Pounds per week to lose

bpeaceful
bpeaceful Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
Is two pounds per week idealistic to lose? I entered my weight, and clicked wanted to lose 2 pounds per week, and it calculated 1250 calories per day. What I want to avoid is hitting a plateau, it is going to be a long journey and I can't imagine ever decreasing the 1250 calories per day because I saw the print to not ever eat less than 1200 calories per day. I want this to be a real life style change and long term continual weight loss. Opinions, suggestions?

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Pounds per week
    75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1.0 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range


    The faster your weight loss the more likely you will lose muscle as well as fat. For this reason, there is fast weight loss and then there is healthy weight loss.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Pounds per week
    75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1.0 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range


    The faster your weight loss the more likely you will lose muscle as well as fat. For this reason, there is fast weight loss and then there is healthy weight loss.
    Is 1250 calories a realistic number for you? Will eating that way make it more likely that you will get frustrated and give up? From what I've read, 1 pound per week is a very realistic and manageable number for most people, but you need to decide. Good luck either way!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    What the above two said. Plus, good news is, when you exercise, you can earn extra calories which can really help you stay within your goals. It's not an excuse to overindulge but it does give some wiggle room to the daily allotment.

    You could try 1250 for a while and if it seems like too little, change your goal to 1.5 pounds per week or 1 pound per week and see how that feels. It really doesn't matter how fast you lose the weight, it matters that you're making changes to be a better healthier you! Best of luck!
  • drojen
    drojen Posts: 203 Member
    Depends how much you want to lose in total and if you can keep your calories at the recommended amount. There is no point in going around hungry, I know that would set me up for failure. I have over 75lbs to lose, and I haven't set mine at 2lbs/week - mostly because I do believe slow and steady wins the race. It took me a long time to get to this weight, it's bound to take me a long time to get it off. Understanding that is another part of the lifestyle change I'm trying to make. I need to eat now the way I want to eat for the rest of my life (fewer calories, certainly, but I can't avoid cake and ice cream forever, so I better learn how to deal with it now.)

    So if 1250 seems too low for you, it's because it likely is. Now, that could be net calories - so if you eat 1500, but burn 250, you've reached 1250. I'm no expert on the BMR, TDEE, and all that other lingo, I'm just going along at my own pace, doing my own thing and so far, it's working. I may have to tweek it when I get closer to goal and if so, then I'll tweek it. I don't even know what my goal is at the moment. I'm just setting my goals in 10% increments for now.

    You may find you will have to tweek your plan too - and that's ok. Cross those bridges when you come to them.
  • Lynne_Cota2013
    Lynne_Cota2013 Posts: 8
    here is what works for me...everyone is different though. I personally have a lot to lose. I make sure I exercise everyday. EVERY SINGLE DAY! I log absolutely everything I eat, even when I make poor choices. Set small goals for the month that you can realistically reach. Don't let yourself get discouraged. If you have a bad day, you had a bad day. Tomorrow you can start over. Some of my friends only weigh every other week. Losing weight is not hard. It's good nutrition, exercise and developing good habits. One of my new things is that I do not sit and watch TV or be on the computer for longer than I have worked out that day. Be honest with yourself. Do this for you and no one else. You will see the changes before you know it. Good luck!!!
  • haymancm
    haymancm Posts: 280 Member
    If you want more to eat, exercise more. :)
  • NadineSabbagh
    NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
    Looking at your ticker it shows that you want to lose 113lbs, which is exactly what I am wanting to lose - so here's what I am doing, I hope it helps you a bit :)

    At the moment, I have set my goals to lose 2lbs per week. MFP calculated that I'd need to be eating 1250 calories, but I upped it to 1300 (wow... haha huuuuge difference there! :P ) For the past 3 months or so I have steadily, and without fail, been losing the predicted 2lbs per week. However, some days I do go a fair bit over the 1300 calories. If it bothers me then I try to burn off the extra with exercise... but most of the time I don't worry about it, and get back on track the next day. I occasionally eat back my exercise calories, but sometimes (especially if I've eaten over my calories that week) I won't bother. Whatever I do, it seems to all even out by the end of the week and I lose the 2lbs. I haven't plateaued at all so far (fingers crossed it continues that way!)

