Starting out, I estimated I lost an average of 3.1 pounds a week for the first 70 lost....the next 50 it slowed to roughly 2 pounds a week(these are only averages...sometimes more sometimes less)
I didn't really keep track for the 30 pounds after that....but my last 20 lost I had an average of .9 pounds a week, and that was working my butt off and trying harder then I had before...
You will hit plateaus where you won't lose anything for a month, but it all averages out in the end as long as you stick with it...
i agree it depends on how much you have to lose, and you always lose more at first. my first week i lost like 6 lbs.
since the first 2 weeks i average about 5 lbs/month. i tend to lose in chunks so ill have no progress for a couple weeks then lose like 3 lbs in one week.
When losing significant amounts of weight, over long period of time, one can do nothing to 'ensure' linear losses. You can't 'ensure' losses at all - that side of the equation is COMPLETELY out of your control. The only part you can control are the inputs, which would be sticking to your plan of choice like glue and focusing on better sleep, daily moving, and other health promoting activities. The weight takes care of itself.
As for how much I've lost per week? Averaged out its probably less than .25 pounds. Because in real life, with maintenance breaks and pregnancies and easy diet times and skin-of-my-teeth diet times, my weight loss has ranged from 4+ pounds per week to stalls and gains, and EVERYTHING in between. And it has taken four years.
But did the rate really matter? Not one whit! I can't calculate my yield of pounds or recommend a steady course, and yet the fact remains I've lost a small person and am still losing. The weight is GONE, and it didn't matter how long it took or how many fits, starts, and out and out battles I had to have with myself over it. When you're doing this because you have to, for LIFE, the scope of time it takes to get to goal and learn to stay there becomes quite unimportant. Your perspective is not one of instant gratification or even consistent results being needed to keep you going, but that you have no other choice than to keep working at it, the best you can, every day for the rest of your life. THAT persistence pays off in tangible ways. So if you want to 'ensure' your losses, then 'ensure' that you never give up and refuse to quit trying, no matter WHAT life or be scale may be doing.
That's my best, most compassionate advice.
Last edited by Arctic Mama; 11-22-2012 at 11:44 PM.
Reason: Typo
Your body doesn't give a **** about calendars. Some weeks I've lost 5lbs and then nothing for another 3. I've lost 40lbs in 8 months and some weeks I've lost 2lbs, others nothing. Some months I've not lost anything and that's ok because it's not a race. Not seeing a loss for a week, a month or more can be frustrating but if you are being honest with yourself and actually eating at a deficit then the weight will come off. Just not necessarily suddenly right before a weigh in every week.
I could have hit my goal months ago but my diet isn't perfect. I love food. I've continued to enjoy social occasions and delicious food which have sometimes set me back a bit but that's ok, life happens, I had fun. Do as well as you can for your health. As I said before - it's not a race. And even if you do everything perfectly there's no guarantee of a 2lb per week loss because we're not computers.
About 5 pounds per month. If I cut my daily calories by more than 500 (below maintenance levels), I get too hungry, cranky, and vulnerable to all manner of temptation.
I think that is how we want it to be and sometimes imagine it that we just do what we are supposed to and it will give us the correct answer, like 1+ 1 = 2. But there is just so many other factors related to it. It can kindof be frustrating.
I guess that is why it is better to focus more on your positive changes then the numbers always, though it isnt always easy.
Arctic Mama- I love your advice on this one. I didn't have that perspective the last time I lost weight, and I definitely didn't have it starting out this time. But more and more I'm realizing that instant gratification isn't worth it. Losing fast and gaining a lot of it back, or losing fast but having very little energy and still being weak...well, it doesn't have the appeal that I did in my "lose weight at almost any cost" days. I want more, and I'm willing to get there slowly if that's what it takes. I want this to be for life this time, and I want it to be sustainable. Actually, that's why I'm not worried about calories for Thanksgiving yesterday...part of my long term goal is to enjoy days like that, but to keep them as special treats instead of them drooling over into how I'm managing my eating on the other days. That's how I defeated myself in the past. And having those special days where I don't have to worry much...makes this something I feel like I can stick to pretty much indefinitely. Not that I'm won't have to work hard or remain vigilant...but I think I'm starting to get what that whole lifestyle change idea means. Sorry for going off on a tangent...some stuff just got clearer in my head while I was typing. Lol.
My weight loss has not been linear. The first two weeks I lost 12 pounds! Then is slowed to about 2 pounds a week, then it slowed to about a pound a week and now I'm all over the place. Some weeks I lose nothing. Some weeks I gain a bit. Some weeks I'll lose half a pound. Sometimes more. Sometimes less.
In the first three weeks of November, I stayed the same weight, then last week I lost two pounds.
Life happens. Sometimes I'm better staying on plan that other times. Sometimes I'll be on plan and not lose, other times I'll indulge or cheat and lose anyway.
What matters is that over the long term, I'm continuing to lose weight.
Last edited by Garnet2727; 11-23-2012 at 06:41 PM.
I lost a steady amount of weight by rarely checking on my weight loss. Did not get on scale at all first 72 days and then once a month until a reached goal of 165 (Sept 2010). I next set my goal another 20 lbs. more but found I can maintain this weight fairly easily so likely not going to get to the ideal of 145.
However I did track my plan continually as some others are mentioning. I recorded my eating and exercise every day to make sure I was creating the calorie deficit I needed. I could not let the scale impact my motivation, I was going to stick to the plan despite what the scale said and it paid off.
I've been constantly losing 4-5 lbs a week, and I lost about 65 lbs at this pace. Then I slowed down in order to work a bit on muscles to not loose too much of my overall fitness and strength.
How Many Pounds Did You Lose Per Week?
as long as you stick with it...
