Is loosing .5 pounds a week too little?

NaturallyandProperly

If that's correct, it seems like it will take me forever to get to where I want to be. I am 193lbs and 5'4". I'm working out at least 5 times a week, burning at least 500 calories each time and my trainer wants me to eat 1675 calories. What do you think?

seif0068

Nope. It might feel a little less satisfying, but it is a loss and it is very likely more sustainable than losing a bunch really quickly but by doing things you will not be able to do long-term.

Here's how I see it; with the amount I was eating before, I was on track to gain .5 pound a week.

Then, I had to reduce just to MAINTAIN - so that's hard work right there.

Then, I had to reduce even further to actually LOSE weight. So, .5 pounds/week might not seem like much but in my case, mentally, I kept reminding myself that it was harder work than it seemed because I was preventing the .5 pound gain per week and losing .5 to 1 pound per week on top of that.

The main thing for me is that everything I have done to lose that weight, I have incorporated into my lifestyle one thing at a time, gradually, and it's all stuff I can do forever.

Remember that 80% of weight loss is diet; you could work out every day and burn a ton of calories but if you are MORE THAN eating back your exercise calories, you will still gain weight despite working out. If you set your activity level to sedentary, log all exercise (with accurate calorie counts), and end up right around your NET calorie goal for the day, you should see progress.

So, if you are eating 1675 calories TOTAL on your workout days and burning 500, you are eating too little which will actually stall your weight loss.

thisisme13

Personally I believe the slower the losses the better. Not only can you keep the weight off better and it's less of a shock due to lowering calories it also helps you to preserve muscle mass when you having a smaller deficit.

NaturallyandProperly

Still seems too little to me if I'm working out and eating properly.. Maybe my metabolism will speed up? People keep telling me that around 12 weeks of keeping this up I should then, start to see the pounds come off fast... ??

XLMuffnTop

Nope. It might feel a little less satisfying, but it is a loss and it is very likely more sustainable than losing a bunch really quickly but by doing things you will not be able to do long-term.

Here's how I see it; with the amount I was eating before, I was on track to gain .5 pound a week.

Then, I had to reduce just to MAINTAIN - so that's hard work right there.

Then, I had to reduce even further to actually LOSE weight. So, .5 pounds/week might not seem like much but in my case, mentally, I kept reminding myself that it was harder work than it seemed because I was preventing the .5 pound gain per week and losing .5 to 1 pound per week on top of that.

The main thing for me is that everything I have done to lose that weight, I have incorporated into my lifestyle one thing at a time, gradually, and it's all stuff I can do forever.

Remember that 80% of weight loss is diet; you could work out every day and burn a ton of calories but if you are MORE THAN eating back your exercise calories, you will still gain weight despite working out. If you set your activity level to sedentary, log all exercise (with accurate calorie counts), and end up right around your NET calorie goal for the day, you should see progress.

So, if you are eating 1675 calories TOTAL on your workout days and burning 500, you are eating too little which will actually stall your weight loss.

I like this perspective.

fattyfoodie

Weight loss is a gradual reduction in body weight over time. How long did it take you to gain all the weight? For me it started about 10 years ago, so I figure that if I lose 0.5 pounds/week, it will take me 3 to take it all off- less than a third of the time it took me to put it on.

Half a pound a week is a good, attainable goal.

DonnaLeeCattes

I started out Aug 3rd 2012 at 196 and I'm 5'3,
I'm now 123.
Since you have a trainer I would think he/she knows what there talking about so you should do what they say.

1ConcreteGirl

Half a pound a week is what I aim for.

1) it is sustainable loss
2) it preserves muscle
3) I can eat more

It might not feel as rewarding as a crash diet, but the results will last longer.

_mrsgigi_

nothing is to little.. u should be proud of your achievements no matter how little or big they may be

rob1976

It might be. You may want to trying LOSING it instead of LOOSING it.

TylerJ76

What's the hurry?

You're going to be doing this for the rest of your life, correct??

TimeForMe99

All good points, and bear in mind that you don't have to wait until you've reached your goal to see improvements. After 10 pounds your pants will be loose, a few more and your waist will be more defined. By summer you'll probably be in a different size. In the fall you'll need to send your slacks to a tailor to be taken in. Enjoy each of these steps and remember that the slower the loss the more likely you are to be successful long term.

SideSteel

Progress is progress. If your weight is coming off, then this is a good thing.
That being said, given your stats, I would set your goal/limit to around 1.5lb/week as ideal.

melsmith612

Losing 1/2 lb/week is not bad at all. Losing too quickly is just going to set you up for failure, like any crash diet that wants to lure you in with big initial losses so that you'll gain it all back and use their products again for another "jump start".

rachpetersen

0.5 lbs per week is very reasonable. most health professionals recommend losing 0.5-2lbs at most per week. i would be happy with that loss...if you lose it to quickly it will be much more difficult to maintain once you reach your goal. happy losing!

tatd_820

Those ounces add up to lbs. Stick with it, be consistant and before you know it you will be down many lbs. Slow and steady.

ryry_

How long have you stuck with this program? At that calorie level and if you are doing 5 intense excercise sessions per week, I would expect somewhere between 1 lb/ 1.5 lbs per week at that rate.

imhungry2012

Half a pound a week is what I aim for.

1) it is sustainable loss
2) it preserves muscle
3) I can eat more

It might not feel as rewarding as a crash diet, but the results will last longer.

This. An you will likely average a loss more than .5 lb/wk the first month or two.

CyberEd312

I once weighed 560 lbs. and my goal was to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week, I knew I needed a lifestyle change and speeding things up was just stupid because to make it sustainable I needed to look at it as the rest of my life. Fast forward 43 months and all those 1 to 2 lbs. added up.... (Check out my ticker) Just stay the course and you will achieve your goals!! Best of Luck....

Inshape13

I agree with the slower the better because it can lead to saggy skin in the long run with rapid loss. If you just started out(not sure) and you are working with a trainer expect your muscles/body to retain some water also. Good luck and a loss is a loss.

hastinbe

This is also a reason why it is a good idea to log your measurements if you're trying to lose weight. Also, the closer you get to a certain body fat (around 15% for some people), the slower the weight comes off and often the extra work to lose more doesn't make a substantial difference (your mileage may vary)