Weight loss rate question / opinion

[550Hep]

So never posted in this forum before but I thought I would ask this here as I am getting some conflicting opinions on this from friends and family.

I have been on a diet since early Jan and lost 3 stone (18st to 15st) and this is in 11 weeks so all in all 3.8lbs a week. I am doing this on diet and exercise using a Calorie Counter website (http://caloriecount.about.com) sticking to around 1300 Cals a day with the occasional blow out as we have had a few birthdays and friends over etc where I have been well over double that. I have not given up anything still have the occasional vino, beer & gin etc (just much less!).

I am doing plenty of exercise 90% of which has been on a cross trainer we have at home and I have recently bought a home multi gym to start to tone up etc while I loose the last stone I want to.

So my question is does that rate of loss seem extreme or OTT as some folks have said it is too much too fast?

Thanks,

Edited by 550Hep on Thursday 1st April 18:39

[Beardy10]

That's bloody impressive losing that much weight that quickly. I don't know where the "don't lose weight too quickly" argument comes from...I suspect it is because to lose weight that quickly you have obviously been very strict on your diet and the question is whether that is sustainable in the long term ? I suppose what I would probably do is to try and be less strict now whilst looking to lose that last stone....try and modify your lifestyle to something that you really know is sustainable in the long term.....that might mean eating 1800 calories a day and doing a bit more gym work.

I've lost a couple of stone myself but over a much longer period...I've done that by doing more gym work and being less strict on my diet. I did that as I just couldn't be as strict as you on diet and I think once I hit my weight I will find it easier to keep the weight off with that regime.

[ShadownINja]

550Hep said:

3.8lbs a week.

It's slightly high. 2-3lbs a week is healthier in the long term according to many health professionals. Aim to lose 2lbs a week, if you lose a bit more, treat yourself the next week. Dieting doesn't have to be suffering the whole time. And also, as above, look for a long-term strategy - it's about lifestyle choices; I highly recommend researching the GI diet as it's not a diet in the sense of "lose 10 stone in 5 weeks" but a healthy way of eating. I've never needed to lose weight but generally follow the GI diet as a lifestyle "diet" because it makes sense to me to eat that way. It's better for the sort of sports I do, too, for instance, sustained energy release for training purposes.

Edited by ShadownINja on Thursday 1st April 19:49

[550Hep]

Thanks Beardy I have been strict with regards to the amounts I have been eating and controlling the calories but in all fairness I haven't stopped eating certain things or even drinking etc just been doing it less. The big thing has been no snacking on crap really and switching to raw carrot, celery, apples, pears etc etc. I have been having the occasional packet of crisps, chocolate bar etc just not as much.

Good advice on the ramping back up over the last stone though and I think I will try to do that along with keeping the exercise regime going as the goal is to get myself into a steady enough routine that I can maintain around 14st. Which if I am doing the exercise and input=output I will be eating around 2500-2800 calories a day as at the minute I am averaging this: -

Edited by 550Hep on Thursday 1st April 19:52

[King Herald]

550Hep said:

So my question is does that rate of loss seem extreme or OTT as some folks have said it is too much too fast?

Thanks,

I went on a 2000 calorie a day diet and several people told me I'd be doing myself harm. I never got hungry, exercised regularly, and lost weight, about 25 lbs in the last six months, though the last three months haven't done a great deal.

Apparently if you eat too little your body can go into 'famine' mode and start consuming muscle, reserving fat, and it isn't very healthy at all, apparently.

[550Hep]

Interesting on the famine mode thing I had read about that just don't know if I am there or not. I think not to be honest as I know I am eating a balanced diet, I am certainly loosing fat as I have gone from a 40/42" waist to a 36" and I am also feeling frankly f**king ace! Also over the last couple of weeks as I have started to weight train I can see the difference in my musculature so my body is definitely loosing fat and has started to gain muscle or at least tone on the muscle I have!

Also on the not feeling hungry front I really have not been, there are days where I have been at considerably under 1000 calories and felt quite replete and have gone and eaten some more to get to circa 1200. In fact today is one of those days as I have just had some cheese and biscuits and a g&t a) because I really like them! b) to get myself over the 1000 calorie mark for the day.

[Lost_BMW]

I've been up and down like a yoyo over the past few years (usually injury = lack of exercise = back up syndrome) including 'diets' that have been either v. calorie restricted including (silly I know) up to 3 days of fasting and had lost at a similar rate; once 6 stone in just over 5 months.

