Trying to Lose 3-4lbs a week.

Courtney5178
Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I would like to lose 3lbs to 4lbs a week, but I have been able to lose around 2lbs a week and I am trying so hard. I have been going to the gym 4-5 times a week for 30-35mins each time. I have been eating my calorie goal which is around 1,200. I am 5'6 and weight 173 and need help losing more weight. Thank you so much.

Replies

  • FedoraNinja
    FedoraNinja Posts: 45
    Losing more than 2 pounds per week, particularly when you're not massively obese, is generally regarded as unhealthy and unsustainable.

    Out of curiosity, why are you targeting such fast weight loss?
  • Courtney5178
    Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
    I am doing a weight challenge at my job and summer is coming and would like to lose 20-23lbs in 8 weeks.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    When I started this time around I was 383 and was able to lose 3-5 lbs for a few weeks. It's going to be incredibly difficult, not to mention unhealthy, at your weight. I'm 294ish now and on occasion might lose a 2.something lbs.
  • darwinwoodka
    darwinwoodka Posts: 322 Member
    Oh, please don't do that. Especially for a challenge. Health is more important.
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
    I would worry about long term health not a work challenge. You dont look big in your picture, I would think even 2 pounds a week may be too much for you (thats only going by your pic since I have no idea of your height or weight)
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
    1-2lb per week is a healthy weight loss. Usually 1lb of weight loss is approximately 3500 calories cut. So if you wanted to lose 1lb per week you have to cut your maintenance calories by 3500, so about 500 per day.

    I would say that since you are eating 1200 and losing 2lb per week and exercising that if you are not eating your exercise calories back your maintenance is about 2200 calories per day so,

    1lb/week = 1700 calories per day
    2lb/week = 1200 calories per day
    3lb/week = 700 calories per day
    4lb/week = 200 calories per day

    If your maintenance is around 2200 your BMR (which is the lowest amount of calories per day possible in order to keep you alive in a coma) is actually probably over 1200 even. Getting down to a daily net calorie intake lower than this is not healthy. Please do not try to lose that much that fast, you will not get the nutrition you need to survive!!!

    This is the math that should tell you that is is incredibly unsafe and dangerous to do what you are trying to do just for a stupid challenge!!! If you don't get the nutrition required to stay alive your body will go to drastic measures to try to find the energy it needs to survive!
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
    To be blunt your goal is unrealistic and unhealthy.

    At your weight 2 lbs/week _is_ fast. There is potential damage to your heart when high rates of loss are sustained. You are also losing other muscle when you lose 3-4 pounds/week at your weight.

    This isn't a race.
  • Courtney5178
    Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
    I am 5'6 and weight 173lbs
  • Courtney5178
    Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
    true thank you
  • gracetillman
    gracetillman Posts: 190 Member
    Several years back I lost on average 3 pounds per week. After I dropped 70 pounds I had such loose saggy skin from that rapid loss and the loss was not sustainable. I didn't teach myself better eating habits -- I just substituted low fat stuff for the food I had been eating and after a while I got tired of the missing taste. This time I am making an effort to not drop more than 2 pounds per week and focus on healthier whole food choices.

    Move at a healthy and sustainable pace -- two pounds per week is the max really unless you have a lot more to lose.
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
    To be blunt your goal is unrealistic and unhealthy.

    At your weight 2 lbs/week _is_ fast. There is potential damage to your heart when high rates of loss are sustained. You are also losing other muscle when you lose 3-4 pounds/week at your weight.

    This isn't a race.

    This
  • Courtney5178
    Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
    When I started this time around I was 383 and was able to lose 3-5 lbs for a few weeks. It's going to be incredibly difficult, not to mention unhealthy, at your weight. I'm 294ish now and on occasion might lose a 2.something lbs.

    Great Work!
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    the only people who can lose 3-4 lbs a week in a healthy way are those who are very overweight. I was able to lose that much for the first few weeks because I started at 300 pounds.

    If you attempt super-fast weight loss like that you risk several issues, such as...
    you will lose a lot of muscle along with fat, so while you will weigh less, you won't actually lose a lot of fat, which is the stuff you want to lose. you won't look as good.
    it has been shown, over and over and over (and over) again.. that those who try to lose weight fast, instead of learning appropriate eating habits that will last a lifetime, usually put the weight back on, plus more.
    eating too little on a daily basis can result in in fatigue, irritability, hair loss, saggy skin and general feeling and looking like crap.

    if your weight loss goal is about winning a challenge rather than being healthier and feeling better... it's likely to end up being short term.
  • legalw
    legalw Posts: 3
    Thank you for the information
  • Courtney5178
    Courtney5178 Posts: 13 Member
    Thanks so much everyone. You are all right I need to just slow down and make sure I am healthy first thank you
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I would like to lose 3lbs to 4lbs a week, but I have been able to lose around 2lbs a week and I am trying so hard. I have been going to the gym 4-5 times a week for 30-35mins each time. I have been eating my calorie goal which is around 1,200. I am 5'6 and weight 173 and need help losing more weight. Thank you so much.

    Completely unrealistic for you. The less you have to lose the slower you have to go. All you're really going to accomplish by trying to go fast is losing some water weight and burning up a lot of lean body mass. This is why I hate stupid weight loss challenges...makes people do stupid **** that is completely unhealthy and unnecessary. Seems like everyone just gets wrapped up in some arbitrary scale number and completely forgets about actual health and nutrition.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    The worst thing about biggest loser may not be how it takes advantage of desperate people.

    The worst thing may be all the office weight loss challenges it inspires. My company's freaking WELLNESS program offered a Biggest Loser contest this spring. BLECH.

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