How many lbs is too much to lose every week?

[AVarma]

So I've been losing about 6 lbs a week for the past 2 weeks. I'm still obese, but barely. I've had people warn me about losing it too fast but I actually feel pretty good. Should I be on the lookout for something?

[NGC1300]

Sounds like too much honestly. You don't want to lose muscle mass.

 

But it's not like you're going to stay at the rate for long anyway. If you did you'd be anorexic in 6 months unless you are over 300lbs.

 

So if you feel good I'd keep doing what you're doing.

[alphamale]

So I've been losing about 6 lbs a week for the past 2 weeks. I'm still obese, but barely. I've had people warn me about losing it too fast but I actually feel pretty good. Should I be on the lookout for something?

the faster you lose it the faster it will come back - shoot for 1 to 2 lbs/week

[fitnessfan365]

It sounds like you just started working out a few weeks ago? If that's the case, the 12lbs could be mostly water weight with the sweat you've lost from exercise.

 

In general though, 1-2lbs per week is definitely a more realistic and ideal goal for long term fat loss and weight management.

[Starship]

We'd be concerned if a patient lost more than a pound a week over a 6 week trend. That's long enough to factor in water loss/retention.

 

A pound for a woman means she is consuming 75% of daily calories.

 

Any more loss should be due to physical activity.

[Hope Shimmers]

We'd be concerned if a patient lost more than a pound a week over a 6 week trend. That's long enough to factor in water loss/retention.

 

A pound for a woman means she is consuming 75% of daily calories.

 

Any more loss should be due to physical activity.

 

Who's "we"? And what is "75% of daily calories?" A pound is 3500 calories - has nothing to do with percentages of daily anything.

 

There's nothing concerning about losing more than a pound a week, unless it is way more than 1-2 pounds and ongoing. 1-2 pounds a week is a steady, healthy rate of weight loss over the long term (more than 6 weeks). A pound a week over six week is 6 pounds, and that isn't enough to factor in water loss by any means.

 

OP, given that you are obese, much of the weight loss is water loss. It isn't likely that you will lose 6 pounds weekly ongoing - that would be too much, but it will likely slow down going forward. I'm assuming that this is your first 2 weeks trying to lose weight.

 

As others have said, ongoing weight loss of that magnitude can mean you are losing muscle mass, but likely not this early.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Hope Shimmers

[SomeDude16]

So I've been losing about 6 lbs a week for the past 2 weeks. I'm still obese, but barely. I've had people warn me about losing it too fast but I actually feel pretty good. Should I be on the lookout for something?

 

depends how you are losing the weight. We talking about working out and eating healthy or starving yourself on a water and bread diet?

[Lernaean_Hydra]

When I first started losing I was losing something like 1-2lbs per day. That trend continued for about 50lbs but I was significantly overweight. Depending on how heavy you are, losing more than a pound or so per week is perfectly normal.

[AVarma]

depends how you are losing the weight. We talking about working out and eating healthy or starving yourself on a water and bread diet?

 

Eating healthy and working out.

 

When I first started losing I was losing something like 1-2lbs per day. That trend continued for about 50lbs but I was significantly overweight. Depending on how heavy you are, losing more than a pound or so per week is perfectly normal.

 

Yes I'm obese so I guess it's normal that explains it?

[SomeDude16]

Eating healthy and working out.

 

 

 

Yes I'm obese so I guess it's normal that explains it?

 

Then I'd say you're doing great and continue. Just be conscious of your energy level and if you notice it's going down, I'd advise you to cut back on your intensity.

[Arieswoman]

First of all Avarma congratulations on getting into a weighloss programme.

 

Do you have a coach or are you working at this solo?

 

Usually 2lb a week is a good target but if you are obese and have more than 50lb to lose then 6lb might be OK.

 

Maybe you could talk to someone at your local gym about this?

 

Keep up the good work !

[alphamale]

Maybe you could talk to someone at your local gym about this?

maybe a physician or nutritionist could add better insight

[Starship]

Who's "we"? And what is "75% of daily calories?" A pound is 3500 calories - has nothing to do with percentages of daily anything.

 

There's nothing concerning about losing more than a pound a week, unless it is way more than 1-2 pounds and ongoing. 1-2 pounds a week is a steady, healthy rate of weight loss over the long term (more than 6 weeks). A pound a week over six week is 6 pounds, and that isn't enough to factor in water loss by any means.

 

OP, given that you are obese, much of the weight loss is water loss. It isn't likely that you will lose 6 pounds weekly ongoing - that would be too much, but it will likely slow down going forward. I'm assuming that this is your first 2 weeks trying to lose weight.

 

As others have said, ongoing weight loss of that magnitude can mean you are losing muscle mass, but likely not this early.