I've heard all the 'danger' stories and being on a yoyo (down side again now) think this is mainly due to extreme diets being unsustainable and that folk go back to the old eating habits that got them heavy in the 1st place, especially for those who didn't use much exercise to help the loss. If you can keep the exercise high and your diet as sensible as now with a minimum of daily crap snacks, moderate indulgencies every now and then etc. I reckon you should be fine . . as SN says think of a lifestyle change rather than a diet per se.

Chances are the rate of loss would start to slow anyway as your body gets used to it + lots of the initial loss is often water and not all fat. Some muscle loss could occur but if you exercise and the diet is not too severe you should keep it and might even gain. Within limits this can happen as I and others know 1st hand. Even on c.600 to 1200 a day for a few months I gained strength and muscle size back just by re-starting a high intensity weights/aerobics programme, though law of diminishing returns may well kick in eventually at any ridiculously low calorie level.

If you do over do it one sure fire sign - esp. on low carb diets - is to look for signs of 'ketosis' when the body is catobolising the good bits too and having to use ketones as an energy source. I've had this a good few times and you can't miss it = urinating at Olympic level (sometimes minutes rather than hours between pees) + an unmistakable smell of acetone in the urine and breath, a bit like nail varnish remover! Probably not good . . .

If you do spot this just add some more calories and carbs bit by bit until it stops. Best of luck, hope you do better than me at keeping it off!

[King Herald]

Lost_BMW said:

I've heard all the 'danger' stories and being on a yoyo (down side again now) think this is mainly due to extreme diets being unsustainable and....

The thing is, you don't go on a diet, you need to change your diet, forever.

The reason people get to be an overweight porker is because they eat too much, and always have done. The ONLY way they are going to lose weight is to eat less, and ALWAYS eat less, for ever more.

People think they can go on a crash diet, lose 100lbs, then go back to normal once they've lost it. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooope.

As soon as they go back to 5000 calories a day they will turn into the blob again.

Don't go on a diet, CHANGE your diet.

[Lost_BMW]

King Herald said:

Lost_BMW said:

I've heard all the 'danger' stories and being on a yoyo (down side again now) think this is mainly due to extreme diets being unsustainable and....

The thing is, you don't go on a diet, you need to change your diet, forever.

The reason people get to be an overweight porker is because they eat too much, and always have done. The ONLY way they are going to lose weight is to eat less, and ALWAYS eat less, for ever more.

People think they can go on a crash diet, lose 100lbs, then go back to normal once they've lost it. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooope.

As soon as they go back to 5000 calories a day they will turn into the blob again.

Don't go on a diet, CHANGE your diet.

Which was pretty much the point of what I'd written, from bitter 1st hand experience, now sorted, for life.

Edited by Lost_BMW on Monday 5th April 20:23

[E21_Ross]

Beardy10 said:

I don't know where the "don't lose weight too quickly" argument comes from...

it's because research has shown that (generally) those who lose weight really quickly, are far more likely to put it back on it.

as said, that's a generalised rule, there are obviously exceptions.

OP: that is a lot of weight to lose in a short period of time. how heavy were you? because if you were like 50 stone it's not as big a deal if you were 15 stone for instance. it's possibly better to look at mass loss as a percentage of initial mass?

it's a good idea to, instead of cutting stuff out for a bit, go to a diet which will maintain you at your future, ideal weight. but not to just go straight into consuming a lot less, but gradually. if that makes sense.

cheers, and keep up the good work. though expect the pound-dropping to slow down! or at least hope it does!

Edited by E21_Ross on Monday 5th April 21:26

[550Hep]

E21_Ross said:

Beardy10 said:

I don't know where the "don't lose weight too quickly" argument comes from...

it's because research has shown that (generally) those who lose weight really quickly, are far more likely to put it back on it.

as said, that's a generalised rule, there are obviously exceptions.

OP: that is a lot of weight to lose in a short period of time. how heavy were you? because if you were like 50 stone it's not as big a deal if you were 15 stone for instance. it's possibly better to look at mass loss as a percentage of initial mass?

it's a good idea to, instead of cutting stuff out for a bit, go to a diet which will maintain you at your future, ideal weight. but not to just go straight into consuming a lot less, but gradually. if that makes sense.

cheers, and keep up the good work. though expect the pound-dropping to slow down! or at least hope it does!

Edited by E21_Ross on Monday 5th April 21:26

I was 18st and now 15st and the idea is that I was running at 1300 cals a day and now going back to 1600-1800 for the final stone then of course the idea is I run the food diary for a while while getting back to what will be my more regular diet where I will be on I suspect circa 2500-2800 cals a day and keeping exercised etc.

