How do I maximize weight loss?

kzakian
kzakian Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been steadily losing 1 pound a week for the past 10 weeks eating 1750 calories a day. I'm finding the calorie allotment quite easy to stick to, so I'm wondering what I should do to bump the loss up to 2 pounds a week. Should I cut my calories down? If so, by how much? When I ate 1450 calories a week, my weight loss was slower than at 1750, so I'm not sure if reducing calories would help? Not sure if increasing would either. Thoughts?

My stats are 5'7 and 237 pounds.

Don't get me wrong, I think losing a pound a week is great and I'm happy with it, but if there is something I can do to increase the loss I'm definitely willing to try it.
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Replies

  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    You could eat less, but that's a short-sighted strategy. You have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend having patience.
  • FerociousKoala
    FerociousKoala Posts: 27 Member
    If you're losing regularly DO NOT cut more. If you cut more calories out, you can damage your metabolism and it will start running at a lower calorie level to compensate. For instance, someone on 1200 calories will lose weight at first, but then their metabolism will get used to it and lower to that level to avoid starvation. If that makes sense. This is the non-scientific explanation.
    If you're already losing regularly, stick with that until your metabolism adjusts. Then you can start thinking about lowering calories and/or adding in more exercise. If you were to cut to lose faster now, you would have nothing left to cut when you plateau.
    Hope this helps.
  • perfect_storm
    perfect_storm Posts: 326 Member
    I think you answered your own question when you mentioned you lowered your calories and slowed the weight loss. Stick with what you are doing 1lb is better than 0lbs. Good luck to you.
  • perfect_storm
    perfect_storm Posts: 326 Member
    If you're losing regularly DO NOT cut more. If you cut more calories out, you can damage your metabolism and it will start running at a lower calorie level to compensate. For instance, someone on 1200 calories will lose weight at first, but then their metabolism will get used to it and lower to that level to avoid starvation. If that makes sense. This is the non-scientific explanation.
    If you're already losing regularly, stick with that until your metabolism adjusts. Then you can start thinking about lowering calories and/or adding in more exercise. If you were to cut to lose faster now, you would have nothing left to cut when you plateau.
    Hope this helps.

    This simply is not true for everyone. I stuck to a 1200 cal diet for 5 months and lost 40lbs upped it to 1800 and maintained it. 1200 works for some people you can not generalize it saying it does not work.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    To maximize weight loss:

    Eat Clean
    Eat At a Deficit
    Work Out and Move Your Rear
    Don't Slack and Don't Cheat

    There is no short cuts.
  • FerociousKoala
    FerociousKoala Posts: 27 Member
    Well that was the explanation a Dietician with a Master's Degree gave me. What degree do you have? Associates in Starvation?
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
    Have you thought about building muscle? Long term, that should boost your metabolism so you can eat the same if not more, and continue to lose.

    However, short term, you will gain weight. It's muscle and not fat, but it can be frustrating to see the scale not move - or go up. It's all about long term though!
  • rachvale
    rachvale Posts: 15 Member
    To maximize weight loss:

    Eat Clean
    Eat at a deficit
    Work Out and Move Your Rear
    Don't slack and Don't Cheat

    There is no short cuts.

    Preach it
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    To maximize weight loss:

    Eat Clean
    Eat at a deficit
    Work Out and Move Your Rear
    Don't slack and Don't Cheat

    There is no short cuts.


    Preach it

    For sure, and try to eat clean that will help in a big way.
  • chunkydunk714
    chunkydunk714 Posts: 784 Member
    Well that was the explanation a Dietician with a Master's Degree gave me. What degree do you have? Associates in Starvation?

    ouch
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    You could eat less, but that's a short-sighted strategy. You have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend having patience.

    ^ This.

    And you certainly don't have to eat "clean."
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    You could eat less, but that's a short-sighted strategy. You have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend having patience.

    +1
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member

    For sure, and try to eat clean that will help in a big way.

    O'rly? :huh:
  • jeannettelford
    jeannettelford Posts: 1
    When I exercise for as little as 20 minutes a day (treadmill or elliptical) while sticking to my recommended calories, I have consistently lost 2 pounds a week.
  • rawritsleila
    rawritsleila Posts: 3
    There are 3,500 calories in a pound. So to lose a pound per week, you'd have to eat 500 calories less a day. So if you want to up it to two pounds a week, you'd have to eat 1000 calories less per day. So if your calorie requirement for the day is 2000 calories, you'd have to only consume 1000 calories a day, but being that that isn't healthy, I'd recommend exercising so that you can eat as much as you like and still stay 1000 calories under your daily goal :smile:
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    You could eat less, but that's a short-sighted strategy. You have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend having patience.

