recommended that I lose only .3lb per week?

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Imustgetfit16
Imustgetfit16 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Under the my goals section, when I enter my stats it calculates that I should lose 0.3lb per week.
I really want to lose more than this per week. Should I increase my planned exercise? At the moment I have 5x45 minutes a week planned

Replies

  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    "planned exercise" isn't factored in via the daily calorie goal you're given when you "plan" it at
    my home > settings > update diet/ fitness profile

    try it, plan 0 minutes of exercise, save and view your daily calorie goal
    Now plan something crazy like 3600 minutes of exercise, save and view your identical calorie goal.

    When you log an exercise under cardio on MFP they will "add" those calories to your day in that you can eat them back that day and still maintain the deficit you set for weight loss.

    By getting a projection of 0.3 lbs per week it sounds like you're pretty close to goal already so MFP doesn't have the room to give you a large calorie deficit without putting you below the point that they don't give anyone a calorie goal below.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    How much do you have to lose?

    Do you mid giving us your stats and how many cals your eating a day?

    Thanks
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
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    play around with your cals until you get it to be the weight loss you want. Make sure that you are choosing a sustainable number of calories though.

    How close are you to goal? When you are very overweight (100+ lbs up) 2lbs a week is reasonable. Other than that, healthy weight loss is 0.5-1lb a week. When you are closer to goal you should aim for 0.5 a week.

    Good luck.
  • thisisme13
    thisisme13 Posts: 150
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    That should be about right on track. According to the ticker on your profile you only have 15lbs to lose. So you want to lose this slowly which is much better.

    Don't forget, your body will not respond to the weight loss math (3500 cals equals a lb). You can have a weekly deficit of 7000 calories which should work out to two lbs but you only lose half a lb for example.

    Some weeks you will lose more than that 0.3lb... some weeks you will lose less... some you won't lose at all or even gain. It's just how weight loss works.

    Don't try to take it too quickly. Too high of a deficit and you risk not fueling your body correctly... you also increase muscle loss.

    Also, when you put in planned exercise that is not taken into account when the system gives you your daily calorie goals. When you exercise you add it to the exercise diary which than adds it to your food diary as extra calories to eat (eat those calories!)
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
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    Under the my goals section, when I enter my stats it calculates that I should lose 0.3lb per week.
    I really want to lose more than this per week. Should I increase my planned exercise? At the moment I have 5x45 minutes a week planned

    It looks like you don't have much to lose and that is likely why it is recommending .3 pounds per week. As you get closer to goal it gets more difficult to lose and you're only trying to lose 15 pounds. Slow and steady wins the race. Good luck!
  • MissKris14
    MissKris14 Posts: 65 Member
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    I'm down to the last 10-15 pounds, and I'm already technically at a healthy BMI, so MFP has me set to lose like 0.8 pounds a week (and that's on like 1200 a day, which I don't do every day). I would suggest increasing strength training to tone up and trying to get your TDEE up. Also:

    Don't forget, your body will not respond to the weight loss math (3500 cals equals a lb). You can have a weekly deficit of 7000 calories which should work out to two lbs but you only lose half a lb for example.

    Some weeks you will lose more than that 0.3lb... some weeks you will lose less... some you won't lose at all or even gain. It's just how weight loss works.

    This. I've noticed that with 15 vanity pounds to go, the math just doesn't work anymore. I can have a deficit that should be giving me 1-1.5 lbs a week, and I'll only lose 0.5, or gain, or maintain, or whatever. Kinda sucks :-/
  • lifestruggle
    lifestruggle Posts: 35
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    Sometimes losing weight is a very slow process but I think .3 pounds a week is a little too slow. Shoot for .5 it sounds better. :)
  • rreiki
    rreiki Posts: 14 Member
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    I think your goal of 5x45 minutes a week is a great goal. I'm lucky if I can do 20 minutes a day. I would start out with your planned (calories) and exercise goal and see what happens. If you don't see the results you want in a month or so, then update your goals to try and up the weight loss. I wish you luck on your journey.
  • Imustgetfit16
    Imustgetfit16 Posts: 11
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    Thanks everyone!
    I am currently 112lb, wanting to get down to around 97lb. I know that sounds light but I am only 5"2.. Currently I am eating 1200 calories a day. I wasn't sure if 45mins of exercise per day 5 days a week was enough but as I am new to exercise I want to start small and gradually build up. After a few weeks I will increase to 1 hour 5 days a week etc.

    One problem I have encountered is that I am really sore after exercise - to the point its hard to walk for a day or two! And I cant go downstairs without using the handrail! So my question is - do I push on and make myself exercise even though I am sore? It usually eases up a bit once I start moving again. I work in an office and notice if I am sitting down for a length of time, my muscels are really sore when I first get up.. Thanks
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    That doesn't just *sound* light, it's clinically underweight. Why is 97 your magic number?
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
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    Thanks everyone!
    I am currently 112lb, wanting to get down to around 97lb. I know that sounds light but I am only 5"2.. Currently I am eating 1200 calories a day. I wasn't sure if 45mins of exercise per day 5 days a week was enough but as I am new to exercise I want to start small and gradually build up. After a few weeks I will increase to 1 hour 5 days a week etc.

