Do you know ANYONE that has consistently lost 2Ibs A WEEK over a significant period of time

[carbalanche]

Diet plans always seem to set this as an achievable, healthy weekly weight-loss goal but in all my years of dieting I have NEVER done it. I've done the massive drop at the beginning (4,5,6Ibs) and then a couple of good weeks following that of say 3Ibs followed by 2Ibs but then it always starts to go to weeks of NO loss, followed by 1Ib, .5Ib , then maybe a gain or two or a pattern that is similar. Then I may go all out and have a good 2-3Ib loss - y'know that kind of erratic pattern. I've ended up at goal but it has always taken a sod of a lot longer than a steady 2 pound a week would have taken!

I have NEVER managed this steady 2Ib loss - has anyone else? And I don't mean just for a month I mean over 3, 4+ months.

I believe it is a myth that this is possible and that our bodies just can't work that mechanically but I am prepared to be proved wrong!!

No, I have never heard of it. 10 years ago I lost 7st over a period of about 18mnths and my weight loss was a general downward trend, but like you, one week I'd lose 4lbs, then 1lb, then stay the same for a week or two and then lose another 3lbs etc. Our bodies aren't machines, and they respond to all sorts of different hormones etc, e.g. your monthly cycle - I used to gain weight unexplainably before my period and then lose it plus more after my period had finished. Remember as well that we're all different, some people just find it easy to lose weight. I'm not one of them...! I've just started the 5:2 diet and I've lost 10lbs in my first week (just like you mentioned, that first week massive loss!) - although I do have A LOT to lose - my BMI is about 40, I started at 17st!! (very obese).

I think its completely normal for your weight loss to fluctuate, I'm sure that anyone else who has tried to lose weight will say exactly the same.
Kind regards, Joey

Yep I lost 2lbs (an odd time 1 or 3lbs) most weeks for a few months after having my DS with MFP it really is easy if you stick to it. Lost 28lbs in all ending up half a stone lighter than pre preg weight.

I know dieting is hard but if you stick to your daily cals and get a bit of exercise in every week it will work. I've probably put on 5lbs again so going to start MFP tomorrow again and hope to have it off in about 6 wks.

Doing it for long enough to lose 28 lbs, yes. If you're wanting to lose 100lbs, expecting it to take 50 weeks is probably wildly over optimistic.

I have let this target dishearten me too many times. But over last 42 weeks I have managed to lose 52 lbs. it's much nearer a pound a week than two, and yes, I would be thrilled if I had lost 84 instead go 52, but this is what I can do, healthily and sustainably, and still have a life.

Chugchug Well done to you, that sounds like great weight loss! I do think though that your experience may me atypical of most dieters.

sorry, I meant "may BE atypical".

What's MFP?

I have gone for the more realistic 1 pound a week - seems to work - remember that is 52..... FIFTY TWO ...... pounds in a year....( took longer to put it on than a year - so am aiming for a slow plod to take it off)

My natural weight loss when following a healthy calorie controlled weight loss is usually 1lb a week. In the first couple of weeks I might lose 2lb but you can't really sustain that type of weight loss.

I do know some people that have lost about 3-4 lb a week over a long period but they are usually following a very unhealthy crash diet. My mil did this and in order to maintain her new lower weight she has to eat like a bird (500 calories a day for the last 10 years).

Crash dieting doesn't work, if you want to maintain the weight loss you have to accept that you won't get there overnight.

I've been Paul McKenna-ing since Sept and lost 12lb. So much less than 2lb's a week but a fairly steady downward trend, without 'dieting'. And continued to lose over Christmas. I did have a couple of weeks when I gained/stayed the same, but i guess bodies are fairly complex so different things affect them.

I did, with South Beach. Any other diet I tried was more like 1 lb or less a week, but south beach seems to really suit me. That was eating a lot of food too, but good healthy low gi food.

forgot to add, it was also with plenty of exercise!

You may well be loosing 2lb of fat a week, but your weight on the scales won't always reflect this because of one week having some water retention, another being rather dehydrated, exercising and building up muscle mass etc...

I do SW and over the last 16mo my average loss has been 2lb a week. Week by week though it's been the odd big loss, the odd gain as well.

Better to focus on a sustainable healthy eating plan and let the weight loss follow the course it does.

Having said that, I have noticed that the older women in my group (over 40, lets say), certainly find losing weight tougher than us young'uns.

Hi there thecatinthehairnet I think MFP means MyFitnessPal website. It's good for working out calories in things and you can use a food diary to track your daily calorie intake.

Thanks joeys my stubbornness spurred me on. I was determined to be back to normal by the time I went back to work. But I think the exercise was a big factor, probably done something 3-4 times a week, pilates, zumba gym, walking etc.

MsRinky congrats on your amazing weight loss. I think 1Ib a week is more likely over say a six month period, with big chunks at the beginning and then a more erratic pattern. I just remember looking at that goal chart in the front of the WW book that showed a graph over 12 weeks with a predicted 2Ib weight loss. I felt soooo smug when I was dipping under the line in the first few weeks and then hitting the line, then rising above the line and then conveniently stopping filling it in

I'm going the low-carb route so the whole MFP counting calories thing is a no-no for me but I do use it just out of interest and to track carbs - I don't need to I just can't help myself.

I lost 2lb a week, tracking calories and exercise with My Fitness Pal app.
2lb a week (average, in practice between 1 and 3) from July to December. I stopped tracking once I had lost 3 1/2 stone and hit my target weight, now I'm settling down, losing 0.5-1lb a week.
I lose less at TOTM, more the week after, but it all evens out.
I started at 14st, BMI 38, now at 10st 3, BMI 28. I am quite active and muscly so happy to end up at the higher end of "healthy" BMI, but want to stop losing gradually so it's sustainable long term.