For the average woman you want to look to lose 2-3lb a week for the first few weeks, (be warned a lot of this is water to start with) as you get on to older more stubourn fat this will slow down and may only be a lb or two a week, but this is normal, dont be put off by this. A lot depends on how ig you are to start with, severaly obese people will lose more weight at a time, but be warned that losing too much weight too rapidly is more harm than good and is likely to be muscle tissue you are losing as opposed to fat anyway.
Remember slow and steady wins the race.
Also another handy hint, if your getting a take away and you dont want to ruin your diet you can do the following. With indian opt for tomato based dishes and vegetale dishes not creamy curries like kormas. With chinese always ask to have your food without added MSG this will make a huge difference, tastes just as good but a lot better for you. Also get boild rice not fried. Aviod pizza at all costs unless you can get it from a more traditional pizza place where its proper italian stone baked bases. And never be affraid to ask when ordering if they can make your food as low fat as possible, even if they just cook it in less oil you will find most places very oliging, after all they want to keep your custom, and if you know you can go there and not get a fatty meal, you are more likly to give them repet custom.
Also roast dinners!! you seem to see this as being a *sin* food when really it doesnt need to be you can have plently of roasts while dieting. In particular roast chicken (very low fat) just eat it without the skin. And par noil your potatoes and roast using a low fat spray oil. ag as normal, pass on the yorkshire puds, other than that its perfectly healthy and balanced, no reason why you cant have one every week. No cracking with your pork either!