For those who started out with a LOT to lose

I started with 124 to lose. I set it for 1 lb, but didn't eat back my exercise calories and was dropping 2lbs/week until these last two, where it's gone down to 1 lb. 2lb/week is fine, btw, so long as you have 75 lbs or more to go.

I've become more active, though nothing overly strenuous. Mostly I take walks for an hour or more <i>or</i> 40 minutes on a Nordic skier—a low-tech model that doesn't have different resistance levels. I've just added resistance training with Fit Tubes. And now, I am eating back some calories, because if I don't, my net calories for the day are starting to dip below 1200.

As of today, I'm down 37 lbs.

Good luck to you! (And if you want to friend me, I'm not the chattiest person, but my diary is open.)

Looking_Feeling_Younger wrote: »

Wow, quick answers, thank you! FitOverForty, when you moved calories back up, have you kept on losing? And Jayded, yes, I definitely want it to be simple and to just eat my regular kinds of food. (Thank you, too, apullum-- your response wasn't there when I first wrote this.)

Sounds like 2 pounds a week is the consensus. Congratulations to all of you on your success, and thanks again for getting back to me so fast.

Yes. I have kept losing. A little more than 1lb per week so far. It's only been a few weeks, but so far so good.

I seriously have barely exercised. In the fall when it was warmer, I got some good extra walks in and even some treadmill runs, but now that it is cold where I am, I've pretty much stuck to my 30 minute dog walks each day.

Looking_Feeling_Younger wrote: »

Hi, I'm just starting out here with an overwhelming 200 pounds to lose. I'm an older, shorter woman (62 years old and 5 feet 3 inches), plus I have a very sedentary job.

My question is this-- for those who also had a lot to lose, especially the sedentary unfit older ones (if there are any), how did you do your settings? Did you go for 2 pounds a week, or 1.5, or 1? How has it been working for you?

Any feedback appreciated.

I'm not older, but I am totally unfit lol I didn't walk for 5 months last year due to an injury. I started losing weight in October. I had my goal at 1200 calories (and still aim for it if I can). I lost 21lbs in 6 weeks at one point...I did exercise 15 days in there, but I also ate a lot of fast food at one point. My total lost since October is 32.2lbs keeping in mind I didn't diet for about 6 weeks or so. It's been about 14 weeks? So for 6 weeks I lost 3.5lbs per week, some magical way, but the other weeks I averaged 1.5lbs. I do not exercise really much at all. I walk sometimes. I over eat pretty often (one or two days every week or two I usually eat fast food and too much of it...). Once in a while I get to use my Wii Fit or my Zumba on Xbox, but it is rare lately because I'm in college. I have a fitbit and the steps I average per day make me considered sedentary (around 3000). I've still been losing a little over 1lb per week, even when I eat between 1150-1600 per day on good days. I am actually averaging more around 1400calories lately. I started at 225 and I'm around 192.2 now. This means you could most likely eat more than I can and still lose at the same rate. Despite you being a lot older, you also weigh a lot more than I did, so you would be allowed more calories at first or lose quicker if you eat the amount I was eating. Good luck!

37 yrs old male...Jan 15 = 300lbs. I didn't figure out calorie deficit til started using app 2 weeks ago was at 297 then. Now at 286. My intake to maintain is almost 3600 calories...so I cut down to around 1600 total per day. I'm walking 30 min per day, gym for elliptical 25 min and weight training 25 min...4 times a week. I'm trying to maintain muscle while losing goal of 4 lbs per week.

Is this unhealthy????

Did 2lbs a week for a long time. Have lost about 140lbs and was also short and not fit at the start. (Still short and somewhat more fit now.) You can read my story here, if you like.

I am 57 and had 117 lbs to lose. I set mine for 1/2 pound a week.
The strategy behind this is that if I fall off the diet and if I stay under that goal I am still loosing weight.

I also think it builds self confidence and to set your calorie goals daily by meal planning and learning how to eat all over again.

Your going to have to make a lifestyle change or your diet is pointless.

It isn't going to be eat like this and return to the glorious world of unhealthy eating as so as you loose your weight.

