Slow weight loss?

pawfectly
pawfectly Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I started MFP almost a month ago and I've only lost 4 lbs so far? Its quite frustrating when I have 50 pounds to lose. I'm losing weight every week, but it is at a really slow rate. Am I doing something wrong - is there any way I could up my game here? I'm 5"2 and currently weigh 170 pounds with my daily calorie goal being 1320.

Thanks to anyone who answers.

Replies

  • koslowkj
    koslowkj Posts: 188 Member
    That's actually a really good rate! You could probably safely cut back your calories a little and lose another half pound a week (going by the 1% of body weight/week rule of thumb) but that's going to be really difficult to maintain.

    To give you an idea, I'm also in the middle of a 50 lb goal (5'5", started at 180). I started in February and just passed the halfway point last week. It's not important how quickly the weight comes off. What is important is that it comes off in a way that you can sustain for the rest of your life.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited July 2016
    Um... You're losing 1lb per week, that's fantastic!

    Before cutting your already low calories, I have to ask if you're using a food scale to weigh all your foods except liquids? But, with 50lbs to lose, 1.5-1lb per week is a perfect rate of loss... Losing more could eventually lead to burning out and possible binging.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    That is a good weight loss.
    The way you sustain a weight loss, is by not eating more calories than you burn. It has nothing to do with how quickly, or slowly, you lose the weight.
    I have lost over 1/2 of my current body weight, and have kept it off for almost 32 months by not consuming more calories than I burn.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.
  • NikkiMichelleS
    NikkiMichelleS Posts: 897 Member
    I'd be ecstatic to lose 1 pound per week! That's good progress, really it is.

    You need to be more patient and adjust your expectations. You could possibly be losing a bit more, like 1.5/week as mentioned above; make sure you're weighing your foods & logging accurately.

    Congrats on the weight loss so far! Good luck.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    ^^ this is not true

  • Sjs8906
    Sjs8906 Posts: 6 Member
    That is a healthy, sustainable weight loss. I will say though that I really started noticing a difference after adding consistent exercise into my routine (not sure what your routine is, you may already do that). For me that was running. I lost at a reasonable rate by just changing my diet but after I started running the pounds just started dropping off.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    ^^ this is not true

    Anorexics don't die, of heart failure?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    ^^ this is not true

    Anorexics don't die, of heart failure?

    You are bringing up issues that have no place in this thread. Start your own thread if you want to babble about an unrelated side topic.

    OP, you're doing well. Keep on with what you're doing.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    ^^ this is not true

    Anorexics don't die, of heart failure?

    You are bringing up issues that have no place in this thread. Start your own thread if you want to babble about an unrelated side topic.

    OP, you're doing well. Keep on with what you're doing.

    Actually this issue does belong, in this thread because the OP desires to lose presumably more weight; than what's healthy & while the OP clearly isn't anorexic, at a current loss of a healthy 1 pound weekly; explaining the dangers of a desired rapid weight loss is necessary.
  • Sjs8906
    Sjs8906 Posts: 6 Member
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    Lol this is not true at all.
  • MalkinMagic71
    MalkinMagic71 Posts: 1,433 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »

    There are actual side-effects to losing weight too quickly: muscle loss, nutrition deficiencies, hair loss, brittle nails, etc. But to jump from those to heart failure if anyone loses more than 1.5 pounds per week is ridiculous. The OP shows no red flags that would point to anorexia and does not appear to have a current heart problem. She should adjust her expectations and try not to lose too fast, absolutely. But maybe not by jumping straight to an unrealistic worst-case scenario.

    This x1000
  • pawfectly
    pawfectly Posts: 35 Member
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    Um... You're losing 1lb per week, that's fantastic!

    Before cutting your already low calories, I have to ask if you're using a food scale to weigh all your foods except liquids? But, with 50lbs to lose, 1.5-1lb per week is a perfect rate of loss... Losing more could eventually lead to burning out and possible binging.

    Yes, I do religiously!
    I guess I just have to be patient :)
  • pawfectly
    pawfectly Posts: 35 Member
    NikkiMichelleS wrote: »
    I'd be ecstatic to lose 1 pound per week! That's good progress, really it is.

    You need to be more patient and adjust your expectations. You could possibly be losing a bit more, like 1.5/week as mentioned above; make sure you're weighing your foods & logging accurately.

    Congrats on the weight loss so far! Good luck.

    Thank you so much! Yep, definately more patience. :)
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited July 2016
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.

    ^^ this is not true

    Anorexics don't die, of heart failure?

    You are bringing up issues that have no place in this thread. Start your own thread if you want to babble about an unrelated side topic.

    OP, you're doing well. Keep on with what you're doing.

    Actually this issue does belong, in this thread because the OP desires to lose presumably more weight; than what's healthy & while the OP clearly isn't anorexic, at a current loss of a healthy 1 pound weekly; explaining the dangers of a desired rapid weight loss is necessary.

    There are actual side-effects to losing weight too quickly: muscle loss, nutrition deficiencies, hair loss, brittle nails, etc. But to jump from those to heart failure if anyone loses more than 1.5 pounds per week is ridiculous. The OP shows no red flags that would point to anorexia and does not appear to have a current heart problem. She should adjust her expectations and try not to lose too fast, absolutely. But maybe not by jumping straight to an unrealistic worst-case scenario.

    This is why I said "presumably", since the OP gave no indication; of what they expected to lose but it isn't unrealistic to assume that the OP, has a highly unhealthy goal. Especially since many threads have begun, with people desiring to lose double or more; than what's healthy at a time.
  • BodayJohnnay
    BodayJohnnay Posts: 185 Member
    Sjs8906 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    This is a safe rate of loss, for your height & weight. Losing more than an additional 0.5 pounds weekly'll result in heart failure because when the body doesn't receive enough nourishment, it'll start cannibalizing muscle & the heart, is a muscle.
    .

    Wtf? Please do not take this advice. Your rate of weight loss is ideal honestly. The slower it comes off (yet consistently) the muscle mass you should retain. The quicker and drastic of deficit can hinder your results and cause more muscle breakdown due to being at too big of a deficit. Eating more protein sources daily will help maintain that muscle and keep mus clear loss to a minimum. If you were a client of mine, I would NOT want you to lose 50 lbs in 1 month, or 2, or even 3 months.

    These weight loss tv shows where obese people lose a lot of weight really quick aren't always successful. Theyre use to walking around with high amount of mass, that when they take it off quickly, it comes right back just as fast for some. Our bodies are good at adapting to environment, movements, and stresses.

    Using tactics like intermittent fasting can help with tricking your body to look into its own fat stores for energy to aid in fat loss.

    The question I should have asked before... Are you looking for more "weight" loss or "fat" loss? Or both?
    What are you training for? (Personal well being or for a sport that requires increased performance? ) these need to be considered when forming your nutrition and workout plan to maximize potential results based on your goals and current health.

    Stay consistent with your nutrition daily, track those calories, and you'll be successful.
    Great things take time... this is a marathon, not a sprint.
    You got this!
    -John A.

Categories