Weight loss goal per week

avo_no_no
avo_no_no Posts: 1 Member
edited November 28 in Getting Started
Hi everyone,

Started yesterday and I’ve set my weight loss at 1lb per week. Normally I’d go for the maximum of 2lb per week but I’m afraid that I’ll feel deprived. On the other hand I’m concerned that if I don’t see the weight coming off quick enough I will lose interest.
How much do you aim to lose each week and what are your reasons for this rate of weight loss? Are you losing more or less than you’re set target? TIA xx

Replies

  • sangriavandal
    sangriavandal Posts: 12 Member
    i've been a mfp user for years, first to drop 15-20 pounds (successfully!), then as needed if my weight creeps up a bit - (such as after a lonely/lazy winter or a tough breakup etc) - usually looking to loose 5-8 pounds. one time i came back & tried 1 pound / week as i was looking for "fast results". turns out i was way too deprived (for my body weight) and i ended up eating more than my goals (just so i didn't always feel exhausted/hungry) ... then getting frustrated for missing my goals ... then eating more ... then getting frustrated... then eating more ... <cycle continues>. i had to sign off for a bit and come back with a more realistic expectation. i set it to 0.5 pounds and lost the weight like that. i actually probably lost 1 pound a week at least for a few weeks because i kept exceeding my goals while eating enough to stay healthy and feeling good :smile: i guess that is a long way of saying i would pick 1 pound over a week over 2 pounds as it can feel less defeating mentally to meet your goals consistently rather than being too ambitious.
  • pattyhouse1970
    pattyhouse1970 Posts: 51 Member
    When I started out last year, I think I set mine to lose 2 pounds per week. Did I always lose 2 pounds per week? No. Did I get discouraged? Sometimes, but. Take measurements of your arms (biceps and forearms), your chest, belly, hips, thigh and calves. When the scales are not moving, these usually are. I did not measure these and I wish I had.

    I kept my goal set like that the whole time I was trying to lose weight. I went from 190 (on January 1, 2017) to 129.4 this morning. My goal was 135. I've been on maintenance I think since May? I go up, I go down. Whatever. I don't get freaked out until I hit 134. lol

    You can do this. Don't stress. Track all your food, all your exercise. If MFP says you can eat a little more than your goal, eat it. Just make it healthy.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    avo_no_no wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Started yesterday and I’ve set my weight loss at 1lb per week. Normally I’d go for the maximum of 2lb per week but I’m afraid that I’ll feel deprived. On the other hand I’m concerned that if I don’t see the weight coming off quick enough I will lose interest.
    How much do you aim to lose each week and what are your reasons for this rate of weight loss? Are you losing more or less than you’re set target? TIA xx

    I think rather than worry about "losing interest", maybe it would be worth it to focus on readjusting your mindset and expectations :smiley:

    The fact of the matter is that your weight loss will never react exactly to what you do or how hard you try. The scale shows the weight of your whole body, not just the fat, and there's a lot going on in there you have no control over!

    So while you need to choose a weekly weight loss goal to get your calories in line, the goal you really strive for every day should be the process, not the number on the scale. Creating good habits, logging accurately and consistently. Set small smart goals - take a 10 minute walk on your lunch break 4 out of 5 days, have at least one extra serving of veggies each day, pre-log work snacks so you aren't tempted, replace one regular soda with one no-cal drink every day, that sort of thing.

    The weight loss WILL happen in the long term if you do the right things, but it might NOT happen on schedule, and letting that derail you is just self-defeating.

    2 lbs per week is not realistic for most people, so good for you for not choosing that! I had 15-20 lbs to lose and I lost at a rate of 0.5lbs per week. It required patience, and many weeks the scale didn't reflect it, but I knew I was doing the right things, I knew I was looking and feeling better, and then every once and awhile the scale said the same. Taking close to a year to lose 20 lbs probably sounds ridiculous to some people, but it took longer to put it on, so it just made sense to me :smile:

    Welcome and good luck!
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
    Come up with a plan that you can see yourself doing for as long as it takes. If you failed in the past, then think about what you were doing and why it wasn't sustainable. What can you do differently this time around? Even at two pounds a week, you can't expect to lose weight every week because weight loss isn't linear.

    Slow weight loss is better than no weight loss. That's something that all of us who strive for success have to resign ourselves to.

    Keep in mind that a big part of the process is learning and committing to new habits to keep the weight off in maintenance. That's not something that happens overnight. Losing the weight only encompasses a small part of it, so it's best to look at this as a process that will last the rest of your life vs. a few weeks or months or whatever.
  • placecathie
    placecathie Posts: 2 Member
    I think 1 lb is reasonable. If i eat my extra calories from exercise i can loose between 1/2 to 1 lb a week. I save them if i want a snack. You don’t want it to come off to fast slow and steady is better! Good luck
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    I set it to the lowest which is like 200grams a week, (not sure what that is in lbs) because I'm short I only get 1,350 calories a day (excluding exercise) so if I did more than that it would put me down to 1,200 a day and that's too little for me.

