How much should I be losing?

morganinspires
morganinspires Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone! I am curious how much I should be losing in weight each week. I have lost scoot four pounds in two weeks by increasing my exercise significantly and completely altering my diet. I know I shouldn't expect to drop ten pounds in a week but I would like to know what is a stable weight loss and how much I should lose at a maximum.

Thanks in advance. If you need to know anything about me to help me calculate, just let me know.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    In order to know how much you should expect to lose, we'd need a lot more information. Generally, safe weight loss is no more than 2 pounds per week. But for people who weigh less, two pounds a week may not be safe.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited February 2016
    You should set your goal based on how much you have to lose. here is a good guideline:
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    So with 63 lbs to go a good goal is 1.5lbs/week. weight loss will not be linear though, and you may lose more at first due to losing water weight.
  • morganinspires
    morganinspires Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks for the general guideline. I've been working my butt off so it's nice to see results. I'm not too focused on the actual scale number. I can usually sense that my clothes are looser before I see the numbers fall on the scale.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    edited February 2016
    morganinspires wrote: »
    Thanks for the general guideline. I've been working my butt off so it's nice to see results. I'm not too focused on the actual scale number. I can usually sense that my clothes are looser before I see the numbers fall on the scale.

    Working put is good for you but regular weightloss happens in the kitchen. Relying mostly on exercise could cause you to burnout and stall.
  • Hawkian
    Hawkian Posts: 87 Member
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    morganinspires wrote: »
    Thanks for the general guideline. I've been working my butt off so it's nice to see results. I'm not too focused on the actual scale number. I can usually sense that my clothes are looser before I see the numbers fall on the scale.

    Working put is good for you but regular weightloss happens in the kitchen. Relying mostly on exercise could cause you to burnout and stall.

    Well, her original post mentioned "completely altering her diet."
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    edited February 2016
    Hawkian wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    morganinspires wrote: »
    Thanks for the general guideline. I've been working my butt off so it's nice to see results. I'm not too focused on the actual scale number. I can usually sense that my clothes are looser before I see the numbers fall on the scale.

    Working put is good for you but regular weightloss happens in the kitchen. Relying mostly on exercise could cause you to burnout and stall.

    Well, her original post mentioned "completely altering her diet."

    Doesn't mean they are properly counting calories. Plenty of people alter their diets to "clean", low fat, no sugar, stop soda but don't properly count calories. If they are that's great keep at it. They mentioned "increased ecercise significantly" and "working their butt off", with zero mention of logging. It's worth mentioning you can't outrun a bad diet.
  • morganinspires
    morganinspires Posts: 20 Member
    edited February 2016
    I can track my diet calories without logging. I know I'm not going over my calorie limit. When I trade Taco Bell for fruits and veggies I think I'll see results. It's been a dramatic lifestyle change. I don't need a stranger on the Internet suggesting that I am incompetent. I do not intend to 'out run' my diet. I prefer to exercise for the stress reduction and toning. I'm appalled at the complete alteration my original post has become. I wouldn't be asking for an estimation on weight loss if I was eating pizza everyday.
  • morganinspires
    morganinspires Posts: 20 Member
    Bump.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    morganinspires wrote: »
    I can track my diet calories without logging. I know I'm not going over my calorie limit. When I trade Taco Bell for fruits and veggies I think I'll see results. It's been a dramatic lifestyle change. I don't need a stranger on the Internet suggesting that I am incompetent. I do not intend to 'out run' my diet. I prefer to exercise for the stress reduction and toning. I'm appalled at the complete alteration my original post has become. I wouldn't be asking for an estimation on weight loss if I was eating pizza everyday.

    If you aren't logging and counting calories, then you can't be sure you'll lose weight. You can still eat fruits/veggies/other healthy items and gain.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    morganinspires wrote: »
    I can track my diet calories without logging. I know I'm not going over my calorie limit. When I trade Taco Bell for fruits and veggies I think I'll see results. It's been a dramatic lifestyle change. I don't need a stranger on the Internet suggesting that I am incompetent. I do not intend to 'out run' my diet. I prefer to exercise for the stress reduction and toning. I'm appalled at the complete alteration my original post has become. I wouldn't be asking for an estimation on weight loss if I was eating pizza everyday.

    Nobody has suggested that you aren't competent. It's just that we frequently see threads from people who are "eating healthy," "eating clean," "have changed their diet," "cut out bad food," etc and are confused about why their weight loss isn't going as expected.