    ^ This.

    And you certainly don't have to eat "clean."

    I am suggesting clean as in avoiding processed foods.

    If the OP prepares her food it gives her a good idea with nutrition and calories that can serve her well and it is a cheaper option also.

    But 1lb a week is great! Either way.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    You could eat less, but that's a short-sighted strategy. You have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend having patience.

    ^ This.

    And you certainly don't have to eat "clean."

    I am suggesting clean as in avoiding processed foods.

    If the OP prepares her food it gives her a good idea with nutrition and calories that can serve her well and it is a cheaper option also.

    But 1lb a week is great! Either way.

    Um. Okay. That's great. My answer remains the same.

    OP - you're having success and are not feeling deprived. Keep doing what you're doing. Just be patient.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Fast weight loss does not equal healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast results in more muscle loss. Do you want to lower your body fat percentage? If yes, you're right on track. Skin elasticity .......if you lose weight slower and exercise, your skin should not be a loose as someone who lost the weight really quickly.
  • brianvessel
    brianvessel Posts: 3
    I think your fine with what your currently eating as longs as it's healthy. You don't want to consume fewer calories because your will then start to hold on to the weight as which your experiencing.. You should be eating anywhere between 4-6 meals per day along with moderate exercise. This will cause the body to start dropping weight because your constantly feeding it and giving it enough calories to make it throughout the day..

    You should also workout in the morning too when your metabolism is at it's highest in regards to loosing weight.. You can also add some resistance bands to your workou and some kettle bells.

    You can go here for nutrient and workout tips www.hnl24h.com
  • kzakian
    kzakian Posts: 45 Member
    So basically it's impossible for me to get a 2 pound a week loss without doing damage to my metabolism? With over 70 pounds left to lose, I find that hard to believe. I know 1 pound a week is a good loss, but at my weight I don't see why 2 pounds is not a possibility?
  • happystars82
    happystars82 Posts: 225 Member
    This is what i use to do before i fell off the wagon.....:O.

    I'm 238lb and 5'4,

    i eat 1500 - 1800 a day
    exercise everyday for 40 mins
    and lose 2lbs a week sometimes, depending on "women things"

    i eat fairy healthy but wouldn't say clean as i cannot afford this.

    hope this helps
    Amy from the UK
  • kzakian
    kzakian Posts: 45 Member
    Hi Amy,

    Do you eat back your exercise calories?

    Thanks :)
  • kasey721
    kasey721 Posts: 5 Member
    There's the rub ... eating back calories. If you're doing that, then you may need to re-think why you are working out in the first place. Is it to lose weight? Or, is it to be able to eat more calories per day?

    Here's how I position exercise in my thought process: If I'm serious about losing weight (and I AM very serious), then I must make a commitment to eat a certain amount of calories and work out for a certain number of hours each day, week, month, etc. If I "eat back calories" I feel like I have cheated myself out of ever reaching my goal. So, I try to minimize those occasions and, if I do "fall off the wagon" for a day or two, I try to make that up somewhere over the next week.

    You may want to incorporate more exercise minutes into each week, rather than cut more calories, so you don't feel starved and deprived of sustenance. Hope that helps!
  • soupandcookies
    soupandcookies Posts: 212 Member

    OP - you're having success and are not feeling deprived. Keep doing what you're doing. Just be patient.

    +1

    Cutting calories lower and lower, seems to backfire, for a lot of people. I know that's "un-scientific..." It's just what I've been seeing on the boards, and throughout my life. Take it for what it's worth... I totally understand wanting more substantial weekly results, though. My 2 cents? Keep up the fantastic work. You are doing great!
  • HefferSprint
    HefferSprint Posts: 124 Member
    You didn't mention if you are working out. I agree with the others, it's a great way to burn calories.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    There's the rub ... eating back calories. If you're doing that, then you may need to re-think why you are working out in the first place. Is it to lose weight? Or, is it to be able to eat more calories per day?

    Here's how I position exercise in my thought process: If I'm serious about losing weight (and I AM very serious), then I must make a commitment to eat a certain amount of calories and work out for a certain number of hours each day, week, month, etc. If I "eat back calories" I feel like I have cheated myself out of ever reaching my goal. So, I try to minimize those occasions and, if I do "fall off the wagon" for a day or two, I try to make that up somewhere over the next week.

