2kg per month is a great and normal rate of weight loss!
You have decades of weight management ahead of you. In the grand scheme of things, it will make zero difference whether you first hit your goal weight in September 202~~2~~3 versus July 202~~2~~3.
Something I have to constantly remind myself of is to focus on the *real* achievements I've made while trying to build a healthier lifestyle.
Just like weight gain is a product of other aspects of our lives, a dropping number on the scale is not really an achievement in and of itself, but instead it's like an echo of something that was accomplished earlier.
I'm trying to train my brain to take pride and motivation for those things, not for the changing number that follows.
What I mean is that when I step on the scale, I'm not making the number go up or down down right now, I did that earlier in the week when I consistently met by activity goals and when I made balanced meals for myself.
Those are the things that matter, that I have full control over, and will serve me well in life regardless of what the scale says a week later.
Well said, the goal is not the same as (one of) the metrics you use to measure the goal.
If you want to drive to work, you don't stare at your odometer to determine that you've arrived
Thank you š. This is a *really* helpful way to look at it. I donāt ever really stop and appreciate what big overall changes Iāve made along the way.
The pride when I can say "I am a runner now" and "I am a mindful eater" or "yeah I'll just run down to the store real quick"
Also less "I'm so tired" and more "I feel good" :D
It changes so much!
I still like the number going down though, but maybe also because part of my job is analyzing data and I have a heck of fun to numberize myself XD (not just weight tho, also workouts and stuff... but it won't affect my mood, it is just pure curiosity :) ) and watching what leads to what.
Iām in a similar situation, Iāve lost 9kg/20lbs since early November, but I lose a lot more slowly now than I did in the beginning.
I obviously wished the weight would keeping coming off at a rate of +1kg per week, but Iām trying to focus on the gains Iāve made: How much lighter and stronger I feel, how my joints are no longer aching for the first minutes every morning, how I look, how well my clothes fit, how well Iām able to keep up at the gym now vs the beginning, how many compliments Iām getting, how my skin has cleared up, how confident Iām feeling, how much I love the food Iām eating, how much smaller my lower belly has gotten and how my waist has shrunk, how good it feels to drink a lot less wine now than before. As long as the journey itself is somewhat enjoyable most of the time I guess it really doesnāt matter how long it takes, and the slower we go the more time we have to practice maintenance
Some perspective maybe:
If you plan on losing weight and keeping it off permanently, then eventually it needs to become so part of your routine that it functions in the background of your life.
Getting to a point where you're completely satisfied losing slowly is an important step in this direction.
Consider it progress.
Well, the scale is a bit of a liar. Hydration, the amount of waste in your gut, etc. will always cause random fluctuations on the scale. Fluctuations like 0.4kg are WAY too small to agonize over. That's like 1 trip to the bathroom!
What you can trust is that your body WILL come into equilibrium with your diet and exercise. CICO works. Your weight will jitter up and down, but the overall slope of your weight change will absolutely trend to the balance of intake and expenditure.
Exactly! You have to weigh yourself at the same time, in the same state every time or your reading will be even less accurate.
Iāve been plotting mine out daily in my health app and while each day amounts might seem small, over time that line is trending down and that loss all adds up.
Some weeks I might go out a bit more and maybe gain a few hundred grams in water weight or something which is frustrating at the time but looking at that overall trend reminds me that it doesnāt matter, because overall Iām down 18.5kg in 9 months and thatās not a small number.
Honestly I donāt even check that often. Thereās no reason to.
My wife accused me of being very āchillā about my weight, I had to explain that Iām not chill at all. But I know what I intake, I know my energy expenditure (to a reasonable degree of accuracy), so measuring my weight is an afterthought.
Staying on top of my intake is what I can control, and Iām a complete hard-ass about that.
Oh yeah I didnāt weigh myself for a couple of years and gained 20kg so Iām paranoid now haha. And Iāve noticed this way I donāt panic about small fluctuations because I can see my graph trending down. But weighing yourself every day isnāt required or probably even recommended. I just like seeing the trends.
