight, I will probably change it but so far, it's working for me.

jkestens63

Good question. At this point I try not to stress about how much I'm losing per week, I'm close to my goal & its the holidays so I just want at least to remain the same. When I was at my heaviest I basically tried for 2 lbs per week. I knew that if I tried to do it quicker than that I would not be successful or I would do what did before - gain it all back. That's why its taken me three years to lose 248 lbs. Little bit of a struggle with the last 30 but even if from this moment on I don't lose a single ounce, I'm 10,000x better off than I used to be.

sweetie89207

well my goal is two lbs a week and here is why- i have about 50 lbs to lose and i most of all want to look good and be in shape before i graduate college in the middle of may (and before my subsequent trip to Italy!) and so to figure out how to lose that weight in the allotted time...2 lbs a week was appropriate...and so far it has been up and down each week but equalling out to 14 lbs in 7 weeks...so excited because that means- RIGHT ON TRACK!

SunLove8

I have no idea what I set mine too. I just said that I was 195lbs and wanted to lose 40 pounds and I think it automatically put me at 1200. I lost 5lbs this first week which is extremely odd to me that I would lose that much at first; however, I've been exercising 30 mins at least 5 times a week.

priskar

I expect at least 2 - 2.5 lbs per week as I have had weight loss surgery (VSG). I don't weigh weekly though as I don't want to get hung up on the numbers rather than on gaining good health and fitness. If I loose during the week, great. If not, I know it's coming off eventually so I try not to sweat it.

poeticpurl

Hello

Mine is set at 2 pounds per week. I am using MFP to make sure I eat enough. I am changing the way I eat. As someone who often hit a fast food joint which is calorie overload. I know I need to feed my body I just need help with what I can eat to be healthy while still feeding my body. I have been using the american food pyrimid web site as well. My goal is to make an overall healthy food change that I can follow and live with. Loosing weight is a big benifit.

MiloBloom83

I set my goal to lose a pound per week(it's actually .9 pounds) when i started here, to coincide with my half marathon training. I wanted to lose 12 pounds before the race and had 14 weeks to do it. I ended up losing 14 pounds. This thing works!:happy: