Is it expecting too much to want to lose 10 lbs a month?

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SusanRenee35
SusanRenee35 Posts: 182 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
That used to be a healthy amount each month & now it seems it is only 5...I want & have set my goals to go down each month 10 lbs....am I being unrealistic?
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Replies

  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    When I first started I lost about 10 pounds a month. But I was VERY overweight. Now I am lucky to lose 4.
    So I think it really depends on how much you have to lose.
  • BIG_Lew
    BIG_Lew Posts: 513 Member
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    I don't think so.....if u have a goal to obtain and are tht driven, Go get it!!!
  • TexasRaised89
    TexasRaised89 Posts: 204 Member
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    No 10 pounds a month is fine! Its the best to only lose about 2 to 3 pounds a week.
  • Keegansmum6
    Keegansmum6 Posts: 193 Member
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    I think it depends on how much weight you have to lose...
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    How much do you have to lose? How hard are you willing to work ( in the gym & HEALTHY eating )?

    I think you could probably do it, if you work hard enough, but it takes a LOT of work to make that safe.
  • SusanRenee35
    SusanRenee35 Posts: 182 Member
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    I have 50 to lose...and think june/july I should hit goal
  • tataliciousd89
    tataliciousd89 Posts: 465
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    It really does depend on how much you need to lose. I was just shy of obese on Christmas and I've lost 21 lbs since. I know I won't be able to keep that up as I get closer to my goal, but if you work your *kitten* off (and I mean that) you can do it. It takes a LOT of work, motivation, and pre-planning.
  • reeniesing
    reeniesing Posts: 49 Member
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    Unless you are 100 lbs over weight, it's probably not very realistic. Initally you may lose that much because of water, but difficult to maintain and it may become discourage. Determine how much you want to lose a week and go from there.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    That used to be a healthy amount each month & now it seems it is only 5...I want & have set my goals to go down each month 10 lbs....am I being unrealistic?
    Yes, you will fail in the end more than likely.
    Starvation diets don't work.
    Why?
    Because if your calorie deficit is too great you can easily suffer from
    loss of muscle mass (slows down your metabolism) and impaired general progress.
    You have to find what is right for you but you also need to remember that your body
    is a machine and without the right type and amount of fuel there could be problems
    either with loss of muscle, loss of energy, less weight loss/plateaus, etc.

    Stick with the MFP recommendations.
    Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
    NO MORE!
    And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
    Do both cardio and resistance exercise.

    AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES!
    Remember, this is not a race, and you can reach your goals if you stick to a good plan as recommended on this site.

    You have many people here ready to lend support, answer qustions and discuss any challenges.
    You can do this.

    All Is Possible!
  • KourtneyP83
    KourtneyP83 Posts: 319
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    Agreed - I started out losing 10-12 a month and have recently slowed to around 5 or so a month. I think that's healthy though and it doesn't bother me. I don't care if the scale moves .2 I get excited :)
    When I first started I lost about 10 pounds a month. But I was VERY overweight. Now I am lucky to lose 4.
    So I think it really depends on how much you have to lose.
  • Jackeline0901
    Jackeline0901 Posts: 2 Member
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    1 - 2 lbs a week is the healthiest!!! you could lose 3 a week but it wouldn't be healthy AT ALL. You would be damaging your body. If you are hard headed though. 2 to 3 a week should be fine as long as you do it only ONE month and the rest 1-2. Losing weight drastically makes you more vulnerable to gain it all back sooner. WEBMD says so. And my family doctor.
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    Yes, you are being unrealistic - 10 lbs a month for a woman with the amount you have to lose is unrealistic. Even if you 'crash' diet, which would be dumb, your weight loss is going to slow down the closer you get to your goal. You also didn't mention how tall you are, but your profile says you are 38, and fact is, weight loss is harder when you are 35 and over. You may lose 10 lbs in the first moth, but 1-2 lbs per week is more realistic after that. You are just setting yourself up for failure if you set unrealistic goals - I don't know how you personally react to failure, but a lot of people respond by giving up altogether. If that tends to be your pattern (and I don't know, may you're the type who just ignores it and goes on...), why don't you try setting more achievable goals so that you will eventually reach your ultimate goal?
  • ONE03
    ONE03 Posts: 125 Member
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    It's difficult for me to lose weight the less I have to lose.
  • wish21
    wish21 Posts: 602 Member
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    I'd say 5 to 8 lbs is ideal:)
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    no ma'am, 10pounds and you've only 50 to lose? if you starve yourself, YES, do it sensibly then no. more like half of the 50 is realistic . slower you lose it, better at keeping it off
  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
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    Tomorrow is week 3 for me and I will be at 12lbs lost. I have 50 total to lose and I am not starving myself or working out excessively. I take 1 exercise rest day a week. I have been out to eat, had ice cream and was over on my cals a couple of days. My body is just dropping the weight faster than I had expected.
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
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    While rushing is of course what we want, it's not realistic, nor does it really work out in the end for most people.

    You more than likely didn't gain all that weight right away... you won't lose it right away either.

    5-8 lbs a month is great. Anything more than that unless you are morbidly obese is probably not healthy and will probably backfire in your face soon after.
  • KristinLeAnn252
    KristinLeAnn252 Posts: 136 Member
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    I'm shooting for 10 a month and I've lost ten but in about 5 weeks. It's a good goal to set because it's challenging but not impossible.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    everyone loses a bunch at first, 10lbs is not uncommon, I did it with little to no effort when I changed my lifestyle, IT WILL SLOW, there is absolutely no getting around this.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    I'm willing to bet that the first month or so you'll lose 10lbs...but then weight loss will slow, and you'll get discouraged. The first little bit usually comes off easy. Taking it off slower is better for your body in the long run, and by doing it that way consciously you're developing the good habits you'll need to maintain a healthier weight and lifestyle. It's certainly possible to lose that much weight that quickly, I bet most of us have done that crash dieting thing before. There's always a price for it, in the long run.

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