What's really the safe amount to lose per week?

gogophers
gogophers Posts: 190 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I have heard a lot of people say 2 pounds/week. Anything above that and it's not healthy. Also, the highest goal when I signed up for this site is 2 pounds/week.

I was wondering, is that really a hard and fast rule, or does it depend. I'm 6' 280 pounds in college. I'm looking to lose about 5 lbs/week (at least to start). Would that be considered unhealthy? I feel like, the more you weigh, the more you would be able to healthily lose/week.

Replies

  • skinnyjeanzbound
    skinnyjeanzbound Posts: 3,932 Member
    I agree--if you watch shows like Biggest Loser, those contestents lose way more that 2 lbs./week and they are doing it with a whole team of doctors and trainers who say it's healthy. I bet it depends on your weight, but also how you are doing it--for example, with healthy diet and exercise vs. starving oneself. Also, maybe it's ok to lose larger amounts once in a while but 2lbs./week is for long-term weight loss?

    I'm curious what others think about this topic.
  • jsmjboertlein
    jsmjboertlein Posts: 267
    I don't know the BEST way, I just know for my own self if I lose more than a pound or 2 a week i start having health problems.
  • RoyaDee
    RoyaDee Posts: 43
    The larger you are, the more you'll lose at the beginning, especially water weight and stuff. I don't think 5 pounds per week is unrealistic for the first couple weeks but it will definitely slow down after a bit.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    The more you weigh, the more you will lose. It's not unhealthy to lose more than 2lbs of water weight in the first few weeks.

    I found this article, it was very helpful:

    http://www.mens-total-fitness.com/body-fat.html
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    The first bits of weight might come off faster. Aim for a 2lb / week loss and really stick to it, and I bet you will see higher than 2 per week.

    As you lose more, and get closer to normal range, you will lose less per week (I hope)
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    BL team of doctors and trainers are there supervising the contestants, they're on some body monitor system tracking all kinds of things, point is they are supervised to do these losses, and as has been pointed out a few times their week may not be 7 days like they are for the rest of us.

    2lbs is sustainable, though even with 2lbs as my goal I've managed to lose 3 or more pounds in a week, but I was aiming for 2lbs, no biggie, just happened. I didn't GAIN 2 lbs a week over the last year or 2 to get here, its crept up on me with bad habits, poor portion control etc.
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    I agree with you both. The more you weigh the more you are able to lose safely. Although I am sticking with 2lbs a week for right now, not for health reasons, but because I want to allow my skin to shrink back and not have to worry about it sagging.
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
    Well the thing about losing more than 2 pounds a week is that it really increases muscle loss as well. Losing muscle not only causes a person to look "skinny fat" but also lowers the amount of calories your body burns a day. The more muscle you have, the more you burn. You dont want the opposite!

    Also it kind of goes "slow and steady will win the race" Losing weight that fast has been shown in studies to increase the chance of a person gaining it all back.

    and @ the biggest loser... studies have also been done on that show. I do not support it all that much. Since many people gain the weight back as well.
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    From what I heave read, the more you weigh the more you can safely lose a week. I started at 350 lbs and am 6' 1" I workout 5 days a week and eat most of my calories back and still saw the scale dropping about 4 pounds/week on average. I am not sure when it will slow down, I just focus on working out and eating right and let the rest do what it may. I am sure eventually the weight loss will slow down on it's own. I know it has been mostly fat dropping because the fat analyzer is dropping like a rock too. It's almost like my body is screaming 'what took you so long?' :laugh:
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    Thanks for the responses (that was a lot really quick :)). It's difficult for me to "aim" for an amount, it's going to have to be kind of trial and error. I have no idea what the exact amount of calories going in is as I'm in college and there's no labels on food or anything. I'm kind of trying to stick to the "if it wasn't alive, don't eat it" plan. I already exercise quite a bit. I'm trying to increase exercising as well, but my problem is mostly with food intake.

    Regarding the muscle loss, that is definitely something to consider. I used to play football though and have continued lifting weights, so I'm not really that worried about that.
  • ascatt
    ascatt Posts: 1
    The first couple of weeks you should be able to lose a bit more, because of water weight. But after that, you don't want to drop more than 2 lbs a week for a variety of reasons. First of all, your health! Your body can go into starvation mode if you lose too much, too fast. That places stress on your organs, as well as make it harder for you to reach your ultimate goal. Also keep in mind that if you lose weight too quickly, your skin has a hard time keeping up-gradual weight loss enables your skin to shrink as well.
    I personally detest those biggest loser type programs-I don't think it's healthy or sustainable to drop weight that way.

    I lost 25 lbs in 13 weeks over a year ago and have kept it all off. You can do it!
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    Well the thing about losing more than 2 pounds a week is that it really increases muscle loss as well. Losing muscle not only causes a person to look "skinny fat" but also lowers the amount of calories your body burns a day. The more muscle you have, the more you burn. You don't want the opposite!

