Hi! I’m 22F 5’4, I weighed 200 lbs when I began my weight loss adventure in June of this year, and I’m now 182 lbs (17 lbs in almost 4 months). I’ve found that it takes me almost 2 weeks to lose a pound; is this typical or too slow? I’m now doing intermittent fasting, walking 10k six days a week, and working out five days a week, but if I’m craving fast food, I’ll eat it, which happens around twice or three times a week lol. So I’m starting to believe I’m taking longer to lose weight because of that; I know it’s a gradual and steady process, but I’m afraid I’m doing something wrong because of how long is taking me to lose a pound. Any advice?
Weight loss is 90% food, 10% activity. You can’t exercise away 1500 calories from Burger King. Clean up your diet, and you’ll keep losing.
On average, you lose 1lb per week. This is an excellent pace of weight loss!
It is usual to witness stalls for a week or even a few weeks, followed by a larger drop all at once. This is because water weight (which varies) has a greater influence on your weight than fat loss.
You’re doing fantastic. Be patient, and keep going.
I believe that is excellent development and not too slow. People who drop 2-4 pounds each week are likely losing both fat and muscle.
I wouldn’t say fast food. Your progress may appear to be slow because you only eat 2-3 times per week…however, that food isn’t high-quality, and your body doesn’t know what to do with those mostly empty calories, so it stores them as fat rather than using them for energy. If you can limit your fast food outings to 1-2 times per week, or even just one, until you no longer need or crave it, that’s a good goal!
Meal planning and prepping have also substantially aided my weight loss journey. It keeps me on track with my nutrition and allows me to easily prepare a healthy dinner when life gets crazy. I only eat fast food about 2-3 times a year now, and I prefer “higher quality” restaurants like Culver’s (their burgers are made with locally sourced, never frozen beef), which settles much better in my stomach than McDonald’s or BK. I haven’t had McDonald’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell in over three years and don’t miss them at all.
To be honest, I believe you should aim for a healthy diet. While intermittent fasting has its advantages, it’s important to consider not only when you eat (or don’t), but also what you consume. Instead of fast food, choose nutritious, low-calorie items that are easier for your body to burn. You are capable of doing it!
Try the Ketogenic diet. I’ve seen tremendous changes in just three weeks. If a diet is not your thing, I’d like to offer some eating habits that I utilise. One is to eat until you are satisfied rather than full. Drink plenty of water; your body may misinterpret hunger for thirst. Finally, you should avoid sugary drinks and stick to water.
Cutting out sugar! It isn’t really difficult, but it causes a lot of damage to your body! It instantly converts to fat, and an excess of it can impair brain productivity as well as organ and artery function.