16 weeks and 40lbs

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LuckyMe000
LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
in Motivation and Support
I am giving myself 16 weeks to lose 40lbs....Even if I don't hit the 40 mark if I aim for it I plan to be pretty darn close.... I will be logging in at 1200 - 1400 calories and I will be doing 30 day shred in the morning, walking 30 minutes mid day and in the afternoon I will be doing Couch to 5k 3 times a week. I want to look and feel good this summer...again... What are the 3 things that you can share with me that have kept you motivated during your journey....any other advice would be greatly appreciated!
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  • D_squareG
    D_squareG Posts: 361 Member
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    What happens at the end of 16 weeks? Don't you think it is better just to make good choices for life? I've crashed off hundreds of pounds over the years. Better to make good eating and exercise a habit for life. And don't put a time frame on it. You are setting yourself up for disappointment.
  • LuckyMe000
    LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
    edited March 2015
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    D_squareG wrote: »
    What happens at the end of 16 weeks? Don't you think it is better just to make good choices for life? I've crashed off hundreds of pounds over the years. Better to make good eating and exercise a habit for life. And don't put a time frame on it. You are setting yourself up for disappointment.

    I have full intentions on maintaining my weight, that is just the time frame I am giving myself before I maintain. Isn't it always better to set a goal to work toward??
  • LuckyMe000
    LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
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  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
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    D_squareG wrote: »
    What happens at the end of 16 weeks? Don't you think it is better just to make good choices for life? I've crashed off hundreds of pounds over the years. Better to make good eating and exercise a habit for life. And don't put a time frame on it. You are setting yourself up for disappointment.

    agreed. 40lbs in 16 weeks is a lot. granted, if you're morbidly obese it might be attainable..but if all you have to lose is 40lbs (which it sounds like considering you're going to maintain after) it will probably be difficult, and not very healthy, to reach that goal. it could be frustrating if you don't lose at rate you're wanting.

    i lost 26 lbs in 16 weeks with exercise and 1200-1400 calories. i still have about 25-30 lbs left before i reach maintenance. my weight-loss has slowed as I've gotten closer to my "goal."
  • helen7791
    helen7791 Posts: 2 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I wish to lose 36lbs in 18 weeks.. so in a similar boat. I have 1200 cals a day on MFP and aim to go to the gym 3x 45mins per week. I think it's definitely doable if you put real effort in - which is what I need to do this time around.
    (edit) Also, I have much more to lose after the 36lbs, but 18 weeks is when my holiday is! So I will have a week 'off' and then back on the grind after the holiday.
  • jirisg92
    jirisg92 Posts: 15 Member
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    16 wks 4 months 10lbs a month. I say you can do it :) and like you said if not pretty darn close then.
    Plus after the first month it's a lot easier to make it a habit. Good luck.
    I was 170 and lost 10 lbs a month. So I know you can do it. I was eating healthy and working out an hour a day.
    I can give you some tips that helped I would stretch walk one minute then go straight to jogging 10 mins straight, then I would walk 5 run 5 walk 5 run 5 and so on. Each week I would last longer 15 mins 20 mins with the walk 5 jog 5 ... I eventually hit 30 mins jogging ,3miles in 30mins now :) non stop.
    Just tell yourself 5 more mins. I gave this tip to my friend she started slow just jog 5 walk 5 etc... Now she's at 15 mins jogging. :)
    You can do it :)
  • LuckyMe000
    LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
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    jirisg92 wrote: »
    16 wks 4 months 10lbs a month. I say you can do it :) and like you said if not pretty darn close then.
    Plus after the first month it's a lot easier to make it a habit. Good luck.
    I was 170 and lost 10 lbs a month. So I know you can do it. I was eating healthy and working out an hour a day.
    I can give you some tips that helped I would stretch walk one minute then go straight to jogging 10 mins straight, then I would walk 5 run 5 walk 5 run 5 and so on. Each week I would last longer 15 mins 20 mins with the walk 5 jog 5 ... I eventually hit 30 mins jogging ,3miles in 30mins now :) non stop.
    Just tell yourself 5 more mins. I gave this tip to my friend she started slow just jog 5 walk 5 etc... Now she's at 15 mins jogging. :)
    You can do it :)

    THANK YOU! great advice! I think that is something similar to couch to 5k if I am not mistaken
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
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    I have lost almost 25 pounds in 9 weeks and would expect to be close to 40 in 16 weeks. But to be honest I'm not in a rush. This health kick is ME for good. Just happens out the loss has started out fast. I'm set at losing 1.5 a week but am usually in a weekly deficit due to walking/c25k. Just keep it in your head that whilst 40 pound would be great, any loss and a more active lifestyle is a bonus.
  • jirisg92
    jirisg92 Posts: 15 Member
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    I wouldn't know, you wouldn't believe it but I barely found out 5k was 3 miles like 2 months ago lol.and I've been doing this a year lol.
    Another tip it's ok to skip a day or two if you take weekends off but try to stick to it. After a month I would feel lazy if I didn't go to the gym everyday, I would even do my weekends for 30 mins ( I took weekends off) but I ended up changing jobs and didn't go for like 4 days and I eventually got lazy again. So don't stop, even though you get into habit your body will easily go back to old habits too. This tip is only if you want to have excersise in your daily life, you can loose weight without excersising too.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
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    patience-learn-you-must.jpg