    Also it kind of goes "slow and steady will win the race" Losing weight that fast has been shown in studies to increase the chance of a person gaining it all back.

    and @ the biggest loser... studies have also been done on that show. I do not support it all that much. Since many people gain the weight back as well.

    It depends on how overweight you are, you do not necessarily lose more muscle than normal. If you have over 100 lbs to lose the safe amount you can lose a week is more than 2lb/week. As long as you are working out and feeding your muscles you will be fine at this pace until you reach a much lower weight. There are many people on here with not a lot to lose where I would agree 2lbs/ a week is safe for most. People like me are in a different category entirely . . . at least for now. :smile:
  • Kjarlune
    Kjarlune Posts: 178
    I am about to disagree with everyone!

    I was so discouraged when I heard 2 pounds a week for life long loss....Here is the deal...If you eat less than you burn you will loose weight....It does not change when the weight is gone...There is no magic button that all of a sudden OH you are at your goal.....we will just throw some extra pounds on here....

    Everything is a choice.. You can loose as much as you believe you can...No one can say different...As soon as I got out of that head space and started learning, and researching, I am down 11 pounds this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I feel amazing, my DR says I am great...

    Think of a surgery, with it you can loose weight very fast...why couldn't you without the surgery??? Cause someone says it isn't healthy.. Everyone said quitting smoking was hard too....Not so much..It is all up to you...You put the work in, you make it your choice. You visualize how you want to look every night, as your soul family to give and bust your butt!

    Sorry if I offend anyone, I am just so tired of hearing 2 pounds a week.
  • emchamberlain
    emchamberlain Posts: 133 Member
    I am about to disagree with everyone!

    I was so discouraged when I heard 2 pounds a week for life long loss....Here is the deal...If you eat less than you burn you will loose weight....It does not change when the weight is gone...There is no magic button that all of a sudden OH you are at your goal.....we will just throw some extra pounds on here....

    Everything is a choice.. You can loose as much as you believe you can...No one can say different...As soon as I got out of that head space and started learning, and researching, I am down 11 pounds this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I feel amazing, my DR says I am great...

    Think of a surgery, with it you can loose weight very fast...why couldn't you without the surgery??? Cause someone says it isn't healthy.. Everyone said quitting smoking was hard too....Not so much..It is all up to you...You put the work in, you make it your choice. You visualize how you want to look every night, as your soul family to give and bust your butt!

    Sorry if I offend anyone, I am just so tired of hearing 2 pounds a week.

    Yes, you can lose that kind of weight after gastric bypass. But it can severely impact your health in other ways. While you're losing that kind of weight post-surgery, you need to be on a whole ration of different medications, supplements, and you need to be monitored closely by doctors. If you are obese to the point where your weight is a greater risk to your overall health, then the tradeoff works. But for an average person, it's just plain unhealthy. Not because "someone said." But because that's how bodies work.
  • Kjarlune
    Kjarlune Posts: 178
    TO say that every gastric bypass needs to be on meds and is now unhealthy would be to say every overweight person is obese...

    I chose not to do the gastric bypass, however the drs are all for me eating like I have....I do not disagree with anyone that nutrients are important and supplements are an amazing thing.

    My sister has a bypass, no medication, she takes a multi vitamin a day. The weight loss was completely healthy as the drs say it is for me without the surgery. My water consumption is very important and having a vitamin a day...

    I know that we can come up with a thousand reasons why a gastric surgery has a certain eating plan and the average morbidly obese has a different one, but at the end of the day it just isn't true.

    Diet companies, nutritionalists, etc, do not want that said but a Dr. well tell you that there is no set weight loss to loose a week..


    The important things for your body is.

    Water...Nutrients...

    that is it...The important thing for your brain is..

    portion control...water....and an understanding of food, it's usage in our bodies and the fat that is stored...

    I am honestly not trying to fight with anyone....Or tell you that you are wrong....If you believe 2 pounds a week is a max then that is wonderful, I will meet you at the finish line when you get there....by then I have picked out all the best shops for new clothes so that will save you some time too..*huge grin*


    For each and every one of us we have to do what is comfortable.....Being morbidly obese and putting myself there I needed to do my own research and I have...now I am down 65 pounds in total and 12 in one week....Once you learn the formula for yourself what ever you choose to be your weekly weight loss with be great.....


    Maybe if we believe we have to work harder for it we will learn our lessons and never do it again...maybe it is a punishment thing. Bit I gotta be honest I have been punished enough, had to learn enough by being obese in a thin society....
  • Daisy_May
    Daisy_May Posts: 505 Member
    I've heard 2% of your body weight is safe, it's what my doctor has always told me.
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