Example: I set my goals for 1/2 lb a week and I am allowed 2470 calories.
I never go over 1800 and most days its between 1200 and 1700.

Why? Because I am learning to eat properly tracking sodium levels and cutting carbs by 25 to 40% and making sure they are friendly carbs at that. This in turn limits the calories naturally.

arrghmatey1 wrote: »

I am 57 and had 117 lbs to lose. I set mine for 1/2 pound a week.
The strategy behind this is that if I fall off the diet and if I stay under that goal I am still loosing weight.

I also think it builds self confidence and to set your calorie goals daily by meal planning and learning how to eat all over again.

Your going to have to make a lifestyle change or your diet is pointless.

It isn't going to be eat like this and return to the glorious world of unhealthy eating as so as you loose your weight.

Example: I set my goals for 1/2 lb a week and I am allowed 2470 calories.
I never go over 1800 and most days its between 1200 and 1700.

Why? Because I am learning to eat properly tracking sodium levels and cutting carbs by 25 to 40% and making sure they are friendly carbs at that. This in turn limits the calories naturally.

Minimum recommended calories for a male are 1500

Based on your description I would indeed call you sedentary at this time.

Sedentary includes approximately 35-45 minutes of daily moving activity / approximately 3500 steps.

You would only move beyond sedentary by doing more than that. And it does sound that at this time this may prove a challenge.

Hopefully 1600 will turn out to be 2lbs a week and you will have room to play with your calories and rate of loss.

If it proves out to be less than 2lbs a week do not be discouraged and consider that 52lbs in a year is nothing to sneeze at and will already make a world of difference.

Aquafit classes are easier on the joints.

Consider food that is satiating to you. Many people find non starchy vegetables paired with protein to be satiating

I personally live on yogurt parfaits and mix high fiber cereal, frozen berries, 0% artificially sweetened yogurt, 0% Greek yogurt, small amounts of cocoa, cinnamon, coffee, and other goodies together with sugar free refrigerated jello puddings in endless combinations :-)

Mix one egg with 100-150g egg white results in more volume, higher protein, lowish calories. Throw in some onions or green peppers and ham, Bob's your uncle. Prepare in advance. Make as frittata and pre portion. Play and think outside the box by modifying recipes to be lower in calories while still tasting... acceptable.

Unsweetened vanilla Cashew milk vs "wasting" calories on milk, unless wanting the protein in milk. Coffee with one milk these days instead of multiple creams and sugars or black when I was really pushing for weight loss.

Adaptability and watchfulness/mindfulness

Use a weight trend app. Libra android. Happy scale iPhone. Trendweight.com which I use (requires a free Fitbit.com account which you can get without a Fitbit device) or weighgrapher.com which allows data entry on the web site. Will save you a lot of angst and grief to look at the trend instead of your "spot" weight on a particular day which may be affected by sodium or exercise or other reasons.

Tell all these apps you want to maintain your weight so that they don't confuse you with extraenous advice.

Check your progress and adjust after a few weeks.

Measure using a scale and chose entries that you cross reference to the USDA database (search USDA nutrient database ).

Use your own recipes and meals.

Packaged food is not always weighed accurately.

Keep a notebook and jot down as you prepare stuff.

(Of course I am an accuracy freak. All this is not absolutely required; but it will certainly avoid wondering whether you're doing it right if indeed you are!!!!)

Figure out your too of normal weight range in lbs and try to come close to:

0.4g of healthy fats per lb of that weight or more
1g per lb of that in protein assuming no kidney issues
28g of fiber per day as female.

Note that these are all self taught/self discovered information from national guidelines.

I do not claim magic mojo other than having thought about it a little bit and going through the MFP sticking posts and perhaps a few research papers during the past couple of years

I started out with 120 to lose. Still have 55 to go. I set mine at 1lb per week.

I had about 100 to lose, have lost about 80 of it. I initially started at 2 lbs a week, but after I lost about 25 lbs, I dropped my goal to 1 lb per week so I could eat more. I probably could have started at 1 lb per week and been perfectly happy with that the whole time, though.