Weight loss - Quantity or Quality? What's your aim?

darrensurrey

i want that 24 waist 34 hips! to fit in a junior size of 3/4, and when I bend over or sit to still have a flat tummey and no bulging.

That's the ultimate test of leanness in the real world! I hate it when I sit down and it all crumples up.

catpow2

Quality. If someone has a lot of weight to lose the emphasis is probably initially more on quantity. Fortunately, I didn't have much weight to lose and thus it didn't take me long to realize I'm much more interested in losing body fat and looking leaner.

ladyraven68

Perhaps I should have called it

Fast & furious v Slow & steady .

Sarauk2sf

Perhaps I should have called it

Fast & furious v Slow & steady .

Now that's a different topic altogether!!

litatura

Until I reach a healthy BMI (2 lbs. to go) and my 75lb. weight loss goal (3.5 lbs), it's quantity. However, after that, it'll be quality (I don't care if I stay in the upper range of healthy if I look good and toned). I'm currently entertaining the 'skinny fat' look right now which I've discovered that I'm not real keen on. LOL!

barbaracoffing

This is such a great topic. Dr.s say slow and steady and you're more likely to keep it off. I've come to realize quality is really what counts. Like you said, now that I feel better and fit into my clothes better and can climb stairs without huffing and puffing, the weight doesn't matter as much as it use to, but it's coming off as a nice side effect!

firelle

Both I will be thrilled to see inches disappear... but I know a lot of my health is on the line because of that dumb number on my scale right now. I dont need to reach my goal three-digiter yet but slimming that waist would be fabulous.

ladyraven68

Until I reach a healthy BMI (2 lbs. to go) and my 75lb. weight loss goal (3.5 lbs), it's quantity. However, after that, it'll be quality (I don't care if I stay in the upper range of healthy if I look good and toned). I'm currently entertaining the 'skinny fat' look right now which I've discovered that I'm not real keen on. LOL!

75lbs is amazing - well done

SorchaRavenlock

I want to get another stone off me as quickly as possible.

But I am morbidly obese, so I have that to spare haha.

Same here. I want to get into a healthier weight range as soon as possible. After that I'll start worrying about toning, clothing size, etc. Without all that extra weight burdening my joints exercising will be much safer and easier.
Also, thanks to the weight I am I can eat large meals and still lose weight fast. Once I drop into a healthier weight range my weight loss will slow down anyway, since I'm not really planning on eating under 1400-1500 calories a day. So for now I'm fine with quantity over quality

fay_pigu

Quantity.. Then quality. Meaning, I want to lose a good deal of weight first. And then I will focus more on toning. Let's just put it this way.. I need to lose over 50#, so for me, quantity IS quality.

Same here. Think once close to BMI / body fat normal range will look at more quality. Reduce from 2lbs / week to 1. Even now I'm not wedded to target calorie intake.

I've reduced three main things:
Stopped drinking (for most part) but don't miss it so may be permanent
Over snacking on 'healthy' dried fruits and nuts - definitely a change
Massively reduced amount I eat out - this I miss most and was my main vice but probably saving £300 a month doing just twice a week, so mitigates loss (as does weight loss).

mandi2r

I started early april about and only lost about 20 lbs(4-5 lbs lost before joining mfp) but Really happy where its going because I feel like I'm not just losing but getting toned at the same time. And my mind is weird and telling me that it'll be easier to keep it off afterwards.

kdeaux1959

both. I understand what you are saying; yes losing fat while retaining lean body mass is best. If one is careful, we can do both... Maintaining muscle requires strong protein and proper resistance training. That being said, losing at a rate above 2 lbs per week is going to usually include losing some muscle mass in the process. I lost faster at first (then again, I was over 100 lbs above my goal at that time. In the interest of what you are saying here, I actually have a goal weight within the overweight range (because my lean body mass is calculated at the upper end of my IBW/BMI<25 range to low overweight range... My weight loss has slowed since I have been approaching my goal weight and I am ok with that as long as I am seeing progress... Still have lost about 7 lbs this month. So my short answer I suppose is BOTH.. with emphasis on quality.