 

Rounding everything off...a woman consumes about 1800 calories a day for maintaining weight...that's about 13,000 a week. If she consumes only 75% of her 13,000 that leaves about a pound of weight loss (your 3500).

 

Otherwise...if you need 1800 calories to maintain weight, consuming 75% of that, 1350, results in a loss of about a pound a week.

[AVarma]

Then I'd say you're doing great and continue. Just be conscious of your energy level and if you notice it's going down, I'd advise you to cut back on your intensity.

 

If anything it's quite the opposite. My energy levels have increased. I'm doing cardio and weight lifting and I find that I'm a lot more alert now than before.

[SomeDude16]

If anything it's quite the opposite. My energy levels have increased. I'm doing cardio and weight lifting and I find that I'm a lot more alert now than before.

 

Glad to hear it!! Keep it up!

[Hope Shimmers]

Rounding everything off...a woman consumes about 1800 calories a day for maintaining weight...that's about 13,000 a week. If she consumes only 75% of her 13,000 that leaves about a pound of weight loss (your 3500).

 

Otherwise...if you need 1800 calories to maintain weight, consuming 75% of that, 1350, results in a loss of about a pound a week.

 

Your math is true only for people who need 1800 calories to maintain weight. The truth is that varies wildly according to current weight, metabolism, activity level, etc. It's nowhere close to accurate for me, for instance, because I am very physically active. There are too many variables to look at it that way.

 

And you said that also took water weight into account. Puzzled on that one, but okay.

 

Better to think about 3500 calories equals one pound, and then estimate your own daily caloric needs and calculate from there. However, about 2 pounds a week is generally a safe weight loss; water weight would increase that temporarily.

 

In any event, looks like the OP is on the right track.

[michellew]

It all depends on your weight. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, then 2 pounds a week is healthy. If you weigh much more than that, it doesn't hurt to lose more than 2 pounds a week. I'm sure there's a percentage chart or online calculator out there that'll help you determine your safe weight loss zone.

 

As long as you aren't starving yourself, I think you're fine.

[jba10582]

just a technical point here (not even sure why it bothers me)

 

A lb is about ~454 grams (unit conversion BG to metric system)

 

Fat is something like 80-90% lipid (energy dense). The other percent is water/ enzymes etc.

 

so if 85% lipid...

 

(0.85)*454 g ~ 400 g of energy dense lipid --> 400 g x 9 cal/g ~ 3500 cal.

 

where the 3,500 calories comes from

 

A lb of water is 454 grams (water/mineral balance)

A lb of protein is 454 grams (nitrogen retention/losses)

A lb of carbs is 454 grams (glucose, stored glycogen in liver and muscles)

A lb of excrement in your colon is 454 lbs

 

I am pretty sure you want to create positive body re-composition changes and not worry about math/science of units though.

[creighton0123]

So I've been losing about 6 lbs a week for the past 2 weeks. I'm still obese, but barely. I've had people warn me about losing it too fast but I actually feel pretty good. Should I be on the lookout for something?

 

You'll loose quickly at first. In the first few weeks.

 

I went down from my max of 235 to 175. This harsh winter (live in Boston) brought me back up to 190, but now down to 185 again with a target of 165 (more emphasis on a target of 15% body fat, where I'm now at 25%).

 

First thing I noticed in the first two weeks was:

 

Drop of 5 lbs the first week

Drop of 4 lbs the second week.

 

After that, I was closer to 1-2 lbs per week until I hit 195, then 1 per week.

 

In the first week, you lose a ton of water. This is especially true if you are tracking your sodium intake and keeping it at the daily recommended value.

 

The second week, some more water and a bit of body fat.

 

I then got some of the jiggly belly going on, which I knew was the remnants of enlarged, drained fat cells. Once those shrunk and I was absent any "new fat", weight loss got a touch slower.

 

I was measuring bodyfat the entire time, albeit doing calculated averages and trend charts (I'm a data nerd and the Aria scale is easy). I found that fat loss was still happening, but muscle gain was combating body weight.

 

For this reason, I'd suggest this:

 

Stop calculating body weight. Instead, find one, reliable way of calculating body fat percentage. It doesn't have to be accurate, mind you, but it needs to be consistent.

 

A weight target is dangerous, in my opinion, because it encourages a hard-focus on crazy diets, crazy calorie cutting, etc.

 

My initial success before the long winter of dropping from 33% body fat to 22% body fat required I actually increase my caloric intake until I was net 1800 calories a day (Carlories consumed - calories burned). When I was at 1200 net calories, I was actually losing weight at a slower pace.

 

So. That being said, consider body fat percentage as a goal, not body weight. It's a lot easier to get over the hump and see steady results, especially when you pair fat loss + muscle gain.