Want to lose more than 0.7lb a week

Becky170467
Becky170467 Posts: 69 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
This is only my 2nd week of MFP & I've just changed the goal settings to auto from manual, so now on a more realistic 1200 cals per day instead of 1100.
But - my projected weight loss is only 0.7lb per week - is the only way to increase this by exercising? I want to lose a stone by eating healthily & sensibly plus exercising a bit. I see some people on the forums have lost 10lb in 2 weeks, but I suppose they'll have more than 14lb to lose.

Replies

  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    The less you have to lose, the slower the weight is going to come off (in a healthy way). Don't rush.
  • Becky170467
    Becky170467 Posts: 69 Member
    Suppose I'll just have to be patient ... not my strong point!
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    To lose 10lbs in 2 weeks you'd need to lose WAY more than a stone total. The less you have to lose, the slower you should lose it. It's unhealthy to continuously eat under 1200 calories. So that means you are at a weight that it will take more time to get it off.

    Example: I'm 5'11, 157lbs and I WANT to get 4-5lbs more off. I'm set to .5lbs a week, and given 1630 to eat. I rarely go over 1550, but I'm losing a bit faster than .5lbs a week. 9lbs lost in 56 days I think (weigh in tomorrow). So, basically I'm like you. I started out wanting to lose about a stone - but I'm American so I just say 13lbs. I know the weight comes of more steady if I set it to be around .5lbs a week. It's slow, but it's steady. Unless I wanted to lose 30+ pounds, I'd always prefer to lose slower, keep my muscle and just wait for it.

    Now, of course you can eat more by eating back some of your exercise calories (usually people say 1/2 of them, because the calorie burned estimates on MFP are high).

    And you get to eat more, not want to kill people and enjoy a treat every now and then (like a glass of wine or beer...).
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    (A) Yes. Exercising and not "eating back" whatever calories you burn can increase your rate of weight loss. Be careful to keep it sane and sensible, and not get trapped in a vicious cycle of always having to burn more and more calories. (It sounds like you have your head right about this, though!)

    (B) A low rate of weight loss is actually a good thing. Sure, maybe it'll take you a few extra weeks to get where you want to be. But the slower you lose weight, the higher the percentage of that weight loss comes from fat loss, and the lower the amount of muscle you'll lose. Not many people are enthusiastic about getting rid of all their muscle definition while retaining fat. ;)
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Exercise is great, but dont underestimate the amount you have to do to lose weight from it. If you want to get your.7 to 1lb a week, then thats c150 calories day. Probably in the region of a 40 min walk or 20 mins of moderate cardio.

    If you want a more toned figure rather than looking thin, then go and lift some weights.
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