How long has it taken most of you to lose a certain number of pounds counting calories? Like, how long for 20lbs? When I checked the scale last week, I lost 4lbs after three weeks of counting calories. I try to stick about 1500 but usually end up 1600 or so. It seems so daunting-I've been doing all this work, and I feel like I should have lost more. I definitely need to excercise more, but I'm feeling very uninspired lately. Please, give me any advice and/or encouragement!

My advice would be not to put yourself on a timetable. Learn to eat right and exercise (sounds like you're doing very well) and the weight will come off. How quickly depends on how much you have to lose to start, your metabolism, whether you exercise too, etc.

I'm doing this for life and trying to focus on all the other great things I can do now, not just how fast I lose.

All that being said, most people say it's safest to aim for 1-2 pounds per week (which you are doing), but again, that depends many factors. Those with less to lose will lose a lot slower, for instance.

Congrats on your great start! Remember, you didn't put it on overnight, and it won't come off quickly, either!

19 months to lose 80 pounds.

The first time: 6 months to lose 22 lbs
This time(so far): ~4months=14 lbs

I hate this kind of question. But I suppose if someone can learn from my mistakes ....
I lost 30 lbs in 2 months.
Then guess what happened?

I'm working toward a 20 lb. loss, and I've been averaging around 1 lb. a week. I lost more quickly the first few weeks, but now it's more like .5 to 1 lb. a week. I don't get too concerned about it. I make good choices most of the time, and I know the scale will reflect it sooner or later. From beginning to end, it will probably take four to five months for me to lose 20 lbs. But that's just me.

Thank you for all of your responses. I checked the scale today, and I lost another pound this week. To answer one ?, I started at 228 and I want to get down to 140, so that would be a total loss of 88lbs. I guess I was just disappointed because all the websites I checked out said I could lose 2lbs. a week, and IRL it's really more like 1lb per week. Well, I'm happy with that. I'm an impatient, Generation Y girl here, gimme a break

Dratted Real Life !!!!

It'd be a good idea to keep an accurate journal or do something like www.fitday.com to make sure that you don't have phantom calories coming from anywhere. It was how I found out that I was eating almost 500 extra calories between lunch and dinner simply from snacking here and there at my co-workers desks (daggone cookies and candy... just a few add up QUICKLY!)