    To be fair even 1,350 is a struggle but as I exercise most days I eat more like 1,400 to 1,500
  • 2baninja
    2baninja Posts: 519 Member
    I put mine at 1# per week, I have 80 ish # to lose, but some weeks I eat better then others and have lost 2 pounds a week, but I never plan on that, as long as it keeps going down, I don't worry to much about how slow.
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    More than 0. I have between 10-20lbs left to lose (I'm about 10lbs away from the very high end of ideal for my height). Because I'm so close, I know that it's going to take a long time and a lot of dedication to drop these last few pounds. I'm just happy if I lose 1lb a month now.
  • egnaangelizz
    egnaangelizz Posts: 1 Member
    I just started this past Tuesday. I set it to 2lbs per week . I have lost 50 lbs by my own since January . I have 40 more to go to be in a healthy weight of 143. My motivation is to fit in my wedding dress. Good luck!!
  • scaye103092
    scaye103092 Posts: 48 Member
    I personally have 60-70 pounds that I would like to lose. I weighed 217 when I started and over the last month I’ve lost about 15 pounds. My goal is 1300 calories per day but I generally hit more around 1100 and burn 300-400 a day (even if I don’t always log it) with exercise. I set mine at 2 a week because before I started eating right and eating frequently I ate like TRASH very infrequently. I’m talking nothing all day, bag of chips and a jerky stick at work, then a freaking burger or WHOLE BOX of Mac n cheese when I got home. I also lose interest VERY quickly if I don’t see results on the scale or in the mirror. So I actually find it very satisfying that I’m eating smaller, more veggie packed meals more frequently as I used to starve myself for 14 hours and cram as much as I could into the last 3-4 hours of my day. I’ve found that making my own seasonings for things instead of using packets (for tacos, curry, etc) I’ve cut out a lot of unnecessary calories from my diet. And I cut out ‘slippery slope’ items. It’s not necessary but I’m not good with ‘everything is ok in moderation’. I would rather entirely cut out beef, chips, pasta, white bread, and candy/pastries rather than snack here/there because I’ll just end up eating more and more saying ‘well I’ve already had a little bit’. It all depends on what works for you! Also research tips/tricks/substitutions for favorites along the way. Chocolate is hard for me, so I found a good protein powder and mix it with plain Greek yogurt for a post gym snack some days. Also a little coco powder and stevia in oatmeal is pure heaven!
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 849 Member
    I have mine set at 2lbs for week for now. I started early May 2018 and have lost 49 lbs so far. I have lots to lose, the plan is for the first 110 lbs to leave at 2 lbs per week. Then switch for 6*8 weeks to maintain. Then go back to losing at 1 lb per week for the remaining 30 or so. I recognize this will take a good two years to get to my end goal, and then stay within that goal arena of 5 or so pounds. And it may take quite some time to get the last 30 off. But I am determined to keep it at 2lbs for my first big goal. Learning smaller portions, smaller plates, weighing what I eat. And using many more spices and variety of food choices.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    scaye103092 wrote: »
    It all depends on what works for you!

    And I would add, what's going to work for you for the rest of your life, and not just for a few months.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I have realized that I have gained all my weight (170 kg) over many years - so I won't lose it quickly either...
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    egnaangelizz wrote: »
    I just started this past Tuesday. I set it to 2lbs per week . I have lost 50 lbs by my own since January . I have 40 more to go to be in a healthy weight of 143. My motivation is to fit in my wedding dress. Good luck!!

    You've lost at a nice, healthy rate of 1.5 lbs a week. Why would you now set your rate of loss for 2 lbs/week with only 40 lbs to go? 2 lbs/week is only for those who are very obese and whose TDEE can support the required deficit (1000 calories a day). 1 lb/week is actually more appropriate at this point.

    This^

    Too fast for your current weight may set you up for disappointment. Losing "just" 1 pound a week would still be success. Look up your TDEE - http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    This number includes exercise. Is a 1,000 calorie reduction even possible with adequate nutrition?

    A healthy weight should also include a healthy body fat %. Fast weight loss makes it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass.
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,595 Member
    edited September 2018
    Hi @avo_no_no !
    I focus on goals that relate to actions/choices I make every day. Losing weight is the outcome of that, but not the goal I focus on.
    So when I think about goals, I am busy thinking about things I can immediately control -- eating healthy foods (good choices for me) in controlled amounts (measuring/weighing and tracking everything) and about meeting exercise-related goals (MFP lets us track Number of Workouts and Minutes per Workout).
    I do definitely care about losing fat, but I look at the scale like a thermometer. If weight's not moving in the right direction, I look at whether I am meeting my daily food and weekly exercise goals, and whether the goals I set may need adjusting. And overall, I stay focused on actions to move me towards better health.
    I also have been looking at this process as one of building new habits, knowing that I cannot change all my habits at once. Here's a great article on building new habits.
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