    That you're asking how much you should expect to lose suggests that you either don't know how many calories you're eating or that you don't understand how your calorie consumption relates to your weight loss. There is no shame in not fully understanding these things. Most of us didn't know these things when we started either.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
    OP - 2 lbs a week is a lot and definitely thrilling at first, but I would not expect to maintain that type of weight loss. So many times we make incredibly drastic changes to our exercise regime and eating habits but they aren't sustainable! In order to really be successful in the long run you have to ask yourself if you can keep this up for a long period of time. If by "completely altering" your diet you are feeling super restricted, then it will be difficult to maintain. And if buy dramatically increasing your workouts, you sometimes put yourself at risk for burnout, or even worse, injury, so definitely be careful there.
    Rather than focusing on losing the weight as fast as possible, it usually is better to focus on losing the weight in a way that you can mentally & physically handle, so you're more likely to stick with it long term... I know it sucks cause we'd all love to lose it all quickly... but the only thing that sucks more than losing it slowly is having to lose it multiple times.
  • faizahaq50
    faizahaq50 Posts: 1 Member
    Hello...i a 57 kg with 5ft2in height. How much should i loose..
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
    If you're losing 2 pounds a week, you might even be going at it a little too hard. You don't want to burn out or make yourself sick (And yes, eating below your calorie allowance can make you sick if you're regularly eating below your BMR amount.)
    Try logging your food for one week and making sure that you're getting a good balance of macros and eating your calorie allowance. At a 2 pound week loss + working out, you'll probably start feeling hungrier soon, and want more food, and will likely need to drop your loss to 1.5 or even 1 pound a week.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
    faizahaq50 wrote: »
    Hello...i a 57 kg with 5ft2in height. How much should i loose..

    However much you want to lose - there is not a "right" weight. Your BMI is healthy, so it's up to you.
  • FGTisme
    FGTisme Posts: 87 Member
    morganinspires wrote: »
    I can track my diet calories without logging. I know I'm not going over my calorie limit. When I trade Taco Bell for fruits and veggies I think I'll see results. It's been a dramatic lifestyle change. I don't need a stranger on the Internet suggesting that I am incompetent. I do not intend to 'out run' my diet. I prefer to exercise for the stress reduction and toning. I'm appalled at the complete alteration my original post has become. I wouldn't be asking for an estimation on weight loss if I was eating pizza everyday.

    Like other people have said, 1-2 lbs a week is pretty normal and safe, but as you get closer to your goal, it may slow to .25 - .5 a week.

    Not suggesting anything about your level of intelligence (didn't see where anyone else did either), but just offering some advice. I've tried losing weight with exercise and "eating right", and with exercise and counting calories. Option two is the only way I've had long term success. Especially when getting down to under 20 lbs to go. I'd suggest at least trying it, or maybe use it if you stop losing weight at some point.

    Also, when asking for help from strangers on the Internet, you are going to get advice from strangers on the Internet. Maybe, try not to take things so personally, or expect this to be some safe space only filled with advice you like. You will never find that (only things you want to hear) on a public forum. Good luck and congrats on the success you have achieved.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    edited February 2016
    morganinspires wrote: »
    I can track my diet calories without logging. I know I'm not going over my calorie limit. When I trade Taco Bell for fruits and veggies I think I'll see results. It's been a dramatic lifestyle change. I don't need a stranger on the Internet suggesting that I am incompetent. I do not intend to 'out run' my diet. I prefer to exercise for the stress reduction and toning. I'm appalled at the complete alteration my original post has become. I wouldn't be asking for an estimation on weight loss if I was eating pizza everyday.

    Ok be appalled but you still arent logging. I also never said anything to suggest your incompetent just that you can't expect exercise to be the driving force of a diet. You also didn't give your stats I was under the impression you had a good amount of weight to lose. Due to that adding exercise and a general diet change might work for a while BUT your energy requirements drop as your weight does. This means you will have a smaller amount of calories/deficit and you won't burn as much working out without increasing volume/intensity. What works now might not work 40 pounds from now.

    Also toning is simply losing weight to show off existing muscles. On a calorie deficit your goal is to lift in order to maintain muscle mass. You may gain strength but you won't be adding significant muscle while eating at a deficit.

    Sorry you feel upset by this but I'm trying to help you for the long haul. Others have given you good answers on general #s per week loss numbers.

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