Reasonable weight loss time table

agkram

Just wondering what everyone is averaging for weight loss per week. I am aware that this varies greatly depending on how much the person needs to lose in the first place. I have been dieting for about 2 weeks and am already down 11 pounds. I am so anxious to get the weight off, but I know that I will obviously not be keeping up this weight loss rate much longer. How much did you lose in the first few weeks and when did it taper off to a more gradual weight loss?

_runnerbean_

If you have a lot of weight to lose it is common to lose extra in the first few weeks. If you are logging calories on MFP you will settle into a pattern of losing around 2lb per week. Any more than this is hard to maintain long term and you will end up falling off the wagon and binging. Good luck with your journey.

valkaree

Yes it will taper off. You are losing mostly water and waste your first two weeks. Depending on how heavy you are you should be targeting 1.5-2lbs a week. Faster than that and you can lose lean tissue which will hurt you down the road.

thegreatcanook

When you have a lot to do, it comes off quickly at first. When I started, I lost 5-7 lbs some weeks. That's really not sustainable or healthy. I settled into a pattern of 1.5-2.5 lbs per week and now I am losing .5 a week. The temptation is to cut calories to lose more, but that just slows your metabolism and causes you to lose muscle mass, too. You should settle into a 1-2 per week loss, knowing that with salt and other factors, you may lose only .5 some weeks and 2 or 3 for others. Just remember this...people don't gain 5 lbs a week and end up 100 lbs over weight. It is a slow and steady 1 lbs a week gain that got me to that point! Taking it off any faster than it was added is unusual. Hope I helped. Feel free to add me!

pplastics

In all of my diet attempts, I usually see my biggest weight loss in the first two weeks. Then it slows to about two per week, then to one pound per week. Some weeks are zero.

I have finally developed the mindset that as long as the scale is not moving UP, I am as happy as I can be!!!

itsbasschick

i lose about a pound a week, and have been doing so steadily since may 1. i have lost weight less regularly in the past, getting down from 242 to 184.4. the thing is, if you continue to lose weight fast, you're losing muscle - and muscle is what dictates how many calories your body uses even when at rest. so if you lose 10 pounds of muscle, your body will burn less calories 24/7 and losing weight will be even harder.

if you keep losing weight that fast, add some more calories to your day.

susanhallberg

Age is also a factor, as you age your metabolism slows down and you will lose more slowly.

cwolfman13

I wouldn't really set a time table...weight loss isn't a linear thing...you aren't going to lose exactly X Lbs per week. To boot, **** happens...you have a holiday or birthday or just a bad day or whatever...life get in the way and you can't make it to the gym for a week or two, etc. It's best just to really focus on the process of being a healthier and fitter and all around better you...the rest will fall into place.

You will lose weight faster initially, but it does taper off...then you will have weeks with smaller losses, bigger losses, no losses, and even gains due to water and waste. Don't let the scale bet the only determining factor of your success...losing weight and being at a healthy weight is just a nice bi-product of living a healthful life, it shouldn't be your singular purpose for living such a life.

ana3067

1lb or less a week max. Otherwise the deficit is unsustainable long-term and grumpiness and other issues ensue.

This is just what I go by. If I were to start losing more than 1lb a week I'd be increasing my calories, simply because I want to lose weight slowly and safely, and eat as much as possible.

jennrambles

I started on June 5th and lost 10 lbs in the first two weeks because of water weight and all that.

Then I didn't lose for a couple of weeks.

Then I lost 2 lbs here and 1 lbs there.

The past two weeks I've lost 3lbs and 4lbs. I know that isn't going to happen forever, though.

I think it just depends on you. I read some posts of people who lost 100lbs or more in a year and a half. Then again, I've read some posts of people who it took 3 or 4 years to lose that amount.

Also, the biggest indicator seems to be the inches you lose. The scale stayed the same for me for like three weeks, but I steadily lost inches.

The way your clothes fit, etc, is a much more positive thing to focus on than the pounds, I think.

jrline

during the weight loss challenge at my work this year I lost 13lbs in two weeks then it mellowed out to about 5-6 for the remaining 10 weeks. 5 months after the challenge I am still down 100 lbs from my max weight of 2 years ago.

Kalikel

I didn't weigh at first, but it came off pretty quickly. I've kept up a pretty good pace. Haven't looked at the numbers, but it keeps coming off.

It really depends on how well you stick with it.