Does it matter how long it takes to lose ?

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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I don't think it matters how long it takes to lose, as long as your moving in the right direction who cares. I'll be honest, last year I lost a lot of weight (over 50lbs) in a really short period of time. I wasn't counting calories, but now that I look back my diet wasn't exactly healthy either. I worked out a lot as well mixing cardio and strength training. I'm actually surprised now that I even lost weight last year. I did gain some of the weight back, but not much and my new healthier diet has actually caused me to start losing again.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    If you're making a lifestyle change, no, it doesn't matter how long it takes. I lost 100 lbs in 2 years, but I've only lost about 5 lbs in the past 6 months, even though my diet has been cleaner and my workouts have been more consistent. There are all kinds of things that factor into the equation.
  • flex500
    flex500 Posts: 63
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    I always see people exclaiming "lost 100lbs in 8 months" etc and I'm over here going "after a year of trial and error, I only have 12lbs to show for it..."

    Now granted, I had my ovaries removed and I have ADHD. But that shouldn't make a big of a difference.

    22
    Female
    SW: 240lbs
    CW: 227.7


    things only matter if you make them matter or you care. Truthfully it doesn't matter if you gain 60 pounds and walk around 300 pounds and proud.

    So I guess I'm not sure what you are asking? Are you asking if you are doing something "wrong" by only losing that much weight in a year? If so that can be answered two ways...

    1. If you feel like you are working very hard then yes you are doing something wrong. If you are busting your butt like their is no tomorrow and sacrificing and feel like you are putting everything into it and you lost 12 pounds in a year something is wrong. That is NOT a criticism. That could mean you have a medical issue or maybe are just not doing something correctly (<-- honestly not being critical here)

    or

    2. You are casually just here and there dieting and hoping to maybe lose some weight...maybe not...but your not that concerned and your happy. Then no you are not doing anything wrong.
  • flex500
    flex500 Posts: 63
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    It's taken me a year to lose 45lbs. from a starting weight of 250. Actually more like 15 months because I have spent 2.5 months at the same weight as I've loosened the reigns since the beginning of this year. But as long as the overall trend is still going down or even staying the same, I see it as a success.

    I'd rather lose weight in the easiest (and I mean easy in terms of a small deficit, eating all my favourite foods, and having a few indulgent weekends where I drink and dine to my heart's content) and slowest way possible because it will be the easiest way for me to maintain the habits it took to get me to my goal, than lose it quickly and put it all back on x 2. Been there, done that, never again.

    You say this, but, your diary says otherwise.... youve been eating like 1500-1600 a day fro the last week and you weigh 200#?... i dunno that id call that a slight deficit... I'd call it extreme.

    most women are not going to eat over 2K calories if they are trying to lose substantial weight and most women when they move to a diet higher in micronutrient dense foods are too full to eat more than that.

    if you use katch mccardle for a 200lb woman with 30% bf and a 1.2 multiplier it suggest 2000ish calories a day so honestly I don't think she is doing too bad. To lose fat it suggests 1500 calories. Doesn't seem that far off to me if she is eating 1500-1600 calories a day...
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
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    Slow and steady wins the race, as long as you keep moving in the right direction. Keep adding more fruits and veggies, less processed. Move more. Its not a race against others here, its about making changes for YOU and truly, we can, and want to help motivate you but its up to You to live your life every day, the best way you can.

    :heart:
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    One of my guilty pleasures is following the progress of the teams competing in the Iditarod.

    Every sled that makes it to the finish line in Nome is greeted with a heroes welcome. It doesn't matter if you're first, or last. They're heroes for completing the toughest race in the world. :smile:
  • msleanlegs
    msleanlegs Posts: 188 Member
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    As long as there aren't health problems that call for immediate weight loss, I see nothing wrong with taking the slow and steady route. I'm happy with my average of 1 lb lost every 4 days. Won't get me bikini-ready by this Memorial Day, but my diet is satisfying and something I can easily stick with for the long haul. The only thing I find annoying about losing weight slowly are the ignorant comments from loved ones who are concerned that I'm not losing fast enough. When will people realize that the weekly 10 lb losses seen on The Biggest Loser are not a norm for the general population of dieters?
  • TabithaMichelle85
    TabithaMichelle85 Posts: 92 Member
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    My starting weight was 254 and in 3 weeks I have lost 17 LBS... I am a religious calorie counter and I keep my calories at 1200-1300. I try to work out at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes and I like to burn around 200-400 calories when I work out. I don't eat hamburger, instead I eat Jennie O Ground Turkey, I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, and I lost of high fiber snacks, and everything is low in sodium.... High sodium will make you retain water so steer clear of that, I try to stick around 300mg or less. Don't get discouraged if you go over your calories, just go work out, tomorrow is a new day.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    It makes no difference how long it takes you to lose the weight. Everybody is different. As long as you're losing that's the important thing. There is no right or wrong way for how long it takes. Personally, IMHO, from what I've read about fitness and nutrition doing it slowly is the best way. Making drastic changes to lose 2lbs a week typically doesn't work for the long haul. To lose that much weight you have to go to extremes and that is not good for your overall fitness. Smaller changes tend to lead to overall lifestyle changes and that is what you want if you don't want the weight to come back.

    Keep on keeping on!!
  • flex500
    flex500 Posts: 63
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    It makes no difference how long it takes you to lose the weight. Everybody is different. As long as you're losing that's the important thing. There is no right or wrong way for how long it takes. Personally, IMHO, from what I've read about fitness and nutrition doing it slowly is the best way. Making drastic changes to lose 2lbs a week typically doesn't work for the long haul. To lose that much weight you have to go to extremes and that is not good for your overall fitness. Smaller changes tend to lead to overall lifestyle changes and that is what you want if you don't want the weight to come back.

    Keep on keeping on!!


    this is true but being "right or wrong" doesn't always have to be a mean or rude or overly critical thing. If this person is busting their behind working so hard putting their heart and soul into it but are losing 12 pounds a year but want to lose more it's ok to say "something is wrong".

    Now what is the OP's goal? Is it a very slow and steady weight loss process of 10 or so pounds a year? Then cool...more power to you (meaning the OP)

    But if someone is obese and putting heart and soul and effort and wants to lose more it's ok to say "yeah something is probably wrong with your plan".
  • thecakelocker
    thecakelocker Posts: 407 Member
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    Last April I would have been upset to know that I would only have made it halfway to goal by now. Today, I'm thrilled with the progress I've made and planning on taking another 2 years to get to where I want to be. I think coasting down slowly has helped me form habits that stick and overhaul my life a bit at a time without stressing myself. I'm confident that after a full year of new habits and new thinking I can carry on for good. :)
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    Thank you all. Really !
  • bdur76
    bdur76 Posts: 155 Member
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    I lost 160 pounds in a year with no surgery... And I think I look pretty fit.

    Very heavy people handle larger deficits well, and I started lifting heavy at about 120 pounds gone.
    Do whatever works for you, seeing the scale go down quickly kept me motivated to keep losing, until my behaviors became habits. Which is how I've maintained my weight loss for the past year plus now.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    :flowerforyou:
  • kethompson
    kethompson Posts: 4 Member
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    The slower you lose it the better. Don't lose more than 2lbs a week as it will be easy to gain it back again.

    I lost 30lb in two months on the Cambridge diet.
    I gained back 42lb in six weeks.
    I ballooned.

    Now I'm losing 1-2lb per week and its staying off. I haven't had any weeks where I gained.
    It's taken me 6months to lose 43lb.
    And it's great to know I lose every week.

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