The rate as decreased a little now loosing more like 1-2lbs a week rather than 3-3.5lbs

[E21_Ross]

550Hep said:

E21_Ross said:

Beardy10 said:

I don't know where the "don't lose weight too quickly" argument comes from...

it's because research has shown that (generally) those who lose weight really quickly, are far more likely to put it back on it.

as said, that's a generalised rule, there are obviously exceptions.

OP: that is a lot of weight to lose in a short period of time. how heavy were you? because if you were like 50 stone it's not as big a deal if you were 15 stone for instance. it's possibly better to look at mass loss as a percentage of initial mass?

it's a good idea to, instead of cutting stuff out for a bit, go to a diet which will maintain you at your future, ideal weight. but not to just go straight into consuming a lot less, but gradually. if that makes sense.

cheers, and keep up the good work. though expect the pound-dropping to slow down! or at least hope it does!

Edited by E21_Ross on Monday 5th April 21:26

I was 18st and now 15st and the idea is that I was running at 1300 cals a day and now going back to 1600-1800 for the final stone then of course the idea is I run the food diary for a while while getting back to what will be my more regular diet where I will be on I suspect circa 2500-2800 cals a day and keeping exercised etc.

The rate as decreased a little now loosing more like 1-2lbs a week rather than 3-3.5lbs

bloody hell 1300kcals a day is really not very much. how much were you consuming to start with? either way that's a very sharp decrease in intake. i think it's better in the long run you consume a diet which will sustain you at the weight you want to be. as said, that way you're more likely to maintain that weight in the future, but of course the weight loss rate will be slower.

either way it's totally up to you and all i can say is well done for having the balls to go through and do it.

Ross.

[550Hep]

E21_Ross said:

550Hep said:

E21_Ross said:

Beardy10 said:

I don't know where the "don't lose weight too quickly" argument comes from...

it's because research has shown that (generally) those who lose weight really quickly, are far more likely to put it back on it.

as said, that's a generalised rule, there are obviously exceptions.

OP: that is a lot of weight to lose in a short period of time. how heavy were you? because if you were like 50 stone it's not as big a deal if you were 15 stone for instance. it's possibly better to look at mass loss as a percentage of initial mass?

it's a good idea to, instead of cutting stuff out for a bit, go to a diet which will maintain you at your future, ideal weight. but not to just go straight into consuming a lot less, but gradually. if that makes sense.

cheers, and keep up the good work. though expect the pound-dropping to slow down! or at least hope it does!

Edited by E21_Ross on Monday 5th April 21:26

I was 18st and now 15st and the idea is that I was running at 1300 cals a day and now going back to 1600-1800 for the final stone then of course the idea is I run the food diary for a while while getting back to what will be my more regular diet where I will be on I suspect circa 2500-2800 cals a day and keeping exercised etc.

The rate as decreased a little now loosing more like 1-2lbs a week rather than 3-3.5lbs

bloody hell 1300kcals a day is really not very much. how much were you consuming to start with? either way that's a very sharp decrease in intake. i think it's better in the long run you consume a diet which will sustain you at the weight you want to be. as said, that way you're more likely to maintain that weight in the future, but of course the weight loss rate will be slower.

either way it's totally up to you and all i can say is well done for having the balls to go through and do it.

Ross.

I didn't do an accurate diary prior to starting my diet but if I add a faux typical week into the Calorie Counter DB I am using I average out @ approx 2800-3500. That was over a sustained period of time (approx 4 years) as 4 years ago I was around 14st and running, going to the gym etc. Moving to a new job put a stop to that as I was spending allot of time traveling etc meant my eating habits got worse and my exercise petered out to virtually zero.

The idea is that I wanted to loose the excess 4st over approx 4-6 months and in the process get fit not just loose weight. So my diet has been combined with using a cross trainer I have had at home from the days when I was fit! Been on that at least 3-4 times a week for 30-40 mins as well as playing badminton again once a week. Also in the last few weeks I bought a compact multi-gym for home so I can also do some weight circuits to tone etc.

I have been able to do this now as I am no longer split in my job between here and the US and also mostly based from home which helps in keeping regular eating times and food discipline as well as my equipment is in my home office so I can literally step away from my desk and do 30 mins without all the rigmarole of getting up and about to goto the gym and home again etc.

I am back up to 1600 cals now and as I get down towards 14st again I will increase that back up to whatever my happy medium is once I know what that is I will knock the food diary on the head and maintain that regimen myself.

I certainly think I have the discipline to pull it off and keep it that way.

[bazking69]

I lost 4 stone in 4 months a few years back.

It had a little to do with cutting down my food but everything to do with exercise. I cycled miles a day to the gym, went to the gym daily and went swimming daily.

I never starved myself. I just cut right back on crap and booze. I still ate well. Coupled with a couple of hours exercise a day it soon fell off.