    One problem I have encountered is that I am really sore after exercise - to the point its hard to walk for a day or two! And I cant go downstairs without using the handrail! So my question is - do I push on and make myself exercise even though I am sore? It usually eases up a bit once I start moving again. I work in an office and notice if I am sitting down for a length of time, my muscels are really sore when I first get up.. Thanks

    Please reconsider your goal. Check out this BMI calculator: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
    97 lbs for your weight is underweight and very unhealthy. At 112, you are on the mid-low side of normal healthy.

    Please stay healthy.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    What is your ultimate goal?

    If it is for health and physical appearance then I would do the below.

    Eat your TDEE to maintain your current weight. 112 lb is a great realistic healthy weight for your petite size.

    So what do you do,

    1. Strength training 3 x per week for 50 minutes. Lift heavy. Eat approx 1700 calories on those days. This will tone the lean body mass you currently have.
    2. On off days eat around 1300 - 1500 calories

    If you decide you have to do cardio on your off days then eat around 1700 on those days too.

    This will help you achieve a toned physique and a nice body fat %. Don't worry about the scale. Good BF% with strength training is all you need for a nice physique. The cardio is good for the pump (keeps you breathing).

    You'll probably gain a few lbs. until you muscles catch up to you body. This is why a lot of beginners that are trying to lose weight initially don't. Their body retains fluid for the current lean muscle to develop. They don't actually gain new muscle mass, just develop the lean muscle they already have.
  • Imustgetfit16
    Imustgetfit16 Posts: 11
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    Thank you so much Energizser06 that is exactly what I needed to hear.. I have just printed off your reply!! Do you think a pump class in the gym 3x a week is sufficient strength training? And do you think if I just went for a 30-40 minute brisk walk on the inbetween days that would be enough?

    Katetw - I really dont want to become an unhealthy weight and I know I dont have a lot of weight to lose. What I do want to do is have a nicely toned body. I need to lower by body fat percentage because at the moment I have a pot belly, a flabby bum and celluite! I am tired of people telling me I look fine and I dont need to exercise / diet etc.. I know I am not obese, I am only a size 8 but I definitely do not look or feel strong and healthy. That is what I am trying to achieve here

    Thanks again guys - I am loving this site
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
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    Thank you so much Energizser06 that is exactly what I needed to hear.. I have just printed off your reply!! Do you think a pump class in the gym 3x a week is sufficient strength training? And do you think if I just went for a 30-40 minute brisk walk on the inbetween days that would be enough?

    Katetw - I really dont want to become an unhealthy weight and I know I dont have a lot of weight to lose. What I do want to do is have a nicely toned body. I need to lower by body fat percentage because at the moment I have a pot belly, a flabby bum and celluite! I am tired of people telling me I look fine and I dont need to exercise / diet etc.. I know I am not obese, I am only a size 8 but I definitely do not look or feel strong and healthy. That is what I am trying to achieve here

    Thanks again guys - I am loving this site

    You don't have ANY weight to lose. You don't get a toned body by losing weight either--you get that from strength training. You will probably gain pounds as you gain muscle but supposedly you will look and feel better. (I am not at that stage so I don't know personally). From what I've read on here, you should probably eat at maintenance and really add in that strength training as others have suggested. :)
  • AmandaBiggs09
    AmandaBiggs09 Posts: 42 Member
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    Being that you are so light I wouldn't worry about weight at all. I am the same height as you. In high school I weighed 127 and looked great. I was on the swim team and I took weight training to be stronger/swim faster. I wore the same size clothes as people who weighed less than me because I was toned. I did not look like a man. The number on the scale is not what really matters its the way you look.

    A size 8? I wore a size 8 at 150. I know there are different body types but I am bottom heavy.
  • Imustgetfit16
    Imustgetfit16 Posts: 11
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    Thanks all. I do think I have a little bit of weight to lose though. What is the point in having nice toned muscels if it cant be seen under a layer of fat!? And I definitely do have fat on my stomach and bum that I really want to get rid of. I went to a body pump class last night and I am feeling the soreness today :) I did lots of squats and lunges with weights on my shoulders. Are there any other good exercises you guys can sugget I do? I also did some deadlifts and bicep curls. Going to a body step class tonight which is mostly cardio but also includes squats etc. Can someone please confirm I am on the right track!? Thanks
  • Imustgetfit16
    Imustgetfit16 Posts: 11
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    AmandaBoff - I am a size 6-8 Australian size!! So I think that is a size 2-4 in American :)

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