Bobby_Clerici

It's the difference between meals at Barclay Prime in Philly and Golden Corral All You Ca Eat Buffet off interstate 81 next to the Chevron gas station.
I want Quality.
My fitness program is all about looking good, feeling great and living long.
In general I do 90 minutes of cardio with 30 minutes of resistance 6 days a week.
I rest resistance Tuesday and cardio every 10 days or so.
My resistance is lower weights but high reps, then heavy every 3rd workout.
And I split my body into 3 muscle groups:
1. Legs
2. Chest- triceps - shoulders
3. Arms - back
I do a lot of weird things for cardio like military march, MMA type training,
dancing, floor rolls, squat thrust intervals and the good ole jumping jack.
And I jog, swim, play tennis, fast walk and bike.
Lost 76lbs and nearly 20% body fat - it works for me.
Diet
I strive toward the ideal of lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, low fat dairy, nuts and whole grains.
I set calories to 3000 to account for my activity level, exercises and other variables, and am losing a half a pound per week.
Out of the 76 lb total weight loss, half of that resulted from a 2200 calorie diet, reflecting a deficit to affect a 2 lb per week weight loss, and my last 20 lbs were at 2500 where I lost 1lb weekly. After reaching my goals, I reset, then lowered my weekly loss expectation to a half a pound. Again, I have my daily calories set at 3000.
I found my zone, and it's quality or nothing.
All Is Possible!

litatura

Until I reach a healthy BMI (2 lbs. to go) and my 75lb. weight loss goal (3.5 lbs), it's quantity. However, after that, it'll be quality (I don't care if I stay in the upper range of healthy if I look good and toned). I'm currently entertaining the 'skinny fat' look right now which I've discovered that I'm not real keen on. LOL!

75lbs is amazing - well done

Thanks I should add that I'm coming up on my 1 year anniversary of my weight loss journey, so I've been doing it at a moderate pace. I haven't starved myself, cut out anything completely out of my diet, nor do I live at the gym. However, I do track everything that goes into my mouth and I exercise 5X/week. Now I just need to switch the cardio up for resistance training in order to get toned.

litatura

Oops, double post!

kdeaux1959

Both I will be thrilled to see inches disappear... but I know a lot of my health is on the line because of that dumb number on my scale right now. I dont need to reach my goal three-digiter yet but slimming that waist would be fabulous.

OK, the number on the scale is a concern but primarily as it relates to body fat percentage... Even a 10% excess weight loss will help you health-wise. Losing weight too fast by losing MUSCLE mass can cause more health problems that it solves. I recently buried two friends who lost weight too fast. There may have been other factors (most likely were) but the common denominator was one lost 90 lbs in like 6 months (job stress-heart attack @ 65yo) and the other 30 lbs in a month or so (juicing diet--heart attack @ 60 yo)...

In short, losing weight is important...and the heavier you are the faster you can safely lose early on... However, the closer to goal you get, the slower you need to take it... and balance that lean/fat ratio.

Best wishes on your goal.

momof2osaurus

I'm trying to re-wire my brain to be more interested in quality than quantity. It's really hard sometimes, but I'm getting there! In the past, I've actively avoided exercise because it would make the scale not move, and today I completed the 30DS.

Lampy00512

Quality! I could care less what the scale says, I just want to be lean and fit!

alettep

I want quantity eventually but qualitu comes first. I am here because I've lost quickly & not the most healthy wy in the past. I would rather take it slower with excercise & diet changes to make a lifestyle change. I actually started exercising last November-this is the longest I've ever been committed & am to the point I MISS exercising if I miss a day! I have friends doing a protein thing & are losing very quickly. Am I jealous......YES, but we will see in the long run which way leads to long term results. I am betting on me:)

Articeluvsmemphis

a mixture of both mentally, but in practice, quality

I won't starve myself. period

i don't do fad diets

i am a gym rat, and will exercise to eat more or b/c i want the scale to move quicker even if it's water weight

but in all, quality, slow and steady