Should I be satisfied with 1-2 lbs a week?

schustc
schustc Posts: 428 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know, that's the goal supposedly. But being that I am heavier (244), Should I have higher expectations? I've got split views on this. Part of me thinks if I upped my cardio (I am working with a trainer 3 days a week already with weights) - I think my Diet is actually pretty good right now - productive without being too restrictive. I'm hitting anywhere between 1 and 3 lbs a week depending on the week, and I think it's averaging around 1-2 on the whole.

Part of me thinks I could be losing 2-3 lbs a week, which would make me happier. I am worried about saggy skin issues though, so am tempering my desire to push harder, with the rationalization that if I do lose faster, I'll be stuck with more of a sag issue.

What do you think? is 1-2 per week good for even the morbidly obese as a goal?

or should I set my goal higher and push harder? if so, should I not worry about skin sag?

I'd LOVE to be hitting that 10 lb a month goal, but at this rate it's going to be closer to 6/month. It's a bit of a dilemma. What do you think?

Tina
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Replies

  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    It's healthy and sustainable. That is how I have approached it. If I have to look at my watch, constantly starving, and think "Is it over yet? Can I go back to normal now", I will not maintain any weight loss. Slow and steady is the way to do it!
    In a year, you'll be a year older, thin or not. Right? RIGHT! :flowerforyou:
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    i would be thrilled! lol. thats healthy loss :)
  • jjohnboy2000
    jjohnboy2000 Posts: 67 Member
    Yes in a word. Let your body adjust. It may take longer but will be worth the effort. Good luck
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
    Stick with the goal you have - but you can always push your exercise harder if you think you can. Higher weights or harder moves depending on what your trainer thinks best. I think thats the best defence against saggy skin myself.

    Any more than what you are loosing now is not sustainable long term, you are doing a great job. Keep this up and you will be at your goal before you know it, and be looking amazing!
  • sagetracey
    sagetracey Posts: 607 Member
    You are doing really well and achieving great results. If you strive for higher, less realistic goals, then you are more likely to fail and then become discouraged. I'll bet you didn't gain all that weight overnight (I certainly didn't :) so understand that it will take time to lose it.

    Good luck and keep up the great work.
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
    That is a healthy rate of weight loss. If you're anything like me you may find that certain weeks you will see a bit bigger loss than that without doing anything different than other weeks just by your body doing it's thing. From everything I have read it just isn't very healthy to lose weight too fast.
  • Tickateeboo
    Tickateeboo Posts: 132 Member
    Yes - the best thing to do is lose about a pound a week - that means you get a long time to get used to the routine of eating well and exercising regularly and are less likely to fall off the wagon, or even worse put the weight back on! That said, the heavier you are then the quicker it comes off to start with - as you get towards your goal it will take a little longer.
  • mom2gar
    mom2gar Posts: 100 Member
    I think that's a great weekly rate. More than that, I would be concerned about over all health if weekly I lost more than 2 pounds max. There are some weeks I'm thankful for no gain. Keep up the great work.
  • nailqueen74
    nailqueen74 Posts: 38 Member
    I have always been told taking the weight off slowly is a lot more healthier and beneficial than losing a ton in a short amount of time. This isn't Biggest Loser where you are literally living in the gym all day. I mean, really? Who wants to do that, no matter how heavy you are. I have lost 20 pounds in 9 months. I am at a plateau right now...but I am not stressing about it. I would like to lose another 10 pounds but we will see. Keep doing what you are doing.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    If it is a consitant 1-2lbs a week and not an up and down loss. Plus If you have more to loose then 2-4 is possible to. If your smaller 1-2 is great!
  • MsTT80
    MsTT80 Posts: 59 Member
    Yes, stick with what you are doing, as others have already said, that's a healthy weight loss and you are more likely not to put it back on at the end.

    It's about long term lifestyle changes, not just weight loss. I'm loosing 1lb a week roughly (although not lost this week) and happy with that as I see this as a lifestyle change not just a diet.

    Good luck, I am sure you will get to your goal as you seem to have a great attitude and are doing this the healthy way :flowerforyou:
  • jendarlin
    jendarlin Posts: 184 Member
    This is absolutely a healthy amount of loss per week as most have already said! You are doing well be proud! :drinker:
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    I agree. 1-2lbs a week is a healthy goal. What no one else has touched on though, is the fact that you are doing strength training 3x/week. Muscle weighs more than fat, so you may very well be losing 3lbs of FAT per week, while gaining MUSCLE. This is a double bonus, as more muscle will burn more fat! The best way to judge results is with a tape measure rather than a scale. I bet if you started taking regular measurements you'd look at your progress a whole lot differently. Keep up the good work!!
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
    YES. Gradual and sustainable is better than trying to lose it too quickly. If you try to do too much too fast, you'll end up making yourself miserable, and THAT'S when you get frustrated and give up. (Been there, done that.)

    I started out having a deadline for reaching my goal, and stressed about the fact that I wasn't on track to hit the deadline. Once I ditched the deadline and realized that it doesn't matter WHEN I get there - that the important thing was GETTING there, I was a lot happier. And the happier you are, the more motivated you will be to continue.
  • Dulcislim
    Dulcislim Posts: 9
    Also keep in mind that weight loss isn't a steady progression. Some weeks, you may not lose at all. I tend to plateau for a few weeks, have a bigger drop, then plateau again.

    Keep at it. Slow and steady wins the race!
  • imogenjade
    imogenjade Posts: 131
    yeh its good. you should be very proud, keep it up
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
    I think you're right to be worried about sagging skin if you lose weight too rapidly. People complain that their hair falls out if they lose weight on too high a deficit, or that their fingernails don't grow right. That's because they don't have the resources to maintain normal growth. Think about it. Your hair follicles and nail beds aren't the only parts of your skin that are constantly renewing themselves.
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 775 Member
    I have done the quick weight loss thing b4 .. guess what I couldn't sustain it, regained it all back and plus some

    now I am losing an average of 1 pound a week and I love it ( im currently 292)

    by losing it slowly, I know I can maintain this life style and keep it off for good (and hopefully, reduce the saggy skin, I will have some, that is unavoidable at this point, but I am hoping slow loss = a lil less of it)
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
    Thank you everyone for all of the Great replies! :) I really do appreciate it.

    I am not really dreading the process, just the time it will take. I hate to think it's going to be a full on effort for maybe 2 more years. That's a reality if it is only one pound a week. so potentially 1 year, if I do hit the 2/week .

    Just makes me mad I let it get this bad - I was just a few pounds under this weight after my daughter was born 4 yrs ago. To think, I could be around 220 by now if I hadn't gained that extra, or even less if I had caught it sooner , is frustrating.

    Thanks again!

    Tina
  • KevDaniel
    KevDaniel Posts: 449 Member
    If it is going down.. be happy :)

    2lbs is the recommended so yes.. perfectly executed :)

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