Is weightloss really slower when you have less to lose?

Nouran
Nouran Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm almost 5'6 & weigh 136, hope to get down to 125. I'm not that active, so MFP has me eating 1250 calories a day for 1 pound of weightloss a week. Is that reasonable to expect? Or because I'm kinda close to my goal weight it'll come off a lot slower?

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    At your point you should be expecting 1/2 lb per week and you should eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories. Most active women I see you size eat around 1700-2000 calories based on their activity level.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I'd set your settings for .5lb per week. With 11 pounds to lose you will benefit from slower loss...

    But you are at a good weight for your height already - how about just starting a heavy lifting schedule - New Rules of Lifting for Women - you get to eat more and reshape your body. What do you have to lose?
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
    Don't expect 1lb a week for a few reasons: 1, you have less to lose so weight loss is harder and slower and 2, weight loss isn't linear, so while you might eventually AVERAGE 1lb a week, you won't see that in a straight line. I'd suggest to get active, lift heavy weights and don't just focus on reducing your calories for best results.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Forget about the scale, and get active....Do a combination of strengh and a little cardio - you are at a healthy weight, no reason to starve yourself...Start getting active now and you will save yourself a lifetime af agonizing over 10lbs on the scale.....
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I've been working on my last 5 pounds since July.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Forget about the scale, and get active....Do a combination of strengh and a little cardio - you are at a healthy weight, no reason to starve yourself...Start getting active now and you will save yourself a lifetime af agonizing over 10lbs on the scale.....

    This, dropping weight isn't always good. Sometimes you just need to cut fat. As demonstrated by the below. In fact, this is what happens when you gain muscle (which means weight gain). So figure out your body fat and go from there.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • wormstrup14
    wormstrup14 Posts: 45
    yes. at least for me it was. I had 68 pounds to lose. I lost the first 60 in 5 months, but it took me four months to lose the last 8.
  • jesswait
    jesswait Posts: 218 Member
    I have a lot to lose, and I seem to lose a steady 2 lbs a week. I echo the sentiments above, if you are at a healthy weight already, you will find you will be a lot happier if you tone up.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    Forget about the scale, and get active....Do a combination of strengh and a little cardio - you are at a healthy weight, no reason to starve yourself...Start getting active now and you will save yourself a lifetime af agonizing over 10lbs on the scale.....

    This, dropping weight isn't always good. Sometimes you just need to cut fat. As demonstrated by the below. In fact, this is what happens when you gain muscle (which means weight gain). So figure out your body fat and go from there.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/


    this. You are at a great weight for your height. If you are unhappy with how you look, then you need to start strength training to change body composition.

    And yes, changes happen pretty slowly when you don't have much to lose. But it's way better than crash dieting and losing 10 pounds to gain back 15 after you stop crash dieting.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    I'm 5'6" and started out a year ago at 132 with a 1/2 lb weight loss and calorie goal of 1372 (plus my exercise calories). I dropped down to my original goal of 120 by January! Currently I'm eating 1900 cals/day based on my TDEE and BMR (I work out quite a bit). Hope that helps.
  • carriegold
    carriegold Posts: 2
    Well done on your weight loss so far. :smile: My question would be is there a reason for not being more active? I can appreciate that you may not feel like going for a run in the cold etc but you could start with a little light cardio and/or weights in a gym. That would help you achieve your goal, but I would say don't get too fixated on a number on a set of scales. Think about how you feel in yourself, your engergy levels and what your skin and har look like. All so much more important than a number.

    Cheers
    Caro
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Btw, here is the general guidelines.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    I'd set your settings for .5lb per week. With 11 pounds to lose you will benefit from slower loss...

    But you are at a good weight for your height already - how about just starting a heavy lifting schedule - New Rules of Lifting for Women - you get to eat more and reshape your body. What do you have to lose?

    Totally agree!!!!
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    In my experience, it takes a lot more effort to lose the last 10 lbs than the first 60 lbs!! It's soooooo not fair!! :ohwell:
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Depends on who you are. I tend to lose pretty quickly when I'm really trying, no matter what weight I am.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    I'd set your settings for .5lb per week. With 11 pounds to lose you will benefit from slower loss...

    But you are at a good weight for your height already - how about just starting a heavy lifting schedule - New Rules of Lifting for Women - you get to eat more and reshape your body. What do you have to lose?