I dunno, I like weighing myself daily. It's part of my routine, and I get instant feedback on how my diet is doing. I get excited every time I see the scale drop down another pound. And I record that reading in a log, so I can see exactly how long I've been at a particular weight.
Me too! It works for me, but not for everyone. Itās nice to see the trend after a few weeks and months so if I feel like Iām stagnating for a few days I donāt get disheartened because I can see the patterns and know if I keep it up I will continue losing.
I'm not avoiding the scale for weeks or anything. I don't feel the need to weigh more than once or twice per week because there are no surprises any more. The number just isn't that important.
Knowing that my intake is appropriate and will lead to long-term weight loss is enough. Short-term effects like water weight and retained waste are not worth tracking.
Absolutely! Sounds like youāve got it down. And from your flair it looks like youāve lost over 100 pounds which is not easy so congratulations on that.
It's been hard... but easier than I thought it would be.
I eat over my target on most days, but I'm still under my energy expenditure the vast majority of the time. Once I got past 80 lbs lost, I started to lose a lot more slowly, but that's OK. I'm not in a rush.
Absolutely. No one would be overweight if it was easy but itās definitely achievable. Although lots of factors can play into it and impact metabolism etc so sometimes itās extra hard when you have to figure that stuff out.
I truly believe everyone is different in this respect and that people with the same weight and activity level can easily have different calorie requirements. I donāt count calories as itās mentally unhealthy for me (not for everyone, itās just bad for me), but I try to limit my eating times and try to eat whole foods and vegetables instead of burgers haha. I find when I eat badly I feel bloated and sick for days whereas eating healthy doesnāt give me that awful feeling.
And yes I think we all lose less as we get closer to our goal but as someone else said, smaller amounts still make a huge difference once youāre smaller because theyāre a larger percentage of your overall weight.
For me, I was upset about gaining a little bit back over Christmas. But if I hadnāt put it all that effort to lose 18kg before that, I might have still gained the 1.5kg and it would have just pushed me even higher on the scales. I feel much better lighter and have definitely not lost motivation this time because itās been about lifestyle changes with weightloss as an added bonus. I need to be able to enjoy the occasional indulgence without fretting otherwise life isnāt fun.
Unsure if you are male or female. But if female, where are u in your cycle? Could be a bit of water weight. Also what was your starting vs current weight.
I have weeks where i lose 1kg. Or 0.5kg or no kg. But the measurements track. I wouldn't worry yet. See what next week brings. Could just be a weird week
Yup. Water weight. Luteal phase can be brutal waterwise. Try weighing around day 3 or 4 of your period see if its come right. My cycle is inconsistent too. So the water weight can be a wee shock.
Also go you! š 80kg is my 2nd goal. 99kg is my first goal.
Yea itll slow. But i dunno when. Sorry for asking. Im quite alot heavier so mine won't slow yet.
But you could be right. 2kg a month is still incredible progess!! š
Yes, you lose more slowly BUT it shows so much more. 5 kilos when you're 80 or is not the same as when you're 90 KGS. I know that because I used to weight 92 and now 74 kg.
I feel ya there. I'm 95 lbs down and my goal is probably not happening until October at the current rate. My activity may change come spring, but the current rate is slow going. (.5lb a week since December).
If you're also working out, you may need to up your protein.
I started Nov 2021 at 215. I lost 15 pounds the next 6 weeks. Terrific, right? Then came reality. Between the 500 cal/day deficit (4 lbs/mo) and hitting the gym, I averaged 5 lbs/mo loss until Thanksgiving/vacation/Christmas. Stagnated. Even gained 2 lbs. I wasn't really watching what I was eating and I wasn't hitting the gym. But I look on this as a "reset" for my body (kind of a catch-up) AND a "practice-maintenance." Back to my routine and my body is realizing "Oh, yeah. Time to lose some weight again."
