are u americans different than us?

sabrekism
sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hello guys how r ya

im from kuwait a middle east country and i been watching and collecting all informations i need for my coming weight loss project which would last to up to over 6 months.

anyway i noticed u guys warning about not to go below 2 pounds per week which is to us here in middle east only like 0.9 kilograms.

when i went to a dietitians hospital and done all the tests on me and also went ofcourse to MD doctors they all said u should lose 1.5 - 3 kilograms easily per week for first 2 months.

and reflecting that on the famous"no below 2 pounds per week" warning which is = 0.9 kg is confusing to me...im 5"6 312 pounds and 29 old male.

i went to many world wide known doctors here in kuwait both dietitians and medical doctors and even went to official certified personel trainers they all said the same thing....which is that u will lose more than 1.5-3 kilograms which is in pounds equals over 6.6 pounds and nearly can last for 2 months.

so whats going on??...is there something im missing ? does the weather affect our bodies?....keep in mind guys that the weather here in kuwait is very hot for u guys and its ok for us ofcourse since we are technically a "desert-people" the weather here in kuwait can be from 40-52 C during summer...which i think wont be so good on north americans.

is the metabolism different maybe? ....im really lost guys please help me :(

all my medical tests and observations in kuwait says there is no such 1-2 or 3 pounds rule ever and that we can lose more than that if we eat enough ofcourse to function our bodies...AKA BMR.

by the way : we ofcourse have morbid obese people in kuwait including me but i have noticed we rarely see and have like the 400-600+ pounds ...dont know why to be honest just wanted to mention it.

please if anyone have clear reason for this say it.

Replies

  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
    Because of your size its quite likely you could lose in excess of a kilo per week. Its not about climate etc (I live in australia) but about calorie deficit. I started at 380 pounds and not every week but numerous weeks in the beginning I did lose in excess of a kilo a week.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    We Americans do not do the metric system so....
  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
    We Americans do not do the metric system so....

    thx for ur reply ....what i ment is that we middle easterns lose alot of weight normally during our weight loss journey than western people specially the ones that strict for the 1-3 pounds rule which would take them more than a year and half long ....i have met many people than lost around 153 pounds in 6-7 months and they are feeling healthy and everything is good....i was like : where is the 3 pounds rule?...he said : i never heard anyone in kuwait or all of middle east lose only 3 pounds per week specially with heavy weight.
  • Kittyvicious1
    Kittyvicious1 Posts: 190 Member
    I think it depends on your starting weight. The heavier you are the more calories you burn. As far as any two pound rule goes, Tha is what is recommended by those giving advice on tv, forums, magazines etc... I am sure under DR supervision one can lose more than the two lbs.
  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
    trust me i can lose alot of weight per week and also eat my BMR easily but everytime i remember the "dont go below 3 pounds" i stop and panic and thinking something bad for me will happen if i do :(...though doctors here said its going to be ok.

    i can average 6.6-7 pounds per week for 2 months for sure since i weigh 312 pounds and 5'6 tall.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    My first month I lost 13 lbs that is 3+ lbs a week. I was not obese just over weight. I think the more you have to lose the longer your body is willing to drop large amounts of weight. It is when you get down to healthy levels that your body guards it's stored energy more closely so it is better and healthier to drop it slowly.

    This is just speculation so please temper it with your own research and judgment***
  • Lld320
    Lld320 Posts: 81
    I think the rule is based on sustainability. The problem with crash dieting is that you're much more likely to put the weight back on once you feel like you've reached a comfortable number.
    Also, don't pay attention to the scale. It lies. You should be trying to build muscle while losing fat to get fit. Use pictures as comparison or measure inches.
    Weight fluctuates constantly and weighing a very low amount does not mean you are healthy, in fact it could be the exact opposite.
    Finally, we are all people. Weight loss happens via the same method for everyone, it is not a sprint it is a test of endurance.