    You may want to incorporate more exercise minutes into each week, rather than cut more calories, so you don't feel starved and deprived of sustenance. Hope that helps!

    Just to clarify ..............

    MFP as designed expects you to eat calories back ........... that is because the calorie deficit is built in BEFORE exercsise. When you exercise, you create a larger deficit.

    If you are using TDEE less a percentage ...... you don't eat your calories back specifically BUT because the exercise is built in to the equation... you are accounting for exercise.

    OP - of course you can lose 2 pounds a week. BUT what do you want the 2 pounds to consist of?

    Mostly fat? OR Half fat - Half muscle mass? Losing weight too fast (not eating exercise calories back with MFP, or not incorporating exercise into TDEE) ...... the weight you will lose WILL be partly muscle mass.
  • 2aycocks
    2aycocks Posts: 415 Member
    I've been steadily losing 1 pound a week for the past 10 weeks eating 1750 calories a day. I'm finding the calorie allotment quite easy to stick to, so I'm wondering what I should do to bump the loss up to 2 pounds a week. Should I cut my calories down? If so, by how much? When I ate 1450 calories a week, my weight loss was slower than at 1750, so I'm not sure if reducing calories would help? Not sure if increasing would either. Thoughts?

    My stats are 5'7 and 237 pounds.

    Don't get me wrong, I think losing a pound a week is great and I'm happy with it, but if there is something I can do to increase the loss I'm definitely willing to try it.

    At the top of your home page, click on where it says Goals. then set it to 2 pounds a week to lose, and see how many calories it says you can have. If that's too few, then maybe 1-1/2 per week, and see how many calories that says.

    I agree that I would get down too low on calories. Losing 1 pound a week consistently is GREAT!! And more likely to stay off than a rapid weight loss.
  • 2aycocks
    2aycocks Posts: 415 Member
    Are you taking measurements along the way? If not, then start. I was discouraged by only losing 15 pounds in 5 months. Then I measured again and had lost a total of 10 inches. that was great news!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    So basically it's impossible for me to get a 2 pound a week loss without doing damage to my metabolism? With over 70 pounds left to lose, I find that hard to believe. I know 1 pound a week is a good loss, but at my weight I don't see why 2 pounds is not a possibility?

    It should be a possibility, but it would be difficult and not sustainable for very long, partly because you are reasonably close to where you'd want to switch back to 1 lb/wk loss.

    Here's the thing - you're currently at a 500 cal/day deficit. You would need to create a 1000 cal/day deficit. And, you'd best start lifting heavy and making sure you eat enough protein if you want to preserve your LBM, because you're likely to lose more of it with a higher deficit. That said ...

    You could exercise to create the new deficit, which is a LOT harder than most think (don't believe MFPs estimates, it's reported that they are inflated for many exercises).

    Or, you could eat 500 cals less per day, but a 1250 cal/day allotment isn't sustainable for many people. They tend to feel tired, always hungry, and it makes it hard to stick to your diet. But, not all people feel this way, and maybe you're one of them. Plus, you need to be really careful with what you are eating so you get the nutrition you need. However, it's not unreasonable if you're thinking of trying it short term (a month, maybe two) and then bumping back up to your current calorie level.

    Or, you could do a combo of the above. For example, decrease your intake by 250 cals and increase your exercise by 250 cals. To me, that seems like the most reasonable approach other than adjusting your expectations and being patient, which would be my advice since you are finding your diet easy to stick with - why mess with a good thing?
  • llfreeman74
    llfreeman74 Posts: 6
    Hello Everyone,

    I have been working on losing weight since May 2013. I lost 10 lbs. before I was introduced to MFP. I have been using MFP for approx. 2 months I have lost 12 additional pounds (total 22 lbs. since May) but it seems that I have been 160 lbs. for a while now. My goal is to lose one pound a week. I am allowed around 1400 calories a day. I have tried cutting my calories but I find myself hungry. Exercise goal is 60 minutes 5 times a week. Some weeks I meet my exercise goal but for sure I am working out 3 to 4 times a week for at least 45 minutes (moderate walking). I have only exceeded my allowed calories on a couple of occasions but it seems as if I have stopped losing weight. I do my best to drink 8 glasses of water a day as well. I have some questions:
    1) How can I boost my metabolism again, or get back to losing a pound a week?
    2) Do I eat more when I exercise to make up for the calories I burned? (when I do not MFP gives me a warning that I am not eating enough)
    3) Should I recalculate my exercise goal?

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