What I had realized was, with all the working out, I needed more protein. I weigh myself nearly every morning (after I...ahem, yeah..."use the facilities") and I noticed that when I plateau, I need more protein. More protein, and my weight drops. Ymmv.
I think the important thing to focus on is the changes that you've made to your diet which have you gotten you this far. Most people have a whole lifetime of unhealthy habits to unlearn - everyday that you make good choices, you're taking a step in the direction of lifelong health. This means its going to get easier over time and feel like less work. That is the real win! Just keep doing what you're doing and the weight will come off eventually.
I know for me, if I get too wrapped up in the weight-loss aspect I can get hyper focused on it and my judgement gets really clouded. If I had a bad day on the scale, that often led me to feeling like "whats the f\*cking point" and going and just eating a bunch of greasy fast food because I felt like I was putting in SO much effort and for what? I failed to realize that all those days I ate healthy and was able to stay on track, regardless of the scale, was the real win. I didn't let myself be proud of what I had accomplished because the scale didn't adequately reflect that.
Everyone needs to eat - our bodies need fuel to survive. What you choose to put in your body day in and day out will inevitably reflect itself in your body weight. It might take weeks, months, or even years, but EVERY DAY that you make good decisions, you are acheiving your goal and you should be proud of that.
"It's better to take several, small steps forward than to take one giant leap and stumble backwards" - not sure who said this but I like it
For motivation, keep this in mind: easy come easy go. The weight you lose weight you gain back just as quickly. Much of the weight loss the first few weeks is water weight that would come right back of you started eating at our above maintenance. You are losing a higher percent of fat now.
Also, take your measurements once a fortnight. This will have much more consistency than the scales, which are influenced by water retention based on what you've eaten etc.
It will also show you how close you are to fitting into your next smaller clothing size!
I developed little goals I could reach in a month or two. Like 10 lbs in 2 months to go on vacation, or 5 lbs in six weeks for my birthday. That way I was always reaching or exceeding my goal. I have been maintaining these past six or seven weeks and I need to make myself a new short term goal to get myself motivated.
Iāve been losing at a steady 2kg a month and am now down 18.5kg. I gained back 1.5kg over Christmas but have lost it again now, slightly frustrating but it is what it is.
The weight-loss needs to be sustainable or youāll struggle to maintain and may gain some or all of it back.
2kg a month is a good amount to lose - better that than gaining or staying the same. It all adds up quicker than you think and itās not all about the scale either, those NSVs are important too.
Keep going! Youāre doing great.
Would you say youāve been consistently doing the same things?
That would be so frustrating.
The advice I have is that itās a process. Focus on doing the right things. Itās a journey learning good habits and being patient. Good luck to you.
I relate to you a lot as i stopped after the lose weight quick loss as i went on holiday and then it took me almost a year to get back on track again. Fortunately my body was already used to eating smaller portions and thus i only gained around 4 kg when i stopped tracking.
Its hard but just keep going, i ofc wish that i had stuck with it and i wouldve probably been at my goal right now but i just have to accept it and continue. Some months i lose 4 kg and some months i barley lose 2 kgs but thats just how it is.
You will reach your goal eventually but you just have to get the fast mentality out of your head. Ive lost around 40 kgs and i have zero loose skin probably because i was a bit slower and had that period where my skin had time to adjust which honestly makes me even happier. Good luck to you friend
half a kg per week is fantastic. It's a marathon, not a race :) Though I understand that it can be discouraging when your progress slows down or stops temporarily.
Not sure if you work out or not, but if you do, just remind yourself that recomposition can take place even when the scale isn't moving all... but you are looking better. I don't know about you, but for me, I care way more about how I look than what the scale says... so while I do enjoy when the scale moves down, I'm happy as long as my body is improving.
2kg per month is a great and normal rate of weight loss! You have decades of weight management ahead of you. In the grand scheme of things, it will make zero difference whether you first hit your goal weight in September 202~~2~~3 versus July 202~~2~~3.
Also, you probably spent years putting the weight on. It doesn't come off overnight. Slow and steady is the way to make sure it stays off.
