what is a safe weight loss per week?

[PiPi84]

How much weight is considered safe to lose per week?

[Heybales]

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@kamiller wrote:

I know that I have lost 14.4 lbs since I got the FitBit and eating less and burning more calories. I would say that most say 1-2 lbs. but it seems to be coming off with eating so much less. When I kicked soda out of my life and drink more water. I walk everywhere at work and to and from the train station. Then I do cardio for about 20 - 30 minutes. All before work.

I seemed to be just dropping it.

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If you are dropping more than 1-2 lbs weekly, leaving out the water weight drop the first week - then you are kissing muscle mass goodbye at easily the normal rate of 20% of weight loss, if not more.

So if from that 14.4 lbs you lost 4 say the first week, the remaining 10 lbs of weight loss includes 2 lbs of muscle.

You will regret that later if you keep it up, as that is the way to keep yo-yo dieting, because it'll be easier to gain during maintenance, and harder to lose next time around.

[kamiller]

I'm not really focusing on the weight loss. I am watching food intake and counting calories, getting good sleep and exercising about 30-50 min. a day. It's just really coming off. I cut out my addiction to Coke (Coca-Cola). I could honestly drink a 24-pack and then I was drinking beer during football season. I am a social worker so I am doing a lot of behavior modification. I was bulimic when I was a professional ballet dancer in the 80s and 90s and I was severe. I only weighed 78 lbs. at my prime age 22. I am certainly not wanting to lose the weight, but I seem to drop the weight when I cut out the bad stuff like processed sugars, complex carbs; I don't eat much bread. I eat quinoa, nuts, berries, egg-whites, turkey bacon, turkey burgers, etc. I eat fish about 2x/week, soups (careful with sodium), chicken, kale, hummus, etc. So I am eating good. My job is in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility so I am averaging 14,000-16,000 steps a day, I walk about 3/4 mile - 1 mile to and from the train station at a brisk pace since I have to get there on time for work and catching the train. I get my heart rate up to about 130-139. Another important thing is that I am under a doctor's care. They were highly concerned with my weight and I tried everything else and now by journaling on the FitBit and being more conscious of my food choices and exchanges, and working with the nutritionist, I am getting on the right track finally. I am gradually progressing with the intensity of workout. I do Shaun T's Rock-Hard Abs and Rock It Hard workouts and now I am working on Rock It Out which works with small weights. So my weight loss is not on purpose. It's just happening. My stomach is getting flatter. It's visible to all my office workers and we are all supportive in each other's weight loss there. Everyone is working at it and helping each other from falling away from their lifestyles changes. It's harder for some than others. I am committed because I don't want to have another heart attack under stress again. I feel great and the #1 thing is that I don't feel the pain in my knees, hip or back. I like this change. My kids said the "old me" is coming back. 

[kamiller]

I am so happy for you to be off the diabetes medications. That's so awesome. It really feels good not to have to depend on those things for your health. Keep it up. 

[kamiller]

I do the auto setting and then I eat less than it recommends. You could reset it and start over clean. You have to remove that device from the download and reload. I found that it adjusts to your weight loss. I put in the weight every day, and then it tells me how many calories I have left to eat. But I generally eat less than I am burning, but as you increase workout activity, you will increase the caloric intake so for example, if you are given say 1438 calories. You burn 2200 calories, and you only eat 1200 or under the 1438 you are within weight loss mode of 1200 calorie diet to lose weight. If you stay under your amount of burn, then you will lose weight but you also have to cut out a lot of stuff or make exchanges. I went to a doctor and nutritionist and they are happy about the FitBit. So you just have to find what works for you as far as food intake, exercise, and sleep quality. The dashboard is helpful to see how much activity you are doing. You can do it. Don't get frustrated. Make this a lifestyle change. Not a diet. Diet is temporary. We're here to support you. 

[proalee]

I'd say within 2 lbs is perfect for some one pushing themselves and still feel good and not exhaused at the end of that month.

so about 7-12 lbs a month goal is ideal for anyone doing fitbit + strength + clean eating plan

[Carol]

Lew I don't think you are eating nearly enough.  If you are exercising the way you said, you are causing stress in your body.  It will go int a starvation mode and while you are happy with your loss, if you ever start to eat even moderately normal, you will gain that weight back before you know it. 

I don't think anyone should eat less than 1200 calories a day, but a man who is exercising like you should eat way more.  When I was eating 1200 cal a day, I didn't lose at all, but when I started eating the right things, I got up to 1800 or more and still lost.

It's not a matter of calories.  It is a matter of what you eat.