    But I'm not going to keep this up for too much longer - I'm wanting to lose a bit more and then I'm going to gradually up my calories so that I'm eating more and losing slower the smaller I get. There's no way I can stick to a 1300 calorie diet for the rest of my life, but I don't see anything wrong with doing it to 'kick start' my weight loss for a while.

    If you can eat the 1250 calories and you're not starving or feeling like you have no energy then I'd say to go for it! At least for a short while to see how it suits you. If you find that you're starving and resorting to binging because the 1250 isn't enough to sustain you then up your calories until you're eating an amount that is suited to your lifestyle.

    If you're not too fussed about how quickly you lose the weight then I'd set your goals to lose 1lb a week, that way you can eat a decent amount of food and it's easier to sustain it long term.

    It's all about trying things out and seeing what works for you :) Good luck!
  • bpeaceful
    bpeaceful Posts: 8
    Lots of great advice, thank you everyone. I am just so determined, and shockingly excited about doing this, I want to make sure I am in for the long haul and not setting myself up for disaster. My day job requires me to be on the computer 8 hours a day and it sounds like exercise is key. Time to get a steady plan of action going for that as well.
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
    It's definitely doable. I've been averaging 2 lbs per week for 2 months now and I really hope to stay there. I eat all my calories allowed and when I exercise, yes, I do eat them back. I also only use this program, which you are meant to eat them on here. If I can't eat them all, I try to at least net 1300 (calories - exercise). I used to think I had to starve or eat as little as possible but not here, never have I eaten so much (healthy) before the way I do using MFP, it's great!
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
    Lots of great advice, thank you everyone. I am just so determined, and shockingly excited about doing this, I want to make sure I am in for the long haul and not setting myself up for disaster. My day job requires me to be on the computer 8 hours a day and it sounds like exercise is key. Time to get a steady plan of action going for that as well.

    It can be fun if you make it fun. I have lots of fun preparing my lunches for work, which I also do for 7 hours per day on a computer. My lunch bag usually consists of some protein (chicken or turkey), either in a sandwich, salad or wrap (homemade), and at least 3 to 4 snacks. Usually 2 fruits and 2 regular snacks such as a greek yogurt and a snack bar like nutri-grain, or skinny cow (cause I want to be a skinny cow lol). I also carry my 24 oz water bottle everywhere which 3 of those drunk equals 8 glasses of water a day. It's turned fun finding new lunches to create.
  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
    Hi - I do agree with the people above...

    I also have a lot to lose - started with over 160# to reach my goal weight. I have been on MFP for 9 weeks and I've lost 22 pounds. I am super motivated & I started out not even exercising the first few weeks. I have my activity level set at sedentary, which you might also want to do since you have a desk job. (Not sure if that will give you more calories or fewer, though...)

    I log everything I eat every day. I also track my nutrients, but I changed them to calcium, protein, iron & potassium. I'm vegetarian & have always eaten pretty healthy, just way too much :-). I know I'm ok on the sugar, carbs, fat & sodium.

    I now try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day doing something - I like swimming because it burns lots of calories, is easy on the body & joints, plus I don't feel like I'm sweating. And I have a pool in the backyard - so no excuses!

    I weigh myself every day, but that's me. I feel like it keeps me on track. It does fluctuate so I try not to freak out.

    I am on 1600 calories according to MFP. My exercise adds about 400 more a day, but I only eat about 200 back. People say that MFP is notoriously high for calories burned by exercise. If I don't exercise I try to eat in the 1300-1500 range. This is working for me & I am consistently losing 2 - 2 1/2#/week. If I eat below 1300 calories I get cranky & discouraged so I try not to do that. Sometimes it's actually hard to eat more than 1600 calories now especially if I've been busy all day & have a late dinner I just can't eat any more. (never would have though that could happen - EVER!)

    Be consistent - drink lots of water, log in every day (I do it first thing in the morning while I'm eating breakfast) and try to log after every meal so you don't forget anything. I am not super diligent about measuring right now, but I will be if/when I reach a plateau. I'm worried about that too, but I will just change things up until I figure out what works to get my metabolism back on track when the time comes. I will probably get a heart rate monitor at some point too.

    There are many very helpful and inspirational people here. Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like.

Categories