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

MooseWizard

My goal is set for 2 lbs a week, and I started early in November. However, I am finding that I'm averaging 3lbs a week loss and one week, I lost 5lbs. I set for 2lbs because I have a lot to lose (120lbs from starting weight) to be a healthy weight, and the weekly weigh-in showing pounds loss keeps me motivated.

In addition, I was told by my doc on Nov 1st without major lifestyle changes, I would be diabetic in 3 months, so that has motivated to--at least initially--lose quickly. Doc said if I lost 10% of my weight, I'd improve my health by 50%, so that's my first goal, or about 30lbs and gave myself until the end of February to hit it. However, if my trend holds up, I'll hit that goal much sooner.

I have hit my calorie goal within 20 or so every day except for Thanksgiving and the day before in which I went over by about 200 calories each day.

firedragon064

Depend where I'm at. Sometimes I'm focusing on lose weight... which is 2 lbs a week.
Right now,my focus is stick to my diet schedule-fasting 2 days a week.
Add more vegetarian meal and hit at least 5 serving of veggie a day. I do weight myself once a week to make sure I don't gain back the weight.

pamp1emousse

I started off at 1.5lbs a week, but now I'm at 1/2lb a week because I don't have much left to lose. Tbh tho I'll settle for anything as long as that scale goes down!

Mamoonie

Hi,

I'm at 1lb per week as it was recommended by MFP. I just didn't know how fast I should or could lose weight, so I clicked on what they told me ;-)

I usually don't manage to stay within calories ( as I'm not trying hard enough, eat too much and not enough exercise), but I still lose weight constantly.
I'm logging food for 19 weeks now, doing it seriously (after a holiday break) for 12 weeks, and I lost 17 lbs so far.

MM

fuzzymel

I went for 1/2 pound a week. I don't have too much to loose so its a realistic target.

jsecret

I set my MFP goal to 1.4 lbs a week (lowest I can go and not be under 1200 calories). I then make a bigger goal to myself (such as 20 by Halloween, 12 by Xmas, 10 by Valentines, etc.) I figure out what I need to be at weekly to match that goal and mark it on the calendar, I also mark my weigh ins as I go on that calendar and adjust my goals as needed. The weekly mini goal seems to help alot to know if I'm on track for my bigger goals which keep me on track to my main goal. LOL - I wish the rest of my life was this organized!!!

Mirabilis

I'm at 1 lb. per week. At my current weight, my daily calories are about 1300, which isn't all that much, and it goes down regularly as I lose weight.

I check the reports tab at the top of this website to see if it's working, and it is! I lost 6 lbs last month. The trick seems to be drinking MORE than 8 cups of water. 12 works better but anywhere in between seems to be OK.

If I lose too quickly, I won't keep it off but worse, I'm going to wind up with more baggy skin than I have now. I REALLY don't want that.

RealMattHopkins

I am doing the 2lbs a week goal but like one person said above, "sometimes I lose more and sometimes I lose less". I Lost 18lbs before Christmas but bought a new scale when I got back home. Turns out the scale I used at the gym was quite off so I am confused as to how much I lost before Christmas. I know I am able to wear most of the clothes in my closet now when that was not the case before.

So... I think it really shouldn't matter about the numbers of lbs lost OR the time it takes you to do it. Just do it safely and don't get crazy when you have a bad week. Just get up on the horse and ride again.

babyoso1086

I chose 2lbs a week only because i feel I have the extra pounds to shed.

abvickrey

I chose 1.5 pounds a week because I am doing a 20 week challenge. I currently weigh 154 pounds, and if I lose 1.5 pounds a week for 20 weeks, I will lose a total of 30 pounds which will put me at 124 pounds by June 1 -- ust in time for bathing suit season!!! Looking forwarding to reaching my goal weight at a healthy pace!

nestofhope

to keep off what i have lost so far, and to press into the last 15-20 pounds!! I am adding an exercise plan to the healthier eating plan now that i have taken the first 1/2 of my weight loss off!!

