Am I losing weight too fast (2.84lbs/week avg)
Replies
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deimosphoebos wrote: »FlyingMolly wrote: »Edit because I misread: Yes, it's too fast, and it's because you've got MFP set to make you lose too fast. A 1500 calorie deficit works out to a 3lb loss per week, so if you go over once in a while your body is basically doing exactly what is expected.
So...eat more. You're close enough to 200lbs now that a 1000calorie deficit would be appropriate, and when you go under 200 you're going to want to cut it down to 750. Aim for around 1% of your body weight per week; that number's going to keep shrinking. Meanwhile as your weight goes down your allotted calories will shrink a bit as well, so eventually the two will meet in the middle and you'll be eating at maintenance for your goal weight.
Great job so far; keep it up!
Maybe I miss wrote, my calorie goal is set at 1500 per day, I think my deficit is around 1000 cals.
If your deficit were about 1000 daily, you'd be losing about 2 pounds a week on average. You aren't. You're losing 2.84, so your deficit is more like 1400 calories.
The calorie needs calculators, like the one built into MFP, don't actually precisely calculate, they estimate. Individuals vary from the averages the calculators spit out.
Thank you for your input! That makes perfect sense.3 -
Here is a quick over-view as to why the 20% deficit while normal weight/overweight and 25% while obese is advocated by people like myself.
Mainly, as you will see from the link, because it strikes a balance between lean mass lost and potentially longer term deleterious effects on your metabolism.
Yes, there exists considerable debate as to whether these effects are small or large, easily reversible, and how long such reversal can take.
Maybe they exist like I think they do, maybe they don't or are easily reversible like many others do. However, since the only price you pay to substantially mitigate these risks involves simply adhering to a more reasonable deficit (which also makes long term diet compliance easier), while slowing down your weight loss (which also gives you some time to develop a way of eating, moving, and exercising that you will then continue to use into maintenance)...
Well, I don't see this slow down as a being a big price to pay. To the contrary I sometimes see this extra time as a net benefit for people who do not have a team of professionals standing by to educate them and help them modify their lives.
And did I mention less lean mass lost? Why yes, indeed!
https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/setting-the-deficit-small-moderate-or-large.html/
I would note that in your case we have established an approximate TDEE of ~2920 Cal, so, assuming you have sufficient fat available to lose such that you would be correctly classified as obese, your optimal deficit would be about 730 Cal, or about half of what it currently is.4 -
Here is a quick over-view as to why the 20% deficit while normal weight/overweight and 25% while obese is advocated by people like myself.
Mainly, as you will see from the link, because it strikes a balance between lean mass lost and potentially longer term deleterious effects on your metabolism.
Yes, there exists considerable debate as to whether these effects are small or large, easily reversible, and how long such reversal can take.
Maybe they exist like I think they do, maybe they don't or are easily reversible like many others do. However, since the only price you pay to substantially mitigate these risks involves simply adhering to a more reasonable deficit (which also makes long term diet compliance easier), while slowing down your weight loss (which also gives you some time to develop a way of eating, moving, and exercising that you will then continue to use into maintenance)...
Well, I don't see this slow down as a being a big price to pay. To the contrary I sometimes see this extra time as a net benefit for people who do not have a team of professionals standing by to educate them and help them modify their lives.
And did I mention less lean mass lost? Why yes, indeed!
https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/setting-the-deficit-small-moderate-or-large.html/
I would note that in your case we have established an approximate TDEE of ~2920 Cal, so, assuming you have sufficient fat available to lose such that you would be correctly classified as obese, your optimal deficit would be about 730 Cal, or about half of what it currently is.
Thank you for the valuable input.0 -
deimosphoebos wrote: »FlyingMolly wrote: »Edit because I misread: Yes, it's too fast, and it's because you've got MFP set to make you lose too fast. A 1500 calorie deficit works out to a 3lb loss per week, so if you go over once in a while your body is basically doing exactly what is expected.
So...eat more. You're close enough to 200lbs now that a 1000calorie deficit would be appropriate, and when you go under 200 you're going to want to cut it down to 750. Aim for around 1% of your body weight per week; that number's going to keep shrinking. Meanwhile as your weight goes down your allotted calories will shrink a bit as well, so eventually the two will meet in the middle and you'll be eating at maintenance for your goal weight.
Great job so far; keep it up!
Maybe I miss wrote, my calorie goal is set at 1500 per day, I think my deficit is around 1000 cals.
