Goal - amount of pounds to lose per week starting out?

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  • NEOHgirl
    NEOHgirl Posts: 237 Member
    I'd set it for 1lb per week, and wait a few months to reassess. If you start at the minimum # of daily calories, there is no room to drop later as your weight reduces and your daily calorie requirements naturally reduce. As an example, at 5'4" 207# I was at 1450 calories and was losing regularly (also mostly sedentary, a few hours of exercise a week). Now I am down to 171# and my daily targets are 1340 prox. If I had started at 1200 per day, I would still be at 1200 per day and I'd be miserable. There are days I come in under 1200, but it's rare. I am able to be satisfied and stay under my 1340 net on the majority of days. I only try to eat back about 1/2 my exercise calories. PS: I am still losing.
  • k_e_l
    k_e_l Posts: 44 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    strongkelly0625 wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    strongkelly0625 wrote: »
    When I set it at 1.5 per week, it gives me 1200 daily calorie goal. Gulp!

    1200 is the MFP minimum for women. You probably won't get the 1.5 lb loss with that, but you should not go below that for net calories.

    What does MFP give you as a number if you say you want to maintain?

    1860 for maintenance with sedentary lifestyle. i am home with my 2 year old all day..but I mostly sit with him & play...or watch cartoons with him...he's very clingy & wants me next to him all day lol

    So, assuming that is close enough to real life, you will lose 1 lb a week for every 3500 calorie deficit per week, so 500 per day. At 750 calorie reduction, (1.5 lb per week) that would give you 1,110 (DON'T EAT THIS FEW), so you bottomed out at 1200.

    I think you should go for 1 lb per week (so eat ~1350) and start taking your son to the playground and playing with him outside. I've got no parenting advice, but getting out and just walking will do wonders and may give you a couple hundred more calories to either enjoy as a treat or speed up your weight loss a little.

    As always, see what your weight does over 6-8 weeks and then adjust if needed.

    Thank you so much for your advice!! 1350 sounds a lot more doable than 1200 to start. I was walking with him every day for about a week, then stopped due to weather, but wow, what a difference a walk & fresh air can do! I felt wonderful that I was actually getting up & out of the house & doing something good for myself (and my son)! It improved my mood & encouraged me to want to keep it up :-)
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    strongkelly0625 wrote: »


    You know what...we do have one! We got it years back for our other 2. Forgot we had it! Gonna have to break it out now! I think he would love it! He would probably laugh the whole time too! lol

    Yeah i love my giggly backpack!
  • k_e_l
    k_e_l Posts: 44 Member
    ruqayyahsmum wrote: »
    strongkelly0625 wrote: »


    You know what...we do have one! We got it years back for our other 2. Forgot we had it! Gonna have to break it out now! I think he would love it! He would probably laugh the whole time too! lol

    Yeah i love my giggly backpack!

    Heheheee :-)
  • k_e_l
    k_e_l Posts: 44 Member
    NEOHgirl wrote: »
    I'd set it for 1lb per week, and wait a few months to reassess. If you start at the minimum # of daily calories, there is no room to drop later as your weight reduces and your daily calorie requirements naturally reduce. As an example, at 5'4" 207# I was at 1450 calories and was losing regularly (also mostly sedentary, a few hours of exercise a week). Now I am down to 171# and my daily targets are 1340 prox. If I had started at 1200 per day, I would still be at 1200 per day and I'd be miserable. There are days I come in under 1200, but it's rare. I am able to be satisfied and stay under my 1340 net on the majority of days. I only try to eat back about 1/2 my exercise calories. PS: I am still losing.

    Agreed! 1 lb per week (1350 calories) sounds more appealing to me. Congrats on your awesome progress!!! Gives me hope! :-)
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I'm not a parent, but doesn't getting the little guy outside and walking help him have a nap and give you a break? Seems like something any SAHP could use. It's half the reason my wife and I make sure the dogs get walked. Okay, my wife. She walks them more than I do. I mean, I was ready to go last night, but the rain started.
  • k_e_l
    k_e_l Posts: 44 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    I'm not a parent, but doesn't getting the little guy outside and walking help him have a nap and give you a break? Seems like something any SAHP could use. It's half the reason my wife and I make sure the dogs get walked. Okay, my wife. She walks them more than I do. I mean, I was ready to go last night, but the rain started.

    lol yep! usually after we've gone on our walk, he's ready for his afternoon nap. well, actually, two times he wore himself out while on the actual walk, enough that he fell asleep while i held him coming back. my arms were so weak & jello-y by the time i reached the house ;-)
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