    Totally agree!!!!

    I should add that I also totally agree with this. I've been trying to lose the "last 10 pounds" forever. When I started this program, my body shape started changing and I realized THAT was what I was after, not the 10 pounds. I have seen more changes in my body shape since lifting weights than ever before, and I've only lost 2 pounds (however, I've lost a pants size, so that makes me way more excited).
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    You are eating under your BMR which is bad. Increase your calories to at LEAST 1500.
  • Salkeela
    Salkeela Posts: 367 Member
    I'm almost 5'6 & weigh 136, hope to get down to 125. I'm not that active, so MFP has me eating 1250 calories a day for 1 pound of weightloss a week. Is that reasonable to expect? Or because I'm kinda close to my goal weight it'll come off a lot slower?

    Just for comparison's sake:

    I'm 5'5"and currently weigh 134lb. I'm aiming for 120lb final weight or thereabouts.
    I'm not at all active (health reasons) and so MFP gives me 1200 cals

    I have a FitBit One which tells me my TDEE varies between 1420 and 1520 cals a day (and this tallies with calculations I had already done). So I rarely get extra cals awarded due to exercise.

    I have been here for about 2 months now and am loosing at about 1/2lb a week.

    I needed to change my eating habits when my activity levels dropped so dramatically, but I now find I am quite content on 1200 a day.

    However were I to try to loose any faster, I would quickly feel deprived. At 1/2 a week I'll get to my goal around about May next year and that's okay by me....

    Good luck with your journey!
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    When I tried eating that little, I just ended up binging. I've now increased it tom1460 plus half of any exercise calories which is what MFP gives me when set for half pound weight loss. I've been able to keep this up and wight is coming off, slowly but it is coming off.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think saying it is "slower" is misleading. Yes, someone who has a lot of weight to lose can lose a pound or 2 a week, but think of how long it takes to get down to their goal weight. If you have 10 pounds to lose you might lose a pound on some weeks, other times you will only lose a pound in one month, but overall because the amount you want to lose is small it does not take that long. If you have 10 pounds to lose, you are fit after the first 5 pounds (that happens a bit more quickly), but the last five pounds is slower because it's not even necessary. At that point you are fine tuning your fitness, reducing body fat %, losing small amounts of fat and retaining your muscle. Go slow, it's worth it!

    I only lost a total of 9 pounds and I did that eating 1800 calories (I'm 5'2", 100 pounds).
  • jesswait
    jesswait Posts: 218 Member
    I think saying it is "slower" is misleading. Yes, someone who has a lot of weight to lose can lose a pound or 2 a week, but think of how long it takes to get down to their goal weight. If you have 10 pounds to lose you might lose a pound on some weeks, other times you will only lose a pound in one month, but overall because the amount you want to lose is small it does not take that long. If you have 10 pounds to lose, you are fit after the first 5 pounds (that happens a bit more quickly), but the last five pounds is slower because it's not even necessary. At that point you are fine tuning your fitness, reducing body fat %, losing small amounts of fat and retaining your muscle. Go slow, it's worth it!

    I only lost a total of 9 pounds and I did that eating 1800 calories (I'm 5'2", 100 pounds).

    That is a really good point, I may lose more a week than people who are closer to their goals, but I know it will be at least 2 years before I'm at a weight I'm happy with and toned.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think saying it is "slower" is misleading. Yes, someone who has a lot of weight to lose can lose a pound or 2 a week, but think of how long it takes to get down to their goal weight. If you have 10 pounds to lose you might lose a pound on some weeks, other times you will only lose a pound in one month, but overall because the amount you want to lose is small it does not take that long. If you have 10 pounds to lose, you are fit after the first 5 pounds (that happens a bit more quickly), but the last five pounds is slower because it's not even necessary. At that point you are fine tuning your fitness, reducing body fat %, losing small amounts of fat and retaining your muscle. Go slow, it's worth it!

    I only lost a total of 9 pounds and I did that eating 1800 calories (I'm 5'2", 100 pounds).

    That is a really good point, I may lose more a week than people who are closer to their goals, but I know it will be at least 2 years before I'm at a weight I'm happy with and toned.

    Keep up the great work. You've lost a lot already. It will be worth it!

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