Have you ever set yourself a weight loss target, only to arrive at your deadline and be shocked to see that your progress fell short.

You are not alone.

You’ve more than likely heard that 0.5kg per week is realistic and safe. Part of the problem is that weightless is not linear and you certainly do not have a choice over how fast or slow it happens.

From training and helping many women lose weight and keep it off, this blog is all about helping women to be more realistic about their weightloss goals to hopefully instil confidence on what to expect along the way.

1. You are doing extremely well if they lose an average of 0.5kg/week over a period of months.
2. It is normal not to lose weight in the first month Many times you won’t lose any weight that first month, and might even gain some, especially if you’re coming from a sedentary lifestyle. This is because going from doing hardly any exercise to working out several times per week increases your muscle’s energy storage capacity. Your body needs more fuel, and it adapts by storing more of the carbohydrates you eat as glycogen in your muscle, which will also increase your water weight. So when you first start a weight loss program you very well could be losing fat, but that fat loss is masked by a corresponding gain in water weight. You very easily could have lost one pound of fat the first week but gained one or more pounds of muscle glycogen.
3. You might have several weeks of no weight loss even though you’re doing everything right. Then you’ll suddenly start losing again without making any changes.
4. You will fall off track more than a dozen times on your journey. But it’s what you do after that happens that matters most. Everyone has the capacity to lose weight but everyone’s journey is different and sometimes more successful. Aim not to compare and stay focused on yourself.

Summary

The all or nothing approach will not lead to long-term success. Avoiding the binge/restrict behaviour is ultimately what you are want to avoid and instead looking to build consistent habits.

So take your time with weight loss. If your weight is trending in the right direction this is a success. Don’t get caught up in the pace. Progress is progress no matter how small.

Start setting weight loss goals you know you can achieve. Be patient. Let the momentum build and the improved habits become established. And you’ll be amazed at the difference you can achieve in a year.