MaraDiaz

I'm happy with 2 pounds, if some weeks I only lose 1, that's fine, just no gain and no getting stuck, it drives me nuts.

I would of course love to lose every extra pound I've got instantly, or at least a big number like 10 pounds a week, but that way lies yo yo dieting, starvation, and being really, really cranky. Plus all kinds of fun health issues.

Elizabeth_C34

Mine's between 1 and 1.5 lbs per week, but I lose more like 2-3 sometimes.

danniellexxx

I chose to lose 1lb a week just because thats realistic for me

sparkie51

I have been losing about 1 lb a week and sometimes a bit more. It is averaging out to about 1.8. I have been following my new eating plan for about 4 months but it is consistent and I feel good.

jennyc1203

My weekly goal loss is 2 lbs. I just want to keep it realistic, do-able, and safe. I dont need a goal thats gonna keep me starving all week long!!

Alsison

When I first joined MFP, I had mine set at 2 lbs per week, but I found eating 1200 calories per day way to low. I went back and forth losing, giving up and gaining, losing again and so on... When it was all said and done, I ended the year 5 lbs heavier then when I started in March.

At the beginning of 2012, I changed my settings to 1 pound which allowed me an extra 200 calories. I am finding it way easier to live with. I eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack and then still have enough calories left to have a normal dinner with my family.

That's my 2 cents worth...

Cheers,

Alsison

candykay0605

1lb a week because this time I want to keep it off

thatsnumberwang

When I first joined I set my goal to 2lbs a week, but as soon as I realized that meant I would only get 1200 calories, I said eff that and bumped it down to 1lb. I'm pretty close to my goal weight, so I might even think of lowering it to 1/2 lb. Slow, steady, sane, and sustainable.

martalaurazayas

When I first started dieting I wanted to loose as much as possible weekly. But I realized that the most I should aim for was 2 lbs a week. I knew that I might loose 3 lbs some weeks since I started out at such a heavy weight and ate so much. But I didn't want to be disappointed if I lost less.

So my initial goal was 2 lbs per week.

Then as I approached my final goal weight I actually wanted to slow down my weight loss. I wanted to give my body time to adjust to my new weight. I wanted to have more nutrients. And I wanted to start getting accustomed to eating more gradually. That is when I changed my weekly goal to 1 lbs per week.

I have now lost 62 lbs. I still have my weekly goal at 1 lbs per week. I am not really sure how much more I want to loose because I really don't like to be on the thin side. I like being curvy. I am at a size 12 at 5 '6 and I like it. I don't know if I will like being a size 10.

I am planning to continue my weight loss to see how I look as I approach size 10. If I like it I will keep it. If I don't I will go back to size 12.

frugalmomsrock

When I first began (with 70 pounds to lose), I was aiming to lose 2 lb. a week. Now, I'm aiming for .5 lb. per week. I have between 15 and 20 to get to my truly happy place... and I am in a size that if I lost nothing else, I could live with forever, so I cut it down to .5 so I could start to enjoy being who I have become. I am still losing--slowly--and I'm okay with that. I got time. I'm just enjoying being able to play with my kids and not get winded after two minutes!

Savyna

I chose to lose 1 pound a week. Mainly because I want to make this weight loss and sustaining and keeping the goal weight off by doing it slowly and in a way that I can keep it off. Plus, around mid-december of last year was when I really resolved to take this weight off (my life is going to be going through some changes and I felt that I should let my body and weight be one of them) so I said that if I could work to lose at least 3-5 pounds a month for the next 10-12 months of 2012 that I would most certainly make it to my goal of being around 150lbs. I'm in it for the long haul and doing it slowly will be better than trying to overwork and lose 2 pounds a week for only 4 weeks and then lose motivation and forget about it.

Maybe for some people 2 pounds a week is good enough for them, but to me that sounds too fast.

