under 10 lbs left to lose..switch to 0.5 lb/week weight loss?

mom2kateRH
mom2kateRH Posts: 178 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen a lot of people post about switching to half pound per week weight loss once under 10 lbs to lose. Pros? Cons? I think I am going to switch, in part because I'm really upping my fitness/exercise, and even though I eat back my exercise calories, I think I need a little more at baseline.

I'm hoping I don't get frustrated with how slowly I lose the last 10 lbs. but I also look forward to a few extra calories! I know, it's a marathon, not a sprint....

Replies

  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 283 Member
    In the end, you want to be able to successfully lose the weight and keep it off. I changed my goal to .5 pound per week after I had already lost a significant amount of weight. Now that I only have like 8-9 ponds to go, my weight loss is moving at snail pace but I'm ok with this because I'm in no rush :)
  • mom2kateRH
    mom2kateRH Posts: 178 Member
    thanks, @maidengirl_ and you look fabulous!! patience, right?
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    The only con from a physical sense is that once you're at a low weight, targeting too high of a deficit would likely put you below the recommended level of base calories (1200 for women). If this isn't the case, then continuing a higher rate of loss won't necessarily cause problems.

    That said, from a mental standpoint, it's a super relief to allow yourself to back off a bit once you get so close to goal. You can start to taper yourself to maintenance and ease towards a larger calorie target.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Yes, switch to .5. Continuing at a higher rate of loss can result in loss of muscle, not just fat. That's why .5 is recommended. Be sure to weigh all your food and log accurately. You have less wiggle room for estimates and it doesn't take much to miss your target. Congrats on getting this far!!
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