Do you set your goals to 1lb weight loss a week or more?

Fitnwhole78
Fitnwhole78 Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'3" weight 178 and I'm looking to lose 40lbs. When I put my goals in I was given 1530 calories a day to lose 1lb a week and 1310 to lose 1.5lbs a week. I would love to lose 18 lbs or more by the end of May for a vacation I'm going on with my husband (my initial motivation to lose weight but not my only one). Has anyone lost 1lb-2lbs a week consistently eating 1530 calories? Or based on your experience would I need to go lower?

Thank you :)

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    The closer you are to goal, the more slowly you lose. Set your goal to 1 lb. per week and be patient.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • biorhythmic
    biorhythmic Posts: 13
    I don't really check out the scale for a month. Just look at myself in a mirror but it should be 1 pound a week really.
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
    I had mine set at 2lbs a week when I first started, but I had a lot more to lose and I was VERY active, so my TDEE was quite high. When I lost about 50 pounds I actually ended up going to a 1 pound a week goal as the deficit was too difficult to maintain.

    Stick with one pound a week. It's much more maintainable! Remember, this isn't a race, this is for life.
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I think 1 pound/week can be a lot, depending on how much you have to lose. I tend to average 1/2 pound per week when i'm being really good--frustrating because i can certainly gain faster! I agree with the other poster that you need to be patient. It's not all going to come off by your vacation, but that's life--just enjoy it as you are and keep working towards your goals. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't feel like it's coming off fast enough.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    If you drop 1lb a week, you'll be 13-14lbs lighter by the end of May. I know that's not quite the 18lbs you had in mind but that is still a significant weight loss! If you stay on track you'll look awesome by the time your vacation comes around!!
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I've set mine to 2lb a week at least to start with. Psychologically, I need to see the weight come off to start with to kick-start healthy eating habits (and get rid of the not-so-healthy ones), and give me the drive to see this through to the end. When I've tried in the past with the slow and steady, it really hasn't worked for me. My plan is to adjust this later in the year, when the weather warms up and I can focus more on walking for exercise.

    BTW, just wanted to add that I'm not doing anything unhealthy like skipping meals, starving myself or not eating a balanced diet. I'm just focusing on unlearning bad habits, and learning to satisfy my hunger with less, while also figuring out how to enjoy food and integrate indulgences in everyday eating without keeping the weight on.
  • deadyankee
    deadyankee Posts: 74
    I set it to 2 and, in practice, it's been 1lb. That's ideal and it saves me having to obsessively weigh and measure everything until all joy is sucked from it.
  • DaveInFL
    DaveInFL Posts: 84 Member
    I have mine set to 1lb a week and after 4 weeks I have lost 5lbs. I am happy with a slower, more consistent weight loss as I don't look at this as dieting, more of a lifestyle change and being more diligent about what I eat. I also feel (hopefully it works out that way) that once I reach my ideal weight it will be much easier for me to maintain that weight :)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    measure everything until all joy is sucked from it.

    ^^this made my morning
  • mamahannick
    mamahannick Posts: 322 Member
    Stick to -1 lb/week. Slow and steady loss means it's much more likely to stay off.

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