ZombieSlayer

Started at 2 lbs a week... quickly realized that was a horrid idea. Switched to 1 lb per week, then got within 25 lbs of goal and switched to 1/2 lb per week. Now I'm set for 100-150 cal deficit/day, which comes to about 1 lb per 3-4 weeks, but am really working on the caliper (BF%) rather than the scale.

Runningirl7284

I just started a week ago and had it set at 1 lb. per week. However I do 1 1/2 - 2 hours of exercise 6 days a week so at the end of the day I was eating snacks to try to make the calories although I wasn't hungry. I didn't like doing that and I need to loose atleast 18 lbs. so I upped it yesterday to 2 lb. a week. I have lost 4 lbs. the first week I'm sure it will even out and some of that is water weight so I am fine with it. I am trying to loose a steady 2 lb. a week due to I am in a wedding in 2 months and need the dress to fit me properly. In 7 months in my 10 year reunion and I would like to reach my goal for that which I believe is realistic. I will continue to work out 5 to 6 days a week and following the calorie plan that MFP has set me up for. The 1200 Calorie is not difficult IF you are drinking atleast 8 cups a water a day as suggested. It really helps feel you up!

lmelangley

My ultimate goal is just to be healthier, so I don't really pay much attention to "loss per week". But, I have MFP set at 1/2 lb right now. After I lost about 20 lbs, MFP dropped the number of calories I should have to lose a pound a week and I went into a plateau. Decreasing my goal to 1/2 lb per week upped by cals and I started losing again.

DietPep1978

My goal is also 1lb a week. Anything else that comes off is bonus.

I'm not doing anything extreme or cutting things out. I don't think going to extreme is bad, it just isn't for me. I am not able too cut things out, I just don't have it in me to limit myself like that. However, I CAN eat smaller portions, I CAN eat in moderation (sometimes I indulge), that is do-able for me. I have come to the realization that I don't have to eat everything now and at inappropriate times. Not that I do it all perfectly, just slowly trying to get a hold of this eating stuff. I want to develop something that I can maintain forever...so...eating everything I normally would...but smaller portions and at better times (ie...not having all my meals for the week be fast food...LOL).

dawnstrassburg

Mine is at 1.5 a week, I'd like to see results sooner BUT i want to do this to be healthy. The 1.5 allows me to reach my goal weight by the end of July...just in time for my august 11 wedding

BlueObsidian

I have over 100 pounds to lose, but I decided to set my goal at 1.5 pounds per week instead of two. When you have this much weight to lose, taking the weight off fast isn't necessarily better if it isn't something you can stick to long-term.

My first major attempt to lose weight was ten years ago. During that time, I have been on a yo-yo of loss and gain, and tried every diet in the book. What kills me is that I did intensive study of nutrition in school. I know what my body needs to be healthy and I know these quick fix plans don't work. But I kept trying things. Over the last year, I decided to start focusing on my health instead of my weight loss. I found a great therapist who helped me talk about the emotional battles I struggle with and begin to understand why I overeat and what positive habits I can replace that with.

Ultimately, even if I went for two pounds a week it will take me over a year to get close to my goal (and that's if I don't have any plateaus or setbacks). This is not something I will achieve quickly. If I try to maintain a super-strict diet plan for over a year, I will not succeed. I know myself too well. When I feel deprived and tell myself I can never have something I enjoy, I rebel against myself. I just have to make the healthiest choices I can every day and not beat myself up when life includes a little birthday cake or a dinner at a nice restaurant.

rayleansout

I shoot for 1 -2 max not interested in losing muscle - body fat only. There is a big difference between fat loss and weight loss - losing fat changes the way your body looks for the better, losing weight to fast changes the way your body looks for the worst.

Quarrysider

One pound a week is plenty for me even though I have about 80 to drop - I'm an old(ish) git and have been a fat old git for a good ten years, so I want to shrink slowly to give my skin a fair chance at keeping up with me - it's less elastic than it was 20 years ago! Also I don't have to restrict meals much at this rate, just the hoffing snacks in between