What is your weekly weight loss goal?

When I was in weight loss mode I aimed for "lose two during the week, gain one back during the weekend."

10 pounds. Because then I'd be about where I want to be in a week. Sadly it doesn't work that way. 1-2 pounds will have to do, and even two is ambitious when you get down to the last 10-15 to lose.

I am currently set to lose about a pound a week, and I have about 50 lbs left to lose.

I think most people start out with the higher loss per week the heavier they are and decrease that weekly goal as they lose, since caloric needs go down as fat is lost. It would be feasible for someone needing to lose 150 lbs total to set their goals to 2 lbs/week because it'd be easier for them to eat a 1,000 cal/week deficit. If you only have 20 lbs total to lose, a thousand calorie deficit would be too large and would not give you enough nutrition.

If I were you, I'd try to at least set mine to 1-1.5 lbs per week and see if you can sustain that. You can also eat back some of your exercise calories, so exercising would give you a way to eat a bit more. Just remember that MFP tends to overestimate calories burned through exercise.

*Edited to add that if you are comfortable losing .5 lbs a week, though, and it's more sustainable for you, there is nothing wrong with that.

Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »

When I read posts on the forum, it seems like a lot of people have their weight loss set to 2lbs a week, which seems really high to me. I'm a big girl, 5'5" @240lbs, and I have mine set to .5 loss per week. By having the slower rate of loss, I get a lot more calories to work with, and I'm not quite so disappointed if I don't lose every week. To me, that just seems easier to maintain than a 2lbs loss. I also wear a fitbit and log my exercises, and I don't eat back my exercise calories. Most weeks my loss is greater than .5lbs, but some weeks I maintain or even gain. I'm okay with this, so long as there is a general downward trend. I figure weight loss is hard enough, why make it torturous by trying to restrict my eating so much I'm going to burn out and binge eat?

I think your outlook is FANTASTIC and I wish more people shared your views and the speed of weight loss. Your goal is so much more realistic and attainable. I see so many people who have a goal of 2 lbs/week and then are devastated when they can't achieve that or it takes more than a week to lose the weight they want to lose. Everyone seems to have this Biggest Loser mentality and they feel like they have failed when they "only" lose half a pound.

I'm with you. I have my weight loss goals set low and realistic and with those goals, I have lost over 90 pounds (I still have 30 to go). It's taken 3 years to do it, but I enjoy my life and I'm learning a whole lot of skills to hopefully KEEP the weight off for the rest of my life instead of yo-yoing like I always did in the past.

I first started at 1lb a week so, like you, I had a little more calories to work with and didn't feel like I was super hungry. So, I got 1800-1900 calories a day (I've got a lot to lose). I've now gone gluten and dairy free though (99% anyway, it's hard to be perfect!) and now I find it really hard to eat that many calories! I went down to 1500, which is 2-2/12 lbs a week. I'm usually pretty satisfied at the end of the day. It's only been a few weeks and I feel good so far. Whatever works, right? I would say though, that if you have a lot to lose and weren't eating right or exercising before, 2lbs a week doesn't seem like THAT much (to me anyway) for the 1st month or 2. I've lost 10lbs in the last 3 weeks. I don't expect it to stay like that forever though, obviously!

Mine is half a kilo.

My goal is one pound a week. I'm rarely hungry with that amount of calories and it is a good steady rate of loss for me. I'm hoping to be at my ideal weight by next year.
I could comfortably eat this way the rest of my life.

Im also 5'5" sw on jan 20 was 242. Cw 224. I set mine to lose 2# a week, and it gives me ~1800 to work with. I actually think thats enough for me. But i am also super realistic that i may not even lose one lb, and if im hungry- esp after a workout- i eat! But i need to see some downward trend over time or changes in measurements to keep me motivated and to know im doing it right. We all have to do whatever works for each of us. I have to say ive been successful, almost losing wt a little too fast, but i also know reality is it will slow down and i can always cut calories in the future if needed, or just workout more. And 1800 seems like a lot to me.
Now that i eat healthier, i actually eat so much more than i used to. Before id go to work without bf or lunch, just a starbucks latte, then have a huge dinner and lotsa of junk at night. But who knows- your outlook seems much more longterm, so you may be the one with lifelong success. Although i plan on it too! Good luck! And i think the decision to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle is reward in itself. Any loss after that is just a bonus.

Anything. Really. Move, scale, damn you.

Hi! I am 5'4 and my starting weight was 256. I am currently 183 and have mine set to 1lb a week. Up until now I have been losing around 1.5-2 a week.

2 pounds a week is maintainable, safe, and effective. It's all about what works for the individual and what goals they have. I have my weekly weight loss goal set to 2 pounds a week. My overall goal is to get into the military. I want to be enlisted by May and I'm well on my way to doing that.

Yes, there are more calories to work with on a smaller weekly weight loss goal, but I don't think it would've made a difference for me as I've learned a lot about cleaning up my diet and my hunger is always left satisfied with the calorie deficit I currently have (and there are times where I have 150 to 200 calories left to spare even without exercise).

Different strokes for different folks!!

I have mine set to 1 kg a week or 2 pounds. I don't find the amount of food too little. If anything I find it difficult to eat enough.

I eat 3 meals, I'm not starving and I look at my phone and it says I'm at 5000kj of 7000 and I'm like hmm what should I now force my self to eat?

If I was losing .5 a week on average I would find it torture. In stead of looking at months to get to a good weight I would be looking at years.

Aye Aye

Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »

NikiChicken wrote: »

I'm with you. I have my weight loss goals set low and realistic and with those goals, I have lost over 90 pounds (I still have 30 to go). It's taken 3 years to do it, but I enjoy my life and I'm learning a whole lot of skills to hopefully KEEP the weight off for the rest of my life instead of yo-yoing like I always did in the past.

Thank you! You make me feel less crazy. I've also yo-yoed in the past, and I know myself. I'm lazy. If it isn't easy for me to maintain, I'm not going to do it in the long run. Yes, I enjoy going out and walking or lifting weights on exercise days, but if it wasn't for my job, I'd probably spend the rest of my time hanging at home reading a book instead of moving around. I feel like I've learned a lot more this time around rather than cutting my diet so drastically and then ending up frustrated and hangry because I didn't eat enough.

I completely agree with this!

0.5 if I can but a loss is a loss

mines just been changed to a 1lb a week- i found that i was forced to exercise to gain more calories on 1.5lbs so im now comfortable with my allowance moving it to 1lb a week