[kamiller]

Sent from my iPhone

[kamiller]

I've been only losing about 1.7 - 2.1 lbs. As I have been burning an average of 2500 calories a day I am eating now about 1500-1800 calories per day. So if I burn about 2500 and I eat 1800 I have 700 calorie deficit and that's where I lose.  I notice that if I don't increase my eating with the calorie burn, I don't lose and that means body goes into starvation mode. So I try to make sure I eat small portions and eat protein based foods and fat-burning foods--berries, avocado, things like almond butter in my egg-white protein shakes, and chobani yogurt, etc. I also chicken, salmon.

I think when I lost the really fast weight was indication of eating too much Coke (24-can case) + if I went out, Coke, coke, coke, coke (refill after refill w/o really realizing it).

I have lost 20.7 lbs., doing an average of 14000-18000 steps a day, about 7-14 sets of stairs (I have to use stairs to my office in the Twin Towers jail in LA all the time). I am able to incorporate a lot of exercise in my day just working, resistance bands, and then I am now working on some machines. I also work out with Shaun T (Insanity workout inventor) and his videos).

So I am feeling great. The doctor is impressed with the change and improvement.

Kim

[mercedes350]

I agree with all 1-2 pounds a week is safe.....

[SunsetRunner]

1-2 lbs a week is better to save your muscle mass and not look gaunt at the end. Also keeps saggy skin to a minimum by allowing yourself time to bounce back. Drink way too much water, all the time. Starvation mode from eating too little isn't a concern when you have plenty of fat for your body to fuel yourself from... but a solid mix of macros (fat, protein, carbs) and at least a net of 1500 calories a day (as a man) would be recommended and isn't going to put anyone into any new metabolic modes.

[blackoctaupus]

I agree with what you are saying and 1 major point for me every time I go on a diet any diet, I learn from it and at the end is to use all that knowledge to improve yourself. Self control and discipline help. But sometime our body processe food differently than other people. Hopefully by the time I turn 90 I will know everything that I need to know lol.

[Jose123]

Should look to try. For 1-2 pounds per week. The real issue is converting fat into lean muscle.

[Heybales]

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@Jose123 wrote:
Should look to try. For 1-2 pounds per week. The real issue is converting fat into lean muscle.

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Sadly, you can't convert fat into muscle - doesn't work that way.

You could lose fat a whole lot faster than gaining actual muscle mass.

But you could also do it very slowly.

If eating at maintenance doing a progressive weight lifting routine, you might get almost 1 lb of fat loss every 4 weeks while gaining equal LBM.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/778012-potential-muscle-gain-lifting-and-metabolism-improvem...

But, Lean Body Mass (LBM) is muscle mass, and mostly water, and organs, and blood, and bones, ect - everything but fat mass. LBM is NOT just muscle mass.

There is no such thing as lean muscle as opposed to fat muscle, as if you had any control over it. Genetics determines how lean some muscle is. Only endurance cardio has shown to slightly increase fat stores in muscle used.

Otherwise lean muscle is a cut of beef at your butcher's.

[TinyTarzan]

I say a lot depends on where you are at in your workout and eating habits at this particular point in your life. If you are coming from a mostly sedentary situation and abusing food, your situation is going be a lot different than the person who has been eating clean and exercising regulary. Each person is going to have an ideal weight loss number depending on where they're at now.

[SunsetRunner]

I agree @TinyTarzan, it depends on the individual. I was 80lb overweight. I started with my fitbit exactly 1 month ago and have lost 1 stone in weight. All I've been doing is eating properly and exercising. I try to get in 15000 to 20000 steps a day and am always under budget on my calorie intake. I feel healthier than ever and am actually enjoying the exercising. If I start to slow down on the weight loss I'm not bothered, it's just been coming off naturally and I'm certainly not going to start eating more than I feel I need just to hit this silly rule of only losing 1 or 2 lb a week ! If the weight loss slows down, which I'm sure it will, that's fine as I see it all as a lifestyle change, not a journey with an end, there is no end, it's changes to my life that will stay forever even when I'm at my ideal weight, I'll still be using the Fitbit and counting calories.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, I was struggling to lose weight and I've only got 14 more lbs to go. I couldn't seem to get it off. I posted on my fitnesspal and someone put this calculation up. It really depends on how much you are looking to lose:

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Hope it helps! I'm still struggling, but it would seem I'm still not eating enough for my calorie burn. Fitbit tells me on my most non active days I burn 2500 cals... This wekk my cal deficit was 6000, so if I'm going by the chart above my body might not be happy letting me lose more than a lb at a time so it's keeping hold of my weight possibly like a starvation mode...

[SunsetRunner]

I was discussing fitness, diet and weight loss with my doctor recently and she suggested 1-2lbs a week.

[Jose123]

That was my thinking.

Sent from my iPad

[jkeys]

2 lbs is good.  Gives your skin time to adjust.

[SunsetRunner]

Everyone is unique. I can lose 5lbs a week without issues