Is It Better to Lose a Bit More Slowly

I am also 5'4" and weigh 242, and have lost 22 pounds. I personally found 1,200 calories to be too restrictive and am currently eating at 1,400 to 1,450 calories and losing 2 pounds per week with exercise. However, I did have a knee injury recently and was unable to exercise for 6 weeks but I still lost about 1.5 pounds per week eating 1,400 to 1,450 calories. Except for intentional cardio, I am extremely sedentary.
Just sharing my stats. You may lose a bit slower on the 1,450 calories, but it is best to follow something attainable. I have found it very successful for me (although I have along way to go). And losing 1.5 pounds a week is a great goal.

Yes, it was a good idea. 1200 is not enough food. 1450 is a reasonable caloric allowance. Even if it takes you two full months to get back into exercise, at 1/2 lb less per week that's a whopping total of 4 pounds not lost. In the grand scheme of things, that's a drop in the bucket. Meanwhile, you'll be getting enough calories to be content and satisfied and to stay on your diet.

I eat 1600. My wife eats 1350. The difference between the two numbers is HUGE in terms of staying sated and satisfied, being able to have snacks, having more filling, complete meals, etc. I keep encouraging her to up her quota but she won't. But I think she'll get tired of 1350 at some point and raise it.

Anyway, 1450 is a no brainer in this situation. 1200 is deprivation dieting.

Lady_Grell wrote: »

My primary doctor is more concerned about me losing weight since it's affecting my kidney. I'm a post transplant patient, and I've showed her my food diary from here. She finds it okay. I also have 2 appointments coming up that concern the anemia and other issues.

I just want to lose the weight in the best manner possible in a manner I can actually sustain.

Thanks everyone. I figured it was the best idea since I don't want to leave myself hungry and less likely to be successful.

My anemia is due to heavy menstrual bleeding, so I don't know if any of this applies to your anemia, but here's what I said in another thread.

If you are supplementing with iron, do see the bolded below - dialing in the form of iron I take was very important to me:

Here is my new go-to dinner for the week of my period: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/186691/lisas-favorite-carne-asada-marinade/

I use chuck stew beef and have some marinating right now. I am going to cook it on Low in my crock pot tomorrow for @ 8 hours.

For lunch during my period I eat Wellshire Liverwurst; 2 oz = 35% RDA iron. If I can't make it to Whole Foods I get Boar's Head Liverwurst, 2 oz = 25% RDA iron.

(For people who want more iron but don't like liver - neither do I; can't stand the stuff, but I do like liverwurst. Wellshire also makes turkey liverwurst. Less iron, but also less fat and calories. Last I checked this brand was exclusive to Whole Foods.)

I'm going to try making chicken liver pate one of these times.

Iron rich foods: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/before-during-after/iron-blood-donation/iron-rich-foods.html (I discount foods that were fortified with iron as presumably the food manufacturers use cheap and potentially ineffective forms of iron.)

I am currently taking iron bisglycinate. This doesn't give me the constipation or upset stomach side effects that other forms of iron can cause. The first two forms of iron I got from the VA were ineffective at getting both my iron and energy levels back up.

I also mix 1 T of blackstrap molasses into a cup of warm water every morning. That gives me 20% RDA. Here's what I order https://smile.amazon.com/Wholesome-Sweeteners-Organic-Molasses-Pack/dp/B001M0G2PO/ but caution - this brand can leak, so best to not get anything else with that order. It was the cheapest, so I continued to put up with it. (Plus last time Amazon just credited me for the whole thing.) However, I see the price has almost doubled since I last ordered so maybe try to get locally instead. Old price was $21 for three 32 oz bottles.

Last time I ordered it was cheaper here: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Wholesome-Sweeteners-Inc-Organic-Molasses-Unsulphured-32-fl-oz-944-ml/34616 (Note: this comes in 16 oz and 32 oz.)

Vitamin C helps with iron absorption and I mix powdered, buffered vitamin C into the molasses "tea" to create a dreadful concoction. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I4AIUA/

I did the same thing and it's working well for me. Pretty much nobody really needs a 1200 calorie day.

The way I see it there's only two options when it comes to how much weight you should be trying to lose and by extension how big a calorie deficit you should aim for.

1. Too much/Too fast
2. Just right

Too much/Too fast means that you're calorie target/deficit is so low that you're damaging your health. That you're not taking in enough calories and nutrition to maintain your health. Too much/Too fast also means that your calorie deficit is so low that you're struggling, miserable and constantly feel like you need to rely on 'motivation' to keep going. Too much/Too fast tends to lead to failure as eventually, you're body will demand calories or the struggle/misery will get to be too much for your motivation. Either way the result is the same, you'll eventually break since this approach is unsustainable. Too much/Too fast is a short term plan, with short term false results.

Just right is any calorie deficit that is on average below maintenance but enough so that you don't need to struggle, you don't feel deprived and miserable, and that most of the time it's relatively effortless so that on the occasion that you need it you'll have a well stocked pool of motivation to give you that short term burst to get through a more difficult moment. Sometimes you're in a good place and Just right is more aggressive (but still enough to remain healthy), other times Just right is closer to maintenance, and still other times Just right might be temporarily above maintenance in order to give yourself a bit of needed happiness and self care. This is sustainable forever, this is a permanent way of eating that can last the rest of your life. This is the road to REAL results. Just right however has one requirement. Patience.