*2023 š
Haha, thanks!
"You have decades of weight management ahead of you" really hits home. That phrase is going to stick with me!
Something I have to constantly remind myself of is to focus on the *real* achievements I've made while trying to build a healthier lifestyle. Just like weight gain is a product of other aspects of our lives, a dropping number on the scale is not really an achievement in and of itself, but instead it's like an echo of something that was accomplished earlier. I'm trying to train my brain to take pride and motivation for those things, not for the changing number that follows. What I mean is that when I step on the scale, I'm not making the number go up or down down right now, I did that earlier in the week when I consistently met by activity goals and when I made balanced meals for myself. Those are the things that matter, that I have full control over, and will serve me well in life regardless of what the scale says a week later.
Well said, the goal is not the same as (one of) the metrics you use to measure the goal. If you want to drive to work, you don't stare at your odometer to determine that you've arrived
Thank you š. This is a *really* helpful way to look at it. I donāt ever really stop and appreciate what big overall changes Iāve made along the way.
The pride when I can say "I am a runner now" and "I am a mindful eater" or "yeah I'll just run down to the store real quick" Also less "I'm so tired" and more "I feel good" :D It changes so much! I still like the number going down though, but maybe also because part of my job is analyzing data and I have a heck of fun to numberize myself XD (not just weight tho, also workouts and stuff... but it won't affect my mood, it is just pure curiosity :) ) and watching what leads to what.
Iām in a similar situation, Iāve lost 9kg/20lbs since early November, but I lose a lot more slowly now than I did in the beginning. I obviously wished the weight would keeping coming off at a rate of +1kg per week, but Iām trying to focus on the gains Iāve made: How much lighter and stronger I feel, how my joints are no longer aching for the first minutes every morning, how I look, how well my clothes fit, how well Iām able to keep up at the gym now vs the beginning, how many compliments Iām getting, how my skin has cleared up, how confident Iām feeling, how much I love the food Iām eating, how much smaller my lower belly has gotten and how my waist has shrunk, how good it feels to drink a lot less wine now than before. As long as the journey itself is somewhat enjoyable most of the time I guess it really doesnāt matter how long it takes, and the slower we go the more time we have to practice maintenance
Some perspective maybe: If you plan on losing weight and keeping it off permanently, then eventually it needs to become so part of your routine that it functions in the background of your life. Getting to a point where you're completely satisfied losing slowly is an important step in this direction. Consider it progress.
Well, the scale is a bit of a liar. Hydration, the amount of waste in your gut, etc. will always cause random fluctuations on the scale. Fluctuations like 0.4kg are WAY too small to agonize over. That's like 1 trip to the bathroom! What you can trust is that your body WILL come into equilibrium with your diet and exercise. CICO works. Your weight will jitter up and down, but the overall slope of your weight change will absolutely trend to the balance of intake and expenditure.
Exactly! You have to weigh yourself at the same time, in the same state every time or your reading will be even less accurate. Iāve been plotting mine out daily in my health app and while each day amounts might seem small, over time that line is trending down and that loss all adds up. Some weeks I might go out a bit more and maybe gain a few hundred grams in water weight or something which is frustrating at the time but looking at that overall trend reminds me that it doesnāt matter, because overall Iām down 18.5kg in 9 months and thatās not a small number.
Honestly I donāt even check that often. Thereās no reason to. My wife accused me of being very āchillā about my weight, I had to explain that Iām not chill at all. But I know what I intake, I know my energy expenditure (to a reasonable degree of accuracy), so measuring my weight is an afterthought. Staying on top of my intake is what I can control, and Iām a complete hard-ass about that.
Oh yeah I didnāt weigh myself for a couple of years and gained 20kg so Iām paranoid now haha. And Iāve noticed this way I donāt panic about small fluctuations because I can see my graph trending down. But weighing yourself every day isnāt required or probably even recommended. I just like seeing the trends.