But if you are losing on average almost 3lbs a week then your deficit is actually more than 1000 cals a day. Time to bump up your cals as you are burning more than you think, slow down the loss to a maximum of 2lbs or possibly even 1.5lbs.2 -
Verdict is in. I'm increasing my daily calorie goal to 1750 from 1500 and still eating back 50% ish of my exercise calories. I will re-evaluate in 30 days. Thanks for all your input.11
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »deimosphoebos wrote: »FlyingMolly wrote: »Edit because I misread: Yes, it's too fast, and it's because you've got MFP set to make you lose too fast. A 1500 calorie deficit works out to a 3lb loss per week, so if you go over once in a while your body is basically doing exactly what is expected.
So...eat more. You're close enough to 200lbs now that a 1000calorie deficit would be appropriate, and when you go under 200 you're going to want to cut it down to 750. Aim for around 1% of your body weight per week; that number's going to keep shrinking. Meanwhile as your weight goes down your allotted calories will shrink a bit as well, so eventually the two will meet in the middle and you'll be eating at maintenance for your goal weight.
Great job so far; keep it up!
Maybe I miss wrote, my calorie goal is set at 1500 per day, I think my deficit is around 1000 cals.
But if you are losing on average almost 3lbs a week then your deficit is actually more than 1000 cals a day. Time to bump up your cals as you are burning more than you think, slow down the loss to a maximum of 2lbs or possibly even 1.5lbs.
I think I'm also going to aim to eat back 75% of my workout calories.
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deimosphoebos wrote: »I would say slow it down a bit and add some calories so that you are only losing 2 lbs per week. What I found was that as I got healthier, stronger, with more endurance, my workouts became more intense, with heavier weights/more resistance. I was clipping along at 2.4 lbs per week and then accelerated and lost 3 lbs one week. I figured I had better increase my calorie intake to slow things down and stay healthy. Fyi, I started at 222 lbs, and I am down to 188 lbs now.
How long have you been on this journey (222lbs to 188lbs)? What was the reason you decided to increase your calorie intake? How much of your exercise calories do you normally eat back?
Hi: Been at it for 93 days, so rate of loss is averaging 2.6 lbs per week. I am hoping that my recent bump in calories will slow that down a little, but too early to tell yet.
I increased calories for two reasons:
1) Stay healthy. Harvard Medical, Mayo Clinic, and other respected sources recommend a healthy weight loss as being 1-2 lbs per week. If you are heavy, you'll likely exceed that for a time, but as you lose weight, that should slow down somewhat. I have also read that 1% of total body weight per week is an appropriate, realistic goal.
2) Preserve lean muscle mass. I spend a fair amount of time lifting weights and other exercise, and I want to preserve as much of my muscle as possible while I continue to lose weight. I am at 188 lbs now, but once I get to 175, I plan to reduce loss to 1 lb/week.
I prefer to set a level daily calorie goal that achieves my desired loss vs. eating calories back when exercising, but since I factor exercise into the equation, I guess you could say that technically I am eating more calories to accommodate exercise. Just a different method that still achieves the same end result.
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deimosphoebos wrote: »NextRightThing714 wrote: »elisa123gal wrote: »if you feel great... why not embrace your luck. Some on here talk about a .5 pound a week loss being good..all that does is destroy willpower...why not knock of the weight and be done.
A slow rate of lose may "destroy willpower" but a too-rapid rate of lose destroys muscle mass.
I understand I'll be losing muscles, which is why I have increased my protein intake and am hitting the gym quite regularly now. Do you still think, even though I'm feeling stronger, more energy, I should still slow it down?
Yes. When one first begins an exercise program, you can still make newbie gains in muscle mass and strength in spite of dieting, but that won't last forever. Eventually, you will get to the point where you will have to eat at a calorie surplus to obtain more muscle mass. Obviously right now, the goal is to lose body fat and get down to an ideal weight, but I would also make sure you are preserving lean muscle mass.
I would shoot for 1% per week loss, which would be 2.1 lbs...not too far off from where you are, and a rate that still allows you to see good progress on a weekly/monthly basis.1 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhLIsFFsPAA&t=13s
Brilliant lecture by Martin MacDonald according to this your rate of loss is absolutely fine
please watch the vid before wooing I know 1% a week is the general consensus on the forum but these are some good arguments including sources why aiming for slightly more based on your bodyfat percentage is possible and how you can make up for extra muscle loss in maintenance since you'll hit maintenance sooner.
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@animatorswearbras its just too long...and boring....
Edited to add: The aim is to lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off for life.
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »@animatorswearbras its just too long...and boring....
Edited to add: The aim is to lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off for life.
