[Astrild]

Usually it's less than that. For the most part, I've been pretty happy with my weight loss. It's kind of a diet rule for me, to stay happy... But as I get closer to my goal, I just want it to be over with. I admit it- I'm envious of those who lose 2 lbs per week. lol How do I get there? I eat 1500 a day right now. I'm kind of scared to lower it more, in case I'll be starving... I used to eat 1200, and it was difficult to stay on plan. I just don't know what I can do to become a faster loser. I exercise at least 30 minutes day, and am on my feet all the time. Perhaps I could add more cardio, but I don't know how many extra calories that would burn. Do I just have to accept my fate, or can I work something in?

[Coondocks]

What you're doing is working, be happy for that!!
You are only 6 lbs from your goal and you don't have the 'surplus' of weight to loose so it is going to come of slower.
I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear but keep doing what you're doing!!

[zoodoo613]

I have no way of knowing, but I wonder if you can get to the point where you're losing 2 lb a week without going to unhealthy extremes. You're so close to goal, there's just not that much room to create a calorie deficit, since you don't have extra body weight hanging around burning calories for you.

You could exercise more. An extra hour a day ought to do the trick. Are you willing to go there? Dropping down to 1000 calories? Those are the things you can do to create a deficit for an extra lb. a week. But how long could you keep that up? I know I couldn't do it for long. And it would definitely end up breaking your diet rule, (and an excellent rule it is.)

There's a good chance that patience is the only answer, as frustrating as it is.

[ERHR]

You're talking about getting to goal in 3 weeks instead of 6 weeks? You're so close either way! I say stick with what's working.

[sacha]

Sorry, but 1lb per week is pretty par for the course at your current stats - 2,3-5lbs per week is for those at higher weights who have more excess fat to lose.

If you can lose 1lb per week at 131lbs, you are actually doing very good.

The closer to goal, the harder and slower it gets. It's the curse of the featherweight.

[kelly315]

Losing 1lbs/week is actually great for someone your size. I know you said you're envious of those of us who lose more, but in order for you to lose more you'd have to be as big as us. Not quite a compromise you'd want to take, is it?

As far as exercise goes, you would lose inches much quicker than dieting alone.

[carter]

Originally Posted by ERHR

You're talking about getting to goal in 3 weeks instead of 6 weeks? You're so close either way! I say stick with what's working.

This.

Seriously, what's the big hurry? Actively losing and maintaining aren't that different; if you can't handle a few extra weeks (or, to be honest, even a few extra months) of being in active weight-loss mode, you're going to struggle to keep the weight off.

The time's going to pass either way, and believe me it's going to pass fast. What difference does it truly make if you get to your goal in a month, or two, or three?

It's time to buckle down and practice being just a little bit patient.

[Astrild]

Originally Posted by carter

if you can't handle a few extra weeks (or, to be honest, even a few extra months) of being in active weight-loss mode, you're going to struggle to keep the weight off.

It's time to buckle down and practice being just a little bit patient.

I'm not going to quit, and I have been patient. I'm just wondering if there's a way to rev up my losses and experience the glee of reaching goal any sooner. If not, then fine, but I'm curious enough to try. It's a dream to lose 2 lbs a week, but indeed perhaps one reserved for others.

[kaplods]

One pound a week or even one quarter of a pound per week, at your weight isn't slow weight loss. We've been culturally brainwashed to expect weight loss rates that aren't realistic except by starvation (and sometimes not even then).

Every time I gave up at weight loss (30 years of giving up), it was because I thought I was failing - just because I couldn't acheive the two pounds or more per week. Whenever weight loss stalled to less than 1 lb a week (at nearly twice your weight), I would feel like such a failure that I'd give up. Or, I'd try to crash diet in some extreme way (or stop eating entirely) and then when the weight STILL didn't come off much or any faster, I'd give up.

Insanely, I've lost every one of my 90 lbs at a rate of less than one pound per week. I've "failed" off more weight than I've ever "succeeded" off.