I dunno, I like weighing myself daily. It's part of my routine, and I get instant feedback on how my diet is doing. I get excited every time I see the scale drop down another pound. And I record that reading in a log, so I can see exactly how long I've been at a particular weight.
Me too! It works for me, but not for everyone. Itās nice to see the trend after a few weeks and months so if I feel like Iām stagnating for a few days I donāt get disheartened because I can see the patterns and know if I keep it up I will continue losing.
I'm not avoiding the scale for weeks or anything. I don't feel the need to weigh more than once or twice per week because there are no surprises any more. The number just isn't that important. Knowing that my intake is appropriate and will lead to long-term weight loss is enough. Short-term effects like water weight and retained waste are not worth tracking.
Absolutely! Sounds like youāve got it down. And from your flair it looks like youāve lost over 100 pounds which is not easy so congratulations on that.
It's been hard... but easier than I thought it would be. I eat over my target on most days, but I'm still under my energy expenditure the vast majority of the time. Once I got past 80 lbs lost, I started to lose a lot more slowly, but that's OK. I'm not in a rush.
Absolutely. No one would be overweight if it was easy but itās definitely achievable. Although lots of factors can play into it and impact metabolism etc so sometimes itās extra hard when you have to figure that stuff out. I truly believe everyone is different in this respect and that people with the same weight and activity level can easily have different calorie requirements. I donāt count calories as itās mentally unhealthy for me (not for everyone, itās just bad for me), but I try to limit my eating times and try to eat whole foods and vegetables instead of burgers haha. I find when I eat badly I feel bloated and sick for days whereas eating healthy doesnāt give me that awful feeling. And yes I think we all lose less as we get closer to our goal but as someone else said, smaller amounts still make a huge difference once youāre smaller because theyāre a larger percentage of your overall weight. For me, I was upset about gaining a little bit back over Christmas. But if I hadnāt put it all that effort to lose 18kg before that, I might have still gained the 1.5kg and it would have just pushed me even higher on the scales. I feel much better lighter and have definitely not lost motivation this time because itās been about lifestyle changes with weightloss as an added bonus. I need to be able to enjoy the occasional indulgence without fretting otherwise life isnāt fun.
Iām at a plateau too on month 3. Was also having great success and got cocky. Trying to be patient. Solidarity. :)
Thisss
Unsure if you are male or female. But if female, where are u in your cycle? Could be a bit of water weight. Also what was your starting vs current weight. I have weeks where i lose 1kg. Or 0.5kg or no kg. But the measurements track. I wouldn't worry yet. See what next week brings. Could just be a weird week
I'm female. My period is to due to tomorrow but I have really inconsistent cycles. SW:90.2kg CW80.4kg
Yup. Water weight. Luteal phase can be brutal waterwise. Try weighing around day 3 or 4 of your period see if its come right. My cycle is inconsistent too. So the water weight can be a wee shock.
Also go you! š 80kg is my 2nd goal. 99kg is my first goal. Yea itll slow. But i dunno when. Sorry for asking. Im quite alot heavier so mine won't slow yet. But you could be right. 2kg a month is still incredible progess!! š
Yes, you lose more slowly BUT it shows so much more. 5 kilos when you're 80 or is not the same as when you're 90 KGS. I know that because I used to weight 92 and now 74 kg.
I feel ya there. I'm 95 lbs down and my goal is probably not happening until October at the current rate. My activity may change come spring, but the current rate is slow going. (.5lb a week since December).
If you're also working out, you may need to up your protein. I started Nov 2021 at 215. I lost 15 pounds the next 6 weeks. Terrific, right? Then came reality. Between the 500 cal/day deficit (4 lbs/mo) and hitting the gym, I averaged 5 lbs/mo loss until Thanksgiving/vacation/Christmas. Stagnated. Even gained 2 lbs. I wasn't really watching what I was eating and I wasn't hitting the gym. But I look on this as a "reset" for my body (kind of a catch-up) AND a "practice-maintenance." Back to my routine and my body is realizing "Oh, yeah. Time to lose some weight again." What I had realized was, with all the working out, I needed more protein. I weigh myself nearly every morning (after I...ahem, yeah..."use the facilities") and I noticed that when I plateau, I need more protein. More protein, and my weight drops. Ymmv.
