Is 3 - 5 lbs per week realistic goal?

I want to lose 3 - 5 lbs per week for 24 weeks.  "Where there is a will, there is a way".....right?   Well, I have the will -  Please......any successes?? suggestions??  I am new to this, just signed up and I am so excited, there is soooooooooo much info here. 

I realize that you're excited to lose 3-5 pounds a week, but the truth is, that's not realistic. A healthy amount of weight to lose is from .5 to 2 pounds a week. Good luck!

Not only is it unrealistic there is no way it could be done in a healthy manner.  You should aim for a goal of 1-2 lbs a week.  You will likely lose faster at first and then gradually it reduces and you will average a 1-2 lb weightloss per week if you follow all of the good HEALTHY advice here :)

Be safe, do it right and make it a healthy lifestyle change that can last for a lifetime not a crash diet that will eventually lead you to gain all the weight back. 

Good luck!

3-5 pounds a week isn't a healthy or realistic goal.  It can be done, of course, but it won't last- you won't continue to lose that much weight every week.  Like lemonade6 said, 2 pounds a week is a high number for healthy weight loss...maybe aim for 2-3 pounds per week and give yourself longer to lose, this is probably more realistic and you won't give up because you will be able to meet your goals.

it's too high and unrealistic for most people. however, if you have several hundred pounds to lose, and are under a doctor's supervision, it is possible to do that for a short time. so it depends on your situation.

the best thing to do is follow the advice posted on this website. use the tools, and read all the info in the library. for your best health, losing a pound a week is the way to go. don't be impatient. it's a long process of learning to eat right.

welcome to the family!

and even with a very high weight to begin with (like 400+ lbs), lots of the weight is actually water. so in answer to your question, no, 3-5 lbs are not realistic. it would require going into starvation mode, which will shut down your metabolism.

It would be much easier to lose 1-2 pounds per week than 3-5.  You'd be able to eat more of the food that you like, and you won't feel as tired or sluggish. 

When you restrict calories drastically in order to lost that much weight it will have consequences on your daily life, you might not be able to concentrate on your work, driving or more complex tasks.

no. any more than 2 will lower your metab and damage your body.

eating right burns fat tissue though so 2 pounds of pure fat is a lot of mass.

the other way you burn muscle and fat. so you would actually most likely lose less inches as well as go into a stall.

ive done fat burning cal cuts and i stay the same weight and lose inches if that gives you any type of perspective on how much bigger fat cells are than muscle tissue

use a measuring tape instead of the scale.
 

No, and at that rate you'd gain it back faster.

Assuming you want to lose about 100 lbs, (4*24), 24 weeks is about 6 months.  To be healthy you shouldnt lose over 2 lbs a week.  This means it would take about a year, the difference though?  #1 You are more likely to stick with it.  #2 You are more likely to maintain it, #3 It is totally possible #4 You will maintain your health. 

The best way is to get a deficit of 500 - 800 calories.  Get your base sedentary calories on calorie count add on the calories you burn for exercise (mine is 1881+300=2181) and then deduct 500-800 calories for the deficit. (2181 - 500 = 1681) (2181 - 800 = 1381) so that means I need to eat between 1381 and 1681 calories a day to lose 1 - 1.5 bs a week.  But there is another thing you need to watch carefully.  Mak sure you never go under 1200 calories NET.  The way you figure net is by taking calories eaten minus exercise burned.  (1381-300 = 1081) (1681-300 = 1381) , So you can see a 800 calorie deficit would not work for me.  I should never go over a 681 calorie deficit (2181-681 = 1500 - 300 = 1200)  Which also means that I need to eat NO LESS than 1500 calories. 

Now let me tell you my story, I started back at the end of January, totally a newbie and not knowing diddly squat.  I had heard 1200 was the minimum calories you could do and thought ok I can do that, It was easy to eat 1200 calories, and I did lose about 5 lbs at first (probably just water weight).  But then it came to a GRINDING halt!  Still stayed low and even added exercise (which put me even lower on the net calories!), nothing.  Not one lb loss.  About a week ago I finally came here and asked for help.  Overwhealming responce of EAT MORE to LOSE.  So I went up and have been trying to eat between 1500-1600 calories.  I have NOT gained and dare I say it, today it looks like I am MOVING DOWN again!!  Thinking back I totally sabataged myself.  If I hadn't up'd my calories I would have eventually given up, binged and then GAINED weight.  It may not be pushing the envelope and losing as fast as possible but at least it IS losing and I know I can keep doing it.... AND it isnt killing me! 

Anyway you are not alone, half the posts on here are about starvation mode!  Trust me, don't waste your time!!  Start right and do it healthy and the weight WILL come off!  remember 52-104 lbs a year is big difference. 

--Sumi