    Oh and FYI I lost 10 lbs in the first month of working out. It depends on your starting weight it'll drop easier the more you weigh.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    It's not a "rule" as such, as Kittyvicious points out it's a recommendation. This is based upon the premise that weight isn't gained overnight. Quick losses are more likely to be gained back than kept off long-term.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    We Americans do not do the metric system so....

    thx for ur reply ....what i ment is that we middle easterns lose alot of weight normally during our weight loss journey than western people specially the ones that strict for the 1-3 pounds rule which would take them more than a year and half long ....i have met many people than lost around 153 pounds in 6-7 months and they are feeling healthy and everything is good....i was like : where is the 3 pounds rule?...he said : i never heard anyone in kuwait or all of middle east lose only 3 pounds per week specially with heavy weight.

    There is no "rule", as everyone's body is different. If you are at a higher weight it is okay to lose more weight quickly. I know someone that lost 20lbs in two weeks. I'm not morbidly obese so 1-2lbs a week is alot for me. In order to lose any more than that I would have no eat at all or eat under 1000 calories daily.
  • Kittyvicious1
    Kittyvicious1 Posts: 190 Member
    I wish my body can drop lbs. All I seem to do is shrink in size and build muscle.
  • Momm22boys
    Momm22boys Posts: 48
    The one to two pounds a week rule generally applies to a person who is not under a physicians care and generally not significantly overweight. It would be difficult and extremely unhealthy for a person who is 20 pounds above their goal weight to try to lose 6 pounds a week. Under a physician's care, a person who is 100+ pounds overweight could safely lose that amount of weight in such a short period.
  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
    u guys are angels!.....i think i understand now the whole thing ... u saved my day <3:)
  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
    The one to two pounds a week rule generally applies to a person who is not under a physicians care and generally not significantly overweight. It would be difficult and extremely unhealthy for a person who is 20 pounds above their goal weight to try to lose 6 pounds a week. Under a physician's care, a person who is 100+ pounds overweight could safely lose that amount of weight in such a short period.

    exactly !
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    I too would like to know where the myth of rapid weight loss being dangerous originated. I wouldn't pay much attention to the 2lbs/week recommendation especially since you weigh 300+ pounds AND you're being seen by a doctor. I've lost a lot over the last 16 months or so, and I'm still losing about 3-4lbs a week on average. When I was heavier, though, it wasn't unusual for me to lose 10-12lbs in one week. I had a 16lbs week there somewhere, IIRC.
  • heidicalif
    heidicalif Posts: 114 Member
    Hello from the US! It all depends on how much you have to lose. 6-7 lbs a week is great for someone at 300lbs! Well done! As you get smaller the amount you can lose a week will get smaller, too. They commonly say it is hard to lose more than a pound a week if you are overweight but not obese. I started out on the high side of overweight and was easily able to lose an average of 1.87 pounds a week the first 4 weeks, but already am seeing a small slow down since. When you get really close a half pound a week is success. Best of luck to you!
  • catmanor
    catmanor Posts: 85 Member
    The way I see it is slowly and steadily is a better way of losing and far more sustainable..
  • YaGigi
    YaGigi Posts: 817 Member
    Ahlan wa sahlan :)

    I am also a client of a weightloss clinic and my doctors pushes me to 1 kilo per week weight loss. If I lose less, like 500 gramms, they are disappointed. I have 12 kilos to lose according to my doctors (I want to lose 20).
    There's a client there, he is 165 kilos now. When he started he was 180 and he lost about 9 kilos during his first week. The doctors said it was ok because he was severely overweight.

    Being from a hot dessert country myself originally, I do think it affect the metabolism in a big way. Now I live in a cold country and I feel like I gain weight especially during winter because my body is scared of cold. In my homeland its too hot and I eat much less, mostly fruits, veggies, rice and meat, and bread but I don't gain any weight.
    But Kuwait is a very developed country, mashaallah, you have air conditioning everywhere, and you'd face the heat only outside.
  • tehboxingkitteh
    tehboxingkitteh Posts: 1,574 Member
    We Americans do not do the metric system so....
    I'm American. I don't mind the metric system. I used so much in college and at work that its use doesn't bother me in the slightest.

    But OP, I believe you got your answer. Weight will drop quicker in the beginning. I had weeks where I would lose up to 5 pounds in a week. It will level out eventually. Enjoy the quick weight drop (as long as you're doing it in a healthy fashion with eating enough and hopefully exercising/lifting) while it lasts.