When I griped to my doctor that I wasn't even losing a pound a month (at the time) when I should be losing "at least 1 pound a week, like a normal person," my doctor lectured me on the myth of "normal people."

He said "normal people" don't lose 1 lb per week. Normal people lose nothing (or are gaining). The myth of the "normal person" who is losing 1 lb per week at any size, is an extremely dangerous one, because it makes everyone (even those succeeding tremendously) feel like a failure.

Join a TOPS group, and you'll see what normal weight loss is. In most groups, the weight losses and gains are shared with the group (sometimes individually, sometimes in a summary by the weight recorder) and what you learn is that most people do not lose 1 lb per week. The average in our group (and we won state recognition this past year for per member weight loss and fewest weeks with a net gain) is about 1/4 to 1/2 pound per person. About a third the group is within 10 lbs of their goal weight, a third is significantly overweight, and another third is morbidly obese - or more.

Even those of us over 300 lbs, aren't losing much more than 2 lbs per week (and I'm still barely losing 3 lbs per month).

Get over the idea that rapid weight loss is acheivable, much less normal or possible on a healthy diet.

Frustration doesn't have to be inevitable, but if you make it so when you want more than you can acheive. Your weight loss is actually quite impressive for your weight. You're probably in the 99th percentile - realize that you're a cheetah, not a tortoise.

[tricon7]

Originally Posted by carter

This.

Seriously, what's the big hurry? Actively losing and maintaining aren't that different; if you can't handle a few extra weeks (or, to be honest, even a few extra months) of being in active weight-loss mode, you're going to struggle to keep the weight off.

I don't think it's so much a matter of being in a hurry, but of just being tired of dieting and never (seemingly) reaching the goal. I wonder myself how many times I've lost and gained those few pound over and over again, all the while reaching for that elusive goal weight that never seems to arrive.

To the OP, some time back when I did a day fast, it was actually easier to eat nothing that day than to eat restricted calories, and I did break a plateau in the process. I think the food-less day was easier because I had placed food totally off my radar for the day, so I wasn't looking for a "snack." Maybe you should give it a try and see what happens.

[April Snow]

Yes, you can work at it and eat less and exercise more and you probably would lose a little bit quicker - not a huge amount faster at your current size but some.

However, the question is whether it's really worth it for you? You don't want to eat less, which is a perfectly reasonable thing IMO. And you could do some more focused exercise (some HIIT) but again, this sounds like something that you might find difficult to work into your current schedule and lifestyle.

So personally, I'd say the best thing would be to work on your patience and just hang in there for the next few weeks as those final pounds slowly go away. Because what you eat and how much you need to move is probably not going to be a whole lot difference in maintenance than it is right now so this is the time to start getting yourself into that mindset and starting to figure out how to handle the challenges that come with that.

[ennay]

Originally Posted by Astrild

I'm not going to quit, and I have been patient. I'm just wondering if there's a way to rev up my losses and experience the glee of reaching goal any sooner. If not, then fine, but I'm curious enough to try. It's a dream to lose 2 lbs a week, but indeed perhaps one reserved for others.

2 lbs per week on someone as small as you are is not terribly practical. It is basically a crash diet. Whoever invented the expression "Healthy weight loss is1-2 lbs a week" did a huge disservice to everyone. The very large can safely lose more, the very small will likely lose less.

[girlonfire]

I've lost about 6 pounds in 2 months and I'm pretty big. I second what kaplods said; her posts are always very well written.

[kimmieval]

For so long I was distressed that I could never lose more than 1lb per week. For the last few months, I could only mange 1/4lb (with or without) exercise. Once it is coming off, I would say to just wait it out, as the last few are sometimes the hardest to lose.

[Sophronia]

Lifting weights and gaining muscle is supposed to rev our metabolism and make the weight come off faster. Of course, when you start lifting, you'll retain water for a while, so it could slow your weight loss before speeding it up. But it would also likely make it easier to maintain once you get to goal weight.

Congrats on getting so close! You're doing amazingly well!