  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    What's your starting weight?
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
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    Honestly I think setting these kind of goals can be a recipe for disaster. Your cals and exercise targets are pretty aggressive.
    I would suggest setting more modest targets and learning new habits for life. There is nothing more demotivating than failing to hit a target - that's when people hit the fridge out of sheer disappointment.
    - Be realistic and work towards changing for good...
  • jirisg92
    jirisg92 Posts: 15 Member
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    Another tip that helped me I hardly weigh myself, I noticed everything in my clothes, but I hardly weighed myself because it wasn't about my weight, it was about being healthy and fit.
    I weighed myself once a month only.


  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    Having a goal is good. Having a time frame to lose weight is bad. We've seen many people set a time frame goal and then when they don't hit it, they get frustrated and give up.

    Also, a healthy rate of weight loss is 1-2lbs per week. 40 pounds in 16 weeks is 2.5 pounds per week. It doesn't seem like a huge difference, but if 40 lbs is all you have to lose, you probably won't stick to 2.5 lbs a week. When you get closer to your goal weight, you're lucky to lose 0.5lb a week. This doesn't mean that its impossible lose 40 lbs in 16 weeks, but it won't be healthy.

    I don't recommend the time frame. But, if you are going to insist on a time frame, pick a more realistic goal. Something like 20 lbs in 16 weeks is more doable.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I looked up an old post of yours. You're 5'4" and weigh 165 pounds. I gotta be honest and say I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment. If you were morbidly obese, you'd probably be able to lose 40 in that short amount of time. But I think a more realistic goal is maybe to lose 20 pounds. Either way, just go on your holiday and enjoy it.
  • LuckyMe000
    LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
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    emdeesea wrote: »
    What's your starting weight?

    169
  • jtolman619
    jtolman619 Posts: 128 Member
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    I'd have to agree with the others that it's a pretty aggressive goal. Even losing 2lbs a week, after 16 weeks you'd lose 32lbs. Setting a goal to work toward is definitely a good idea, I would just make it a little less aggressive. I lost 20lbs over 5 months (which was about 1lb a week) before I had my daughter, so that's what I'm aiming for now. I have about 30lbs left to go, so my goal is to hit that by the end of October.

    Good luck! :)
  • jirisg92
    jirisg92 Posts: 15 Member
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    Everyone's body is different ,it is possible to loose 40 in 16 wks just make sure your eating enough, regardless if you only loose 10-20-30 lbs in 16 wks I doubt you'll be disappointed at that. It'll just make you want to keep going. :)


  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,361 Member
    edited March 2015
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    A lot has to do with how much you have to lose. How close you are to your ideal weight. Your age. Your height. Etc. 2.5 lbs. a week is a lot. Are you on track with the 1200-1400 calorie/day to get those results? You don't give us much info to go on. That means you will have to have a deficit of 1400 each day to achieve 2.5 pounds a week. That is a huge deficit. There is no magic number for weight loss that applies to everyone. You really have to look at your individual circumstances.

    When I started this journey, I was at 230 pounds. 1200 calories a day equated to 2 pounds a week when I started. I do not eat back my exercise calories. I workout at least 60 minutes to 120 minutes everyday (I take only 2 days off a month usually). Now at 14 months on plan, I've lost 83 pounds. With the same amount of exercise, being 64 years old, and being only 5'1", 1200 calories a day doesn't give me that much of a loss. 1/2 - 1 pound if I not only workout as I have been but make my days very, very active. Too many people think they can go workout and then go home and watch TV. Doesn't work. Most people do not burn much just sitting so your exercise calories are over-ridden by the other 22-23 hours you don't move.

    As for advice: 1. Log every bite, everyday! 2. Make supportive friends on MFP. 3. Keep moving! It really becomes fun as you lose weight and moving is easier. I have gained a great sense of freedom! It is very motivating.

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  • LuckyMe000
    LuckyMe000 Posts: 55
    edited March 2015
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    Ok well maybe I shouldn't have posted my goals, the main reason for this was to get tips on staying motivated....I was not posting it for everyone to criticize it. The thing is, I am not new to this, I am very well educated on this subject.... I know that a goal of 40lbs in 4 months may seem aggressive for you but I know my body and I know the rate that I lose weight and I know what I am capable of. I should have kept my goal to myself and just asked the simple question .....name 3 things that keep you motivated during your journey.

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