Would it hurt?

Hornsby

Okay, so I have wanted to get fit for a while. Just trying to start the process. I have been at for about 2 weeks. Here are my "specs"

I am 6', 240lbs. I would like to get to around 190. That gives me 50lbs I want to lose. I am 32 years old, and healthy on all accounts other than my weight ...lol.

Here is my question.

We are doing a weight loss competition at my work to try and get a lot of us in shape. Obviously, the key is too lose the most about of weight (percentage based). I had just been eating kinda healthy and exercising here and there to lose some weight. Since the competition started I thought I would try a bit harder. One of my buddies turned me on to this site and thats where my question comes in. When I did my goals, I did put 2lbs per week not knowing any better. I now see that I could get away with 1lb most likely. However, will it hurt if I keep my goals the same for the remainder of the competition? It ends in April. At that time I would most likely change my goal to 1lb per week. Is this a negative thing to do?

CasperO

You're a big guy, you have a good bit of bodyfat to lose, so it should be fine.

When a little stick-girl comes here at 125# and she wants to get to 121# in 2 weeks she's probably shooting herself in the foot. Just too big a change to a hummingbird metabolism, trying to get from "Trim" to "Really ^$%in Trim" in 2 weeks flat,,, and hit don't work.

But big guys like us can do it easy. I was on "2 pounds a week" for 6 months and lost 50 pounds, but I had plenty to lose. Once I got down around 15% bodyfat I had to make some changes 'cause it quit working, but you'll know when you get there.

Have fun, good luck. More protein & more cardio, you'll get there.

thirtyby40

Its fine to start out losing more weight. That is really the way everyone does it. You lose more in the beginning and then it comes off more slowly, then you will change again when you want to just maintain.

Best of Luck!!

SugarHi

No. You may find in April that you want to keep these goals the same, either way your body will adjust to what you feel you need. My office is currently on it's second week of the biggest loser, and it ends April 12th. Good luck to you and I hope you are the biggest loser! HA

thirtyby40

Good point Casper. I was talking in general I guess and should not have said everyone. Those of us who need to lose a significant amount of weigh...

Hornsby

No. You may find in April that you want to keep these goals the same, either way your body will adjust to what you feel you need. My office is currently on it's second week of the biggest loser, and it ends April 12th. Good luck to you and I hope you are the biggest loser! HA

$467 to the winner so far. I want to win too

kingking

Just my opinion, but set your goals however you want. Long-term, those goals are meaningless. What you're trying to do is more important...You're trying to change your lifestyle and make healthier choices.

I'm very similar to you: I'm 6' and weighed 253 in January. My doc told me to lose 10 lbs in five weeks "or else"...So I put in 2 lbs a week. At the time, I figured I could always fall back to 1lb a week if/when I flamed out.

2lbs a week hasn't been hard to manage (the geek in me loves tracking all the data from workouts and calories in and whatnot). I bought a heart-rate-monitor to track my calories burned in workouts (hint: you never burn as much as you think you did) and I'm completely anal about tracking what I eat...but it's working. I'm down to 231 now and really, really, want to crack the magic 200 mark.

SugarHi

No. You may find in April that you want to keep these goals the same, either way your body will adjust to what you feel you need. My office is currently on it's second week of the biggest loser, and it ends April 12th. Good luck to you and I hope you are the biggest loser! HA

$467 to the winner so far. I want to win too

WOW!!!! That's motivation!

sdirks

Casper hit the nail on the head: you're a man, you're looking to lose a significant amount of weight... 2lbs a week should be a-okay.

Keep in mind--if you're going for the dramatics to impress the office--that sodium causes a ton of water retention. Watch your sodium like a hawk and drink plenty of fluids and the scale will drop dramatically, even without a great shift in exercise. You should also nix sodas, fast food and smoking (if any of those are your vices). The killer will be watching your salt and carbs--that's how it was for my fiance. Stick with it, though! He lost 40lbs in 2 months. I hate men, sometimes.

Good luck! That $500 is as good as yours!