9 lbs in 4 months?! :) :(

I have been here counting since the second week in Janurary. I always way myself on Fridays and today, I reached the 9lb mark (well, actually 9.5). I am frustrated because I was hoping to lose a lot more before summer. I have mixed feelings about it because I know that it is wise to lose slowly, but how slowly? I look at the posts of most of the members here and they are losing much faster. What do you think?

By the way, I am 25, 5 '6, and now 185.5lbs.

That does seem pretty slow. I lost that much in my first month. How many calories do you eat per day? do you work out?

I know it can be frustruating, but hang in there! At least you're losing! You're doing great!

Probably a healthy way to go, but like myself way to slow to shed the pounds. I have been going on a 1 week kicker diet every month to really shed the pounds. Then I get back on to the life program again. Seems to be working very well. The diet I go on loses 10-15 pounds in a week. Now some of that I beleive is water tention so last time I did gain about 3 pounds back and struggled for a week to keep my weight, but it was great for short term success and to get down 10 pounds. It might be a one week solution to help motivate you!!! Then you have to get back on the life program

http://www.soupsong.com/rdiet.html

Are you exercising?  What's your normal intake and respective deficit?

I started out eating 1300 and after a few weeks without losing decided that was not enough. I am now eating about 1600-1800 and I work out at least 4-5 times a week. 45 minutes cardio, 20 minutes weight training. I also walk a mile every day at lunch.

With your calorie intake and deficit, i dont think your going under 1200 so could probably rule out starvation mode. I mean you should at least be losing a 1lb a week with your stats. I mean that does average around 0.9lb per week.

Could it be that you are eating a little more than you think?

Also have you considered that you could be retaining water?

Also its not really 4 months that you have been doing this, its just over 10 weeks which is 2.5 months.

If you can be brutally honest and say that you havent had bad weeks calorie wise and you have been sticking to the 1600-1800 cals a day plus the exercise religiously, scientifically you should have lost a little more.

and in which case you might want to consider looking at medical reasons as to why you are not losing.

So looking at it on an average I lost .8 lb per week. According to this website and many other sources, losing .5-1 lb a week is the way to go. Looks like I am doing the right thing. If I were to lose any faster, I would probobly just gain it back. Losing weight isn't about quick fixes, it's about the long run, changing your lifestyles. I want to be in it for the long run so I guess I will continue what I'm doing.

I sort of know how you feel, my most has been a pound a week, but it slowly creeps up and here I am now at 20lb lost! the slower it is to come off, the more likely it will STAY off. Keep doing what you are doing and eating right. its a long journey to your goal but what a great education you are getting into eating right and exercising inbetween!

Just wanted to add, that to lose at the rate you are, you have an average deficit of 450 cals a day. as it takes 3500 to lose one pound and you are losing around 0.8 which means you have a cal deficit of around 3150 a week.

I know it's hard, but try hard not to compare yourself to everyone you see.  Your pace seems very healthy and you're not only losing fat, but you're also reshaping your body with the cardio and weight training.  Yes, some people may lose weight faster, but every person's body is different.  You should be thrilled that you are doing what you can to take good care of yourself in a healthy way.

Be proud of your accomplishment!!  Congratulations!!

you're losing faster than me!  i averaged a pound a month, and now i've been basically at a standstill for the last six months.  i don't mind, because i know that those 25 pounds are NEVER COMING BACK.  i've made permanent changes, not temporary adjustments.

For each pound you lose you need 10 less calories per day to continue to lose. So if you have lost about 10 lbs. you need to subtract at least 100 calories from your daily intake.