"Carol Frilegh" wrote in message
...
In article , GaryG
wrote:

"Mike Turco" wrote in message
news:IBvJd.1584$1t.297@fed1read06...

I've been "dieting" for four months and have come down from 290 to
265.
That
comes out to about 1.3 lb/week. Considering that there were a couple
of
small setbacks maybe that's not so bad.

I'm wondering other people experience in terms of average weight loss.
Specifically, pounds lost divided by weeks of dieting. Its one thing
to
lose
two pounds a week some weeks but not others, vs. sustaining that rate
with
no fluctuation or setbacks.

My original goal was x pounds by such-and-such date based on losing
2lb/week. That just doesn't seem like a realistic way of looking at
the
situation. Maybe my real goal should be to stick with a healthy way of
eating, and gradual weight loss is just one indicator of success.

Thanks,

Mike
fat/still fat/not fat


You have achieved a very respectable rate of weight loss. Most
authorities
recommend losing around 1 lb per week (2 lbs / week is feasible, but
difficult for most folks to maintain over the long term).

1.3 lbs/week of weight loss translates into an average deficit of 650
calories per day. At this rate, you can expect to lose around 68 lbs in
one
year, but don't be in a hurry to lose the weight. You didn't gain it
overnight, and slow and steady weight loss is generally healthier (and
more
likely to be successful).

You don't mention exercise...if you're not doing so, try to incorporate
some
form of physical activity into your program. It will help with weight
loss,
and has many other health benefits.

Finally, congratulations on your success to date, and keep up the good
work!

Gary and Mike, it's been my experience since 1967 that men metabolize a
little differently than women and two pounds a week is indeed a safe
and respectable rate. I believe men should have a higher daily protein
intake than women at least that is a very old WW protocol. Exercis is
great and important but don't be suprised if you build some muscle
which is a different kind of weight. Also fat retains water weight more
than muscle which is more compressed. if you start to exercise but
don't lose at the same rate, don't be discouraged and do continue to
exercise as fitness is as important as weight losss IMO.

I agree that, for men, 2 lbs per week is a safe rate of loss. However, I'm
not so sure that it is feasible to plan on achieving that rate, especially
over a longer time frame. 2 lbs per week (1000 cal/day) requires a level of
dedication to diet that many would find difficult to maintain. With an
agressive diet and exercise program, it can certainly be done, but I suspect
that rate of loss is exceptional for most folks.

I also think the "exercise builds muscle which can cause weight gain because
it weighs more than fat" argument has been overstated. Most obese folks
already have excess musculature in addition to excess fat (the excess
muscles are required to move their fat around). As fat weight is lost, the
body no longer needs some of the muscles that were involved, so muscle mass
is reduced proportionaly. This is natural, and as long as an exercise
program is incorporated, it's not a bad thing. FWIW, I would love to see
some studies done on this...there's so much talk about "preserving muscle
mass", but I've not seen any research on how much muscle mass is normally
lost when an obese person loses large amounts of weight. I suspect it's a
fairly substantial amount, but haven't seen research to confirm my
suspicions.

GG



--
Diva
*****
The Best Man For The Job Is A Woman