I'm new to this whole calorie counting thing, and this is the first time I've had success losing weight. At first I wasn't even trying to lose weight. In September had an increased activity level and actually lost nearly 20 pounds from then to October. After realizing I lost nearly 20 pounds this made me want to keep going and I began counting calories. Since I have lost a total of 35-36 pounds. At first the weight loss was really fast but its slowing down and I'm starting to get discouraged. Since I'm not getting that extra activity that I was before I'm trying to make up with taking walks as much as possible. I knew the plateau was sure to happen but now that its here I'm bummed.

I started writing it down this month. I've been losing about 2 pounds a week this month. Can you tell me if this is good progress or extremely slow? I know everyone is different but just let me know what you think. From what I understand 2 pounds a week is a healthy weight loss.

It's not just good progress, it's great progress.

Unless you weigh more than 500 lbs, losing two pounds a week after a month or two from your starting point is great weight loss (and even if you did weight 500 lbs, I still wouldn't call it terrible weight loss, any stable weight loss is good progress, because most people give up and gain it back).

Thank you so much, that makes me feel so much better! No I'm not 500 pounds.

I'd say 2 lbs a week is pretty awesome! I mean, that's 10 lbs a month. You don't say how many pounds you want to lose over all, but that's a pretty good pace to get to any goal.

I lost 9 the first month and only 3 so far in the second. It is discouraging knowing how I was losing 2 a week and I seemed to be getting to my goal so quickly...now I've only seen the scale drop a lb ever few weeks. Argggh.

I eat at or below 1500 calories a day.

People who weigh less need less calories to maintain their body. So as you lose weight you will need less. I'm not saying to restrict from what you are doing but that may be a contributing factor to your weight loss slowing down. You are doing great!

My daily calorie count is based on losing 2 per week. I create enough of a deficit to ideally lose 2 per week. It's only been a little over a month and so far so good.

amanda how do you figure out how many calories will create that deficit? i want to start calorie counting but i wasnt sure how to figure that out

You need to figure out your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and then calorie needs based on activity level, the you subtract the amount that would give you weight loss.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

The first page will give you your bmr, then click on the link to take you to figure our your calorie needs, then click on amount to lose weight.

Edited to add: it doesn't give good descriptions on that website for activity level. I looked at a Jillian michaels book that spent a lot of time on this math formula and I chose that my lifestyle was lightly active. But after I started I'm now exercising five days a week. So I choose not to "earn" more calories to eat based on my exercise.

Dang edited again to add: once you know your calories per day it explains that you need 7,000 less to lose 2 pounds per week. So that's 1,000 less per day.

For me the formula gave me about 2,555 calories to maintain my starting weight. So I subtracted 1,000 per day. I shoot for about 1,500. Some days happen to be a little less, some a little more.

Thank you all! This is very helpful! If only I had read this all this morning it would have made my day a little more hopeful.

thanks amanda-lilducky you should definitely go to that site if you havent

I averaged between 1-2#/week, without plateauing. I set my deficit range to 750 cal and limited my processed carbs greatly. I still need many fewer calories than the calorie calculators would have me eat.

Find your range. It really doesn't take that long and it is the only number that matters.

I find that now at the age of 76 I have to stick rigidly to a 1000 calorie diet in order to lose weight. Even then it is very slow which is due to the fact that I am various medications due to having a bad back and thyroid condition.
Am very interested in the calculation that was mentioned and will be looking to see what the results show.

Congratulations on a great start !