How fast should I be losing weight?

     One of the first questions everyone wants answered when they begin a weight loss program is, "How Long will it take?" This is a complicated question. So much depends on how committed you are and if you are incorporating both diet and exercise. Body type can play a role, as can age and many other factors. But it's important to remember the basic principle that the weight did not come onto your body overnight. And it will not come off in an instant either. Nor should it for optimum health and long term maintenance. Patience is very key to effective weight loss. The generally accepted rule of thumb is that it is best to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. Sometimes you'll find you lose a little bit more. Particularly in the beginning when you may be losing water weight. Or if you are very heavy you can often lose more rapidly early on. Sometimes you will lose less. If you are doing muscle building exercises for instance your scale losses may slow, because the muscle you are building weighs more than the fat you are losing. So even though you may be shedding inches from your waistline, the scale may show the same reading. Do not despair. How your clothes fit is a better indication of progress than the scale any day!

      As a typical target though, plan on losing 1 to 2 pounds a week. So that means if you have 50 pounds to lose it should take about 25 weeks to lose it. Gasp!!! Over six months??? Well...yes. That would be  a healthy rate of weight loss. If you are losing far more rapidly than that, you are probably doing things in the extreme and are setting yourself up to regain the weight later on. If you reset your metabolism with severe diets or exhaust yourselves with crazy workout schedules that you cannot possibly maintain over time, then the weight will indeed come off faster but then come right back on again when you resume normal living. Hence the term "yo-yo" dieting. So while it may be frustrating to have the weight loss take place slowly over time this is far healthier. Better to do it right and change your habits to ones that you can live with long term, even if it takes a little bit longer to reach your goals. Losing weight too rapidly can actually be dangerous to your body in many ways which is kind of counterproductive don't you agree? The following is a good article I found that discusses some of the risks of over rapid weight loss:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/4707-dangers-rapid-weight-loss/

     Just remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. Endurance and consistency are more important than speed in the long run. Hang in there. It may seem to be happening slowly, but it's happening nonetheless.  Keep at it!