I need to lose weight fast. Tips?

stephanie_queen

I am currently overweight weighing 155 pounds at 5'4. I am going on a tropical vacation in January and would like to be able to wear a bathing suit with confidence. My goal is to lose 25 pounds by then (weighing 130 pounds). Any tips for a girl in need?

Alatariel75

Plug your details into MFP, get a calorie goal, eat at that calorie goal, and eat back half your exercise calories. Also, pick up heavy things and put them down a few times every couple of days.

Biggest tip: don't fad diet, don't starve, don't buy into woo, quick fixes or anything that promises to do anything for your over and above what can be achieved by dedication.

heybales

Since this is 25 lbs to healthy weight - best tip is to reset your expectations or you'll likely fail at the whole thing.

That is long enough that if you attempt something extreme - it'll likely backfire and you'll be stressed and aggravated and not very far along on the goal.
That is also short enough that you aren't going to lose 25 doing a reasonable diet.

If you want to lose muscle mass - and just appear a smaller version of current self - flabby and all - then by all means do extreme deficit.

If you want to look like you lost a lot more than just 12 lbs because your body looks great, then go for a 1 lb weekly weight loss goal.

And lift weights, strength training, not pink dumbbells, but heavy for you weights, with progressive increase routine so you are asking the body to improve.
Major muscle groups. 3 x weekly full body, or 6 x weekly upper & lower body split.
You can do some cardio afterwards as time allows.
You can do some walking on days between if you do the 3 x weekly method.

Log those as Strength Training in the cardio database - and eat your daily goal that is given.
On some days it will be the same number if no exercise, on most days it should be more because you did more.

You'll retain more muscle, and burn more fat that route, than attempting some extreme diet and massive cardio foolishness that will likely be pushed by magazines and the uninformed.

Orphia

^^Both the above posts are great advice.

Plus, nobody EVER wears a bathing suit with confidence!

PinkPixiexox

First of all, take it one pound at a time

I'd suggest ditching the '25 lb by January' attitude because what happens if you 'only' lose 18? Or 15? Or 20? Will you be disappointed with that - even though those losses mentioned would be FANTASTIC?

Eat a calorie deficit starting from today, log everything, weigh whatever necessary and you'll definitely be feeling confident for your holiday. The number on the scale? Not so important.

middlehaitch

Set yourself a realistic goal.
25-20lb 1.5lb per week
20-10lb 1 lb a week
10-0lb .5 lb a week.
You are more likely to succeed if you aim for 12-18 lb.

Add some cardio and strength training. They will improve your health and help reshape your body.
Ie if you do some strength training, and your abs become stronger, even if there is still a layer of fat over them, they will probably look better than if you had reached your goal, were thinner, but still had a wobbly tummy because there was no underlying support for it.
Hope that made sense.

Cheers, h.

allenpriest

Not realistic. This will set you up for yo-yo loss and gain that leaves you worse off than before.

allenpriest

Set your goal for maybe half that. Then set MFP for half pound per week loss assuming a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise 30 - 60 minutes every day to every other day and eat back about half the calories MFP says you used.

kk_inprogress

Orphia wrote: »

^^Both the above posts are great advice.

Plus, nobody EVER wears a bathing suit with confidence!

I do!!

OP, great advice above.

amyrhodus

The first of January is 14 weeks away, that's 1.75 lbs a week. Depending on when you are going in January, you can actually make this work within the normal 'guidelines' of MFP. Losing 1/2 to 2 lbs a week is completed normal and completely healthy, according to both MFP and any doctor you'll ask. Set your goals and make it happen!! and enjoy your vacation.

blankiefinder

amyrhodus wrote: »

The first of January is 14 weeks away, that's 1.75 lbs a week. Depending on when you are going in January, you can actually make this work within the normal 'guidelines' of MFP. Losing 1/2 to 2 lbs a week is completed normal and completely healthy, according to both MFP and any doctor you'll ask. Set your goals and make it happen!! and enjoy your vacation.

Actually, as she gets towards her goal, it really won't be do-able within MFP's normal guidelines, as MFP will not allow less than 1200 calories per day (it might be 1100 if you're short, not sure). So while you can tell MFP you want to lose 2 lbs per week, it will only reduce your calories to that level regardless of if you will lose 2 lbs per week or 1.

Take myself for example. At 5'7 and 132 pounds, I am maintaining with 1680 calories. To lose 2 pounds per week I would have to net 680 calories. Definitely impossible based on MFP's guidelines.

TeaBea

Instead of focusing on 1 number on the scale, focus on improving how you look in that swimsuit.

Strength training will help shape your current form. Eat at a moderate deficit to lose some weight, but lift heavy things like previous poster said.....to decrease the jiggle. Losing inches is every bit as good as losing pounds.

Fast weight loss (large deficit) often leads to lean muscle loss.....you will become a smaller jiggly person.