    Good luck.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    I too would like to know where the myth of rapid weight loss being dangerous originated. I wouldn't pay much attention to the 2lbs/week recommendation especially since you weigh 300+ pounds AND you're being seen by a doctor. I've lost a lot over the last 16 months or so, and I'm still losing about 3-4lbs a week on average. When I was heavier, though, it wasn't unusual for me to lose 10-12lbs in one week. I had a 16lbs week there somewhere, IIRC.

    it's not really dangerous per se. only in extreme cases (e.g, when somebody eats say 400 calories a day for 3 months).

    the issues have to do with long term success and with minimizing muscle mass loss.

    when you run a high calorie deficit over a long period of time, your body will not only burn fat, but also muscle mass. if you don't take preventive measures (such as lifting weights and eating sufficient protein) and eat at a high calorie deficit over a lengthy period of time, when you get to your goal weight, you'll have a higher BF% than you expect and you'll have lost muscle that's harder to regain. this is how people get skinny fat.

    so by limiting your weight loss rate, you can minimize these 2 issues.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    I thought it was also because slower weight loss meant less loose skin?
  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
    I thought it was also because slower weight loss meant less loose skin?
    o

    when i met 1 of the 150 + pounds weight losers who lost weight over a year and half showed me his belly and sad to tell ya ...there is loose skin...so my guess is u will have loose skin in short and long term loss.

    but the good news is that the loose skin wont be so huge like everyone is predicting...its a small one and i have touched his belly and i can tell ya its an "ok" loose skin
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    The problem is that we have so many youngsters here with eating disorders and if mainstream medical providers start endorsing weight losses higher than 2 lbs a week, it leads to serious problems.

    People in the USA want a magic pill. It doesn't exist.

    As a result, are so many companies out there advocating huge losses and sucking people into pills and fad diets. It's important to assure people that a steady, slow loss is a better way for people to lose their weight and keep it off longterm without suffering other health problems.

    Good luck on your loss!
  • Wilhellmina
    Wilhellmina Posts: 757 Member
    I don't think when it comes to dieting people differ so much from each other. We want to loose all the fat and we want to loose it as fast as possible and people can do the weirdest things for it. I am European and in Holland dietitains say loose only 5 pounds to at the max a kilo a week, everything above it is crashing. So that's not that very different from the USA.
  • brraanndi
    brraanndi Posts: 325 Member
    Nothing bad will happen to you.

    2lbs is just good because it is easy to follow and makes sure you are eating enough so that you don't start losing muscle.

    You just want to do something that you can maintain that is good for you, losing alot of weight every week will just set you up for defeat.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    There is a lot of advice on this board that is more superstition than science. If your doctor wants you to lose 1-3 kg a week, than I think listening to her is probably the best bet for your situation.

    For someone my size, losing 2 pounds a week is going to be a real challenge, since I don't have much left to go. Once you get down to your last 10-20 pounds, it goes really slowly.
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  • Noor13
    Noor13 Posts: 964 Member
    People who are focused on the number on the scale alone are ok with that; those who understand the importance of losing fat and maintaining muscle are not.

    ^^^This^^^!
  • Wilhellmina
    Wilhellmina Posts: 757 Member
    People who are focused on the number on the scale alone are ok with that; those who understand the importance of losing fat and maintaining muscle are not.

    ^^^This^^^!

    !!!
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I am convinced that where you are in the different catagories - morbidly obese ,obese or overweight determines where your doctor and you need to set your weight loss plan.

    After you get to the "healthy weight range" (and some of those charts show mine to be between 125 and 175) you can do one of many things, but for me, when I got within 10 pounds of my first goal, the weight continued to come off even while on
    "the stabilizing period". I went back to the doctor to confirm a healthy weight goal, and he set it 10 pounds below the original one, and told me to just set my calories to a half pound a week. This served me well the first year of maintenance as well, and going into my second year of mainteance, I continue to adjust my macros and exercise.

    It is all about where you start. And setting correct expectations, and making your "fitness plan" work for the rest of your life. And not creating a new set of health issues while solving one issue.

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