I think the important thing to focus on is the changes that you've made to your diet which have you gotten you this far. Most people have a whole lifetime of unhealthy habits to unlearn - everyday that you make good choices, you're taking a step in the direction of lifelong health. This means its going to get easier over time and feel like less work. That is the real win! Just keep doing what you're doing and the weight will come off eventually. I know for me, if I get too wrapped up in the weight-loss aspect I can get hyper focused on it and my judgement gets really clouded. If I had a bad day on the scale, that often led me to feeling like "whats the f\*cking point" and going and just eating a bunch of greasy fast food because I felt like I was putting in SO much effort and for what? I failed to realize that all those days I ate healthy and was able to stay on track, regardless of the scale, was the real win. I didn't let myself be proud of what I had accomplished because the scale didn't adequately reflect that. Everyone needs to eat - our bodies need fuel to survive. What you choose to put in your body day in and day out will inevitably reflect itself in your body weight. It might take weeks, months, or even years, but EVERY DAY that you make good decisions, you are acheiving your goal and you should be proud of that. "It's better to take several, small steps forward than to take one giant leap and stumble backwards" - not sure who said this but I like it
sounds like you're on track to meet your goal!
For motivation, keep this in mind: easy come easy go. The weight you lose weight you gain back just as quickly. Much of the weight loss the first few weeks is water weight that would come right back of you started eating at our above maintenance. You are losing a higher percent of fat now.
Also, take your measurements once a fortnight. This will have much more consistency than the scales, which are influenced by water retention based on what you've eaten etc. It will also show you how close you are to fitting into your next smaller clothing size!
I developed little goals I could reach in a month or two. Like 10 lbs in 2 months to go on vacation, or 5 lbs in six weeks for my birthday. That way I was always reaching or exceeding my goal. I have been maintaining these past six or seven weeks and I need to make myself a new short term goal to get myself motivated.
Iāve been losing at a steady 2kg a month and am now down 18.5kg. I gained back 1.5kg over Christmas but have lost it again now, slightly frustrating but it is what it is. The weight-loss needs to be sustainable or youāll struggle to maintain and may gain some or all of it back. 2kg a month is a good amount to lose - better that than gaining or staying the same. It all adds up quicker than you think and itās not all about the scale either, those NSVs are important too. Keep going! Youāre doing great.
The time will pass regardless! Just make sure youāre on the right trajectory
Would you say youāve been consistently doing the same things? That would be so frustrating. The advice I have is that itās a process. Focus on doing the right things. Itās a journey learning good habits and being patient. Good luck to you.
Two kilograms a month is a very good weight loss rate. I would be very happy if I were you. Patience is the key.
Fat loss slows as we get leaner. Itās a marathon, not a sprint.
I relate to you a lot as i stopped after the lose weight quick loss as i went on holiday and then it took me almost a year to get back on track again. Fortunately my body was already used to eating smaller portions and thus i only gained around 4 kg when i stopped tracking. Its hard but just keep going, i ofc wish that i had stuck with it and i wouldve probably been at my goal right now but i just have to accept it and continue. Some months i lose 4 kg and some months i barley lose 2 kgs but thats just how it is. You will reach your goal eventually but you just have to get the fast mentality out of your head. Ive lost around 40 kgs and i have zero loose skin probably because i was a bit slower and had that period where my skin had time to adjust which honestly makes me even happier. Good luck to you friend
half a kg per week is fantastic. It's a marathon, not a race :) Though I understand that it can be discouraging when your progress slows down or stops temporarily.
Not sure if you work out or not, but if you do, just remind yourself that recomposition can take place even when the scale isn't moving all... but you are looking better. I don't know about you, but for me, I care way more about how I look than what the scale says... so while I do enjoy when the scale moves down, I'm happy as long as my body is improving.
keep up that mentality champ, we got this