Ask the Expert

I am fortunate enough to know an amazing woman who has been a trainer/nutrition counselor for 15+ years. She is commited to helping people make healthy choices and when I asked her if she would be willing to do an ASK THE EXPERT guest appearance on our blog each month she was VERY HAPPY to do it (FOR FREE!!!) So... if you have questions for our expert send them to kariscomp@yahoo.com and put "ask the expert" in the subject line. Each month right around weigh in Lisa will do her column answering one of your questions!!

I've noticed that some of us don't really seem to know what a "reasonable weight loss goal" is. We get a lot of opinions from outside sources, many of which seem to tell us NOT to reach too high... and so... I asked the expert! ;o)


Dear Lisa:
I have 50 + lbs to lose and am determined to really do it this time. People around me keep telling me not to set my goals too high for monthly losses etc. I want to do this right but don't want to get burned out... so... what is a reasonable goal for weight loss?

Dear 50 pounds+:
First of all - let me say congratulations for taking control of your life and deciding to lose weight to be healthy!! Let me help you determine a healthy weight loss goal for your first month. The first thing you need to understand is the more fat you have to lose, the quicker it will come off in the beginning. It is very common for the first week or 2 to lose a lot more than what you will continue do do on a weekly basis. Part of the reason for that is that your body will be shedding some water weight (water retention - which cause bloating). Some participants can experience a 5-7 pound weight loss in the first WEEK! (That's right - WEEK!!) Another reason for this rapid weight loss is: your body is just READY... Remember - your body WANTS to lose the weight. YOU should want it too! Don't be afraid of setting high, but attainable goals!! Your second week weight loss will be smaller than your first, which is good. Maybe a couple or a few pounds [less] (but maybe more). It is a sign that your body is now losing fat not just water or muscle. The more fat you have, the bigger your weekly losses will be. As you get closer to your goal the losses will be smaller. But for the first couple of months - especially the first, GO FOR IT! If you have 50+ pounds to lose and you are eating small healthy meals and snacks to meet your daily caloric needs, you can realistically lose 10-15 pounds each month. I recently met with a new client who had 45 pounds to lose to reach her healthy weight. She has lost 11 pounds within the first 14 days of meeting with me! If she keeps going with the same enthusiasm I wouldn't be surprised if she loses 20 POUNDS by the end of the month! IT IS POSSIBLE. IT IS DOABLE! HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT?! Good Luck!!