Am I losing weight too fast?

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ejplese
ejplese Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 6'2" male 44 years in age. I began using myfitnesspal 55 days ago at a weight of 276lbs. I've lost 30lbs in that time and the app has now updated my goals to consume 1,600 calories per day after exercise. I'm occasionally hungry but nothing drastic and the fat loss has been a huge lift to my spirits. But the question remains...is this too few calories for a man my size?

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    That goal is before exercise, not after it.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    Isn't 1800 the lower limit for males?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    sllm1 wrote: »
    Isn't 1800 the lower limit for males?

    1500, so he's above that.
  • pdo27789
    pdo27789 Posts: 120 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Almost 4lbs pounds a week is quick!!! Initial weight loss often is, so I'm not too worried about that, unless it keeps up.

    If you have any concerns about it though, despite what anyone on here says, talk to your doctor.

    1600 a day seems a bit light to me.
    I'm 41, male, 6'0" tall, currently about 235lbs. My activity is set to lightly active, goal of -1.5lbs a week, and my calorie budget is 2070.

    That has taken some time to work out though, playing with numbers until my calorie budget, with exercise etc logged, works out.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I lost similar at the start. First couple of month (65 days) I lost 34 pounds. Seems to be slowing down now, unfortunately, but to be expected. I'm shorter and heavier than you though. I'm 6' and now @ 282 and have MFP set for a 2 pound loss and sedentary and it is giving me 1720 calories. That is before exercise.

    If 1600 is too hard, set your weekly loss goal to 1 or 1.5 lb.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited December 2016
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    jemhh wrote: »
    That goal is before exercise, not after it.

    ^^This.

    While it's true that your initial weight drops can be quick, you should at least eat back half or more of your exercise calories. If you're only eating 1600 calories after exercise, then as a 6'2" male, you're undereating.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    30 lbs the first 8 weeks is fast but considering your size it doesn't worry me. It should be slowing down though. If you're going to use the MFP goal you should eat at least a portion of your exercise calories. I'd say eat 2200ish total for now and be sure to get enough protein and do some kind of resistance exercise so that you do not lose more muscle than necessary.
  • Flapjack_Mollases
    Flapjack_Mollases Posts: 218 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Being someone that has lost over 100 lbs by dropping my calories to 1200-1300 calories per day, I wouldn't recommend this style of hyper-dieting. I have since gained all of my weight back. I'm now on my second swing, so to speak, and I have been doing nothing more than plugging in my BF% and weight on a monthly basis and getting a suggested calorie target, and then subtracting 500 calories per day. The weight loss has been MUCH slower this time. But, I feel stronger, I have more energy, and I am still consistently losing .5-1lb per week. The biggest advantage for me doing it this way is the excess energy (kind of required with 3 kids), and I never really feel hungry. When I was cutting my calories so drastically, I felt hungry a lot. Also, I should note that dieting the first time, when I reached my target of 100 lbs lost, I still didn't like the way I looked, because I had also lost a lot of muscle mass, and my body composition looked almost identical to what it did when I started out. Almost like someone took my initial shape, and just shrunk it down a little.
  • ejplese
    ejplese Posts: 5 Member
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    Yes the pace of my weight loss is slowing down and that's probably a good thing. I think I'll change my goal to 1 pound per week to keep it manageable and avoid muscle loss.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    1600 cals is ridiculously low for 246lb male unless you are just laying in bed all day.

    I'm 6'3 47 year old and retired and I lose on 4000cals. I would hazard you should be at 2700 at the very least. Is your goal to lose 2lb a week? If not, what is it?





  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    With the amount of excess fat you have on your body, you're probably at the upper limit of ideal rate of loss. I would increase calories by 500 per day to slow this down otherwise you'll burn yourself out.
  • ejplese
    ejplese Posts: 5 Member
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    Chieflrg wrote: »
    1600 cals is ridiculously low for 246lb male unless you are just laying in bed all day.

    I'm 6'3 47 year old and retired and I lose on 4000cals. I would hazard you should be at 2700 at the very least. Is your goal to lose 2lb a week? If not, what is it?





    Yes it is and I've followed the app religiously. MFP had a higher daily calorie goal for me when I started but as I've lost weight the app has gradually lowered my daily goal. I'm happy I lost the first 30lbs quickly but I'm taking everyone's good advice on this thread and I'm slowing down! I want this for the long term.
  • ejplese
    ejplese Posts: 5 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With the amount of excess fat you have on your body, you're probably at the upper limit of ideal rate of loss. I would increase calories by 500 per day to slow this down otherwise you'll burn yourself out.

    Good advice. I'm upping the daily goal.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    ejplese wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With the amount of excess fat you have on your body, you're probably at the upper limit of ideal rate of loss. I would increase calories by 500 per day to slow this down otherwise you'll burn yourself out.

    Good advice. I'm upping the daily goal.

    Great to here. You should still be dropping a significant amount of weight each week with those calories but remember that weight loss is not linear so don't panic if you see the scale slow down or jump up.
  • jomariewill
    jomariewill Posts: 35 Member
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    I've lost 26 pounds in 30 days on 1600 calories

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