@LivingtheLeanDream That's exactly what he says though... at least look up the person giving the lecture, it's not as if I've posted some snake oil salesman or crash diet imbecile, this is a guy who trains trainers for competitve body building and the general public.
Personally I couldn't lose more than half a pound a week because I can't maintain that sort of deficit the OP can and seems to be feeling fine, this lecture was aimed solely at him and those like him and how according to many top trainers it is actually fine as long as you have a plan for maintenance. Watch the lecture at least and then make an informed argument.2 -
I think it is important to remember that 500/cal per day = 1 lb lost is just an estimate and varies by person. Personally, my maintenance is 1950 (determined during 10 day diet break) but for over three months I have lost 2.88 lbs/week eating 1200 calories per day. If 500/lb were accurate I should only be losing 1.5 lbs/week. (I use a food scale, recognize logging isn't 100% accurate, still no way I am eating 550 cal/day.) Now, I'm not saying it isn't too fast a weight loss. You might get gallstones, etc which is why I've been trying to slow mine down. Also it will likely slow down the less you have to lose. Although I am only 5 lbs away from a healthy BMI and it hasn't slowed down for me.
ETA: Please note that I thought I was sedentary and took a while to accurately estimate my TDEE. That is the only reason I was even eating what should be a 1.5/lb week loss, though I was aiming for .8 lbs/week and less as I lost weight. Depending on how much you have to lose your deficit should decrease.1 -
I just listened through the podcast again, the real meat and bones starts about half way in for those who find the lecture "too long and boring" it has a fairly long introduction to be fair, the formula for safe weight loss according to MacDonald and what he uses for his clients is your body fat percentage (pref measured by dexa but you can probably get an idea within 5% using other methods) divided by 15. This is the figure as a percentage of your body weight per week you can lose without losing muscle if you eat adequate protein and resistance train. So for example a male with 15% bodyfat could lose 1% of their body weight a week a women who has 30% bodyfat could lose 2%.
He also stipulates only cut what you can realistically maintain up to goal (and get adequate protein), so noone could realistically maintain 500 calories a day on average (or get enough protein), that's not what he is advocating.0 -
Here is a quick over-view as to why the 20% deficit while normal weight/overweight and 25% while obese is advocated by people like myself.
Mainly, as you will see from the link, because it strikes a balance between lean mass lost and potentially longer term deleterious effects on your metabolism.
Yes, there exists considerable debate as to whether these effects are small or large, easily reversible, and how long such reversal can take.
Maybe they exist like I think they do, maybe they don't or are easily reversible like many others do. However, since the only price you pay to substantially mitigate these risks involves simply adhering to a more reasonable deficit (which also makes long term diet compliance easier), while slowing down your weight loss (which also gives you some time to develop a way of eating, moving, and exercising that you will then continue to use into maintenance)...
Well, I don't see this slow down as a being a big price to pay. To the contrary I sometimes see this extra time as a net benefit for people who do not have a team of professionals standing by to educate them and help them modify their lives.
And did I mention less lean mass lost? Why yes, indeed!
https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/setting-the-deficit-small-moderate-or-large.html/
I would note that in your case we have established an approximate TDEE of ~2920 Cal, so, assuming you have sufficient fat available to lose such that you would be correctly classified as obese, your optimal deficit would be about 730 Cal, or about half of what it currently is.
Consigned! OP, I see you have made adjustments. You are on the right track.3 -
Definitely eat back your exercise calories and increase your calorie intake. As a man that size who is ALSO WORKING OUT, you need to fuel it. It doesn't make sense IMO to undereat and potentially lose muscle, and lifting weights so as not to lose that muscle. Why not just eat more and lose less, and then your workouts won't be in vain.
I am a 5'4", 52 y.o. woman and I'm at 199 lbs. now and eating 1500-1600 calories per day plus all my exercise calories. I'm losing at 1 lb. a week. But when I think of a larger man in his 30s no less, eating that much (and exercising) it makes me think of the ladies who are eating 1000-1200 calories per day and working out--dangerous unless you are a tiny person with a very low TDEE. 1500 calories if you were sedentary, but that's the lowest advisable for MEN.0 -
My experience losing around 2 pounds a week was that it was too aggressive for me. I reached my goal weight, but unfortunately I lost muscle mass in my arms. I was taking an hour long weightlifting class to develop muscle but the final result was my arms now look limp and puny. My bicep skin looks dimply and wrinkled now that the area is not supported by either fat nor muscle. Not exactly the look I was going for! So let me be the cautionary tale, and recommend you slow your loss rate to 1.5 pounds a week.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx4npV4IV3s&t=293s
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