Is losing 2 stone in 12 weeks "worryingly fast"?

[JustTryingToBeHappy]

I'm morbidly obese and have been since a child. Twelve weeks ago I weighed in at 20 stone 7 pounds and something inside me snapped. I felt angry and fed up that I had got to this point and powered my rage into doing something about it.

So I did a pile of research on how to find your correct deficit number, started calorie counting and walking more, included more fruit and veg in my diet and I have now lost 2 stone so far. I haven't told anyone I am doing this, but people are starting to guess because they can see it in my face apparently.

Two friends and a colleague this week have all commented "you look amazing, have you lost weight?" When I reply, yes, they are beaming with positivity for me, which is nice. Until they ask how much I've lost and how long its taken and suddenly it's as if I've told them I'm living off air and water only.

One friend told me 2 stone in 12 weeks is "worryingly fast" and I must be "drastically cutting my calories". I replied to her that if you count 1800 cals a day as "drastic" then sure, but I've researched a lot into it and am doing this the proper and safe way. Explained the weight loss will slow down as time goes on. She said I can't possibly be eating that many calories and be losing "so much weight".

The other friend and the colleague have made similar comments. One even accused me of using weight loss injections and lying about it! Honestly it's made me annoyed that people are sticking their noses in when I'm being perfectly healthy.

I have 8 more stone to lose and the thought of people clutching their pearls in horror is taking the shine off my achievements.

How do you deal with this? I'm guessing it will get worse the closer I get to goal. Why can't they be happy that I am finally putting my health first and reducing my risk of a lot of horrible illnesses? I'd be delighted if a loved one was doing that, I want them to be around for as long as possible.

I don't understand.

No, I’d say pretty normal rate. It will probably slow down a bit as there’s less to lose.

Well done!

I think it sounds fine OP, well done! I think when you have a lot to lose, it’s more likely you’ll see big losses quickly, as you get closer to your goal weight it’s likely to slow down.

it might just sound a lot to someone who’s a a healthy weight, that’s all.

It's fine given your start weight. Well done on the loss.

That's a totally healthy rate. Presumably your first week loss was biggest so you're probably averaging just under 2lbs a week. That's a brillisnt rate. Ignore them

I am not a doctor or dietician but if you were eating enough to become and maintain 20 stone this would have been a lot of calories.

Therefore eating and maintaining a better diet would have been a significant drop in calories resulting in the weight loss. It doesn’t seem too much to me.

That works out at 2.3lbs a week.
People are normally told to aim for 2lbs a week, but you always have a large loss the first two or three weeks as you’re using up your glycogen stores and therefore getting rid of water.
Also, the bigger you are to start with the faster it comes off, at least in the early stages.
Bearing this in mind I’d say you’re bang on what you should aim to be losing - you’re doing a sterling job!
(Solidarity from someone who was 20st 2lbs at the start of October and is 16st 6lbs now 😊)

These people are all healthy weights (I assume), so I can understand that it might sound like a lot of weight in a short space to them.

I just don't appreciate being told I am lying, being told I am losing too fast or doing something wrong, etc.

Don't mind the lovely compliments, though

Well done @JustTryingToBeHappy!
It’s a good amount to lose and fwiw I don’t think it’s too quickly.

How do you feel? Do you feel that you can keep up these lifestyle changes?

Any reduction in calories is going to help. How much were you eating before?

1800 cals is a huge drop from being classed as morbidly obese. If you feel fine and you can maintain it, then great. Some people feel exhausted with such a deficit so move a lot less, then that becomes problematic eventually. Or you may not be able to maintain it. However, you will lose a lot to start with but that will slow. Well done though

Just echoing the others - well done 😊 and yes I would imagine the loss will gradually slow down.

Thank you for all the nice replies 😊 and well done to the poster who has lost weight too!

I have a habit of taking what people say to heart, so that's probably why it's got my back up a bit. Criticism makes me feel a bit uneasy. I'm too sensitive, I know🙈

Oh God, I have no idea how many cals I was eating before, I don't think I want to know 😅 🙈

I used a TDEE calculator to work out my maintenance cals, which was around 2300, and put myself in a 500 cal deficit from that, which is how I got my 1800 cal allowance.

I absolutely feel I can keep this up. In fact it's easier than guessing and worrying that I have over done it. Feels more "secure" if that makes sense.

Congrats!

I don't naturally know stone/lbs so have converted. When I was dieting previously, 2kg (4.4lbs) a week was considered a healthy, max weight loss, so your weight loss does seem within a healthy range.

Weight loss can start off fast and then slow unfortunately, so don't panic if down the line you lose less per week than now. Hopefully not, but it can happen. Well done.

On the contrary, I have never had so much energy. I went for a walk yesterday and realised that my back no longer hurts. It felt amazing!

Not worryingly fast at all! Well done

Often these kinds of comments represent an issue that the commenters have - even good friends sometimes don't want you to be successful, because it risks making you look better than them! And if they are overweight themselves, they're jealous because you're doing what they would like to.

The more weight you have to lose, the more you lose at the beginning certainly

a lot will be water weight initially, but you’re being super sensible at 1800cals and you’re doing the right thing

you know other people (often women) will tell those larger than themselves that they shouldn’t lose more, or are fine as you are etc etc.

just nod along and ignore. You are making superb progress and will improve your health dramatically

Well done OP. With a higher starting weight you will be burning more calories than someone who's maybe only half a stone overweight and burning 2000 a day. Eating 1800 calories a day is absolutely fine in terms of getting enough nutrition so you don't have anything to worry about.

I'm not sure how accurate this is but I heard that a pound of weight loss equals a 3500 calorie deficit. So 2.3lb weight loss in a week would be about an 8000 calorie deficit. So you could be burning around 3000 calories a day at the moment, that will decrease as you get slimmer and have less weight to carry around and the weight loss will slow but you should get there.

Just smile and ignore them . You are doing great.

No. On Fast 800 which is medically developed people can lose 3 stone in 12 weeks routinely

Sounds OK, especially as you have taken control of what you are eating. Maybe reframe how you tell people, rather than giving a total, say you are aiming to lose a kg a week. Most people seem to have no idea what that is in lbs. Or, don't tell them anything, it's none of their business really, just say yes and move on.

Given your starting weight, it's OK but if it continues at the same rate there's a problem.

No it's normal. If you were 10 stone to begin and lost that much in that short a time, it might signify a problem but not at the weight you started. You won't continue to lose at that rate though, it will slow down and at times may even fluctuate.

Your weight loss is brilliant and well within three normal ranges, congratulations!
I have lost about 10kg recently and find people say 'oh, you've lost a lot of weight, are you unwell' or ' are you happy!' Or 'don't lose too much'. I think a lot of it stems from losing their reliably fat friend!

No i don't think it's 'worryingly fast'

It sounds like a sensible rate of weight loss to me, especially when you have a lot to lose and are feeling motivated

Well done OP 👏

It’s fine, the bigger you are the quicker it comes off when you start making changes. Well done you.