Best workout/Food combo for Speedy weight loss?

mollieb76
mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
edited November 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I know, I know...slow and steady weight loss wins the long term weight loss race, but I have a trip to Costa Rica coming up in 5 weeks to celebrate a "big" birthday and after looking at some recent pictures of myself, I realize I need to kick it up a notch if I am going to enjoy my birthday celebration and not stress about what I look like in my bikini the whole time. Once we get back, I will continue on the healthier slow weight loss, but until then, can someone please help me with a plan to lose as much weight as possible between now and April 16th? Currently I am walking 45 minutes almost every day, doing slim in 6 pack Abs, assorted weight lifting exercises and eating according to my fitness pal suggestions...But it just doesn't seem to be working. Help? Thank you SO much!
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Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    maybe one of those plans advertised on the cover of a magazine that say you can lose 30 pounds in 21 days.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Fast weight loss isn't healthy....period. Sorry, but no one is going to recommend a very low calorie diet (VLCD) because promoting those is against MFP guidelines.

    Get a food scale. Make sure your portion sizes are as accurate as possible. Weigh solids, liquids you can measure.

    Walking & Slim in 6 is a good combination. You've got cardio & resistance training.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
    Hardcore dieting before a vacation is a recipe for disaster. If you've been over restricting pre vacation you are more than likely to overindulge and gain back all the weight you lost and even more.
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    edited March 2016
    ,
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
    Ok, the first post was a little snarky but the subsequent two were helpful. OP, you're not going to like a lot of the posts that you get here because a lot of us who are going to post on this have been there or have witness people who have been there and failed.

    Whether or not you try a crash diet/exercise plan is all up to you but seriously don't expect much advice for how to get there. If you want to come back and ask for tips or tricks for healthy, sustainable weight loss then I'm sure you'll get all kinds of positive responses.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    I am new to this forum and was a little hesitant to write, because I realize people hide behind their computers and tend to be nastier to someone than they would be to their face. But I wanted to give it a shot because I have been feeling so frustrated. It is a little disheartening that yours was the first post. I would think that most of us on here are looking for serious help with losing weight, otherwise we wouldn't be here, so any tips or tricks are very much appreciated. Snarky comments, not so much.

    No one was snarky and you got some good advice. Did you just want blind support to "quickly" lose weight? That typically isn't supported here.

    Severely reducing calories and bumping up calories before a vacation is not a good idea. It can lead to you looking very sickly in any vacation photos.

    Just knuckle down and continue doing what you are doing. You will thank yourself later when you have energy to do things on vacation and look non-sickly in your vacation photos.
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Fast weight loss isn't healthy....period. Sorry, but no one is going to recommend a very low calorie diet (VLCD) because promoting those is against MFP guidelines.

    Get a food scale. Make sure your portion sizes are as accurate as possible. Weigh solids, liquids you can measure.

    Walking & Slim in 6 is a good combination. You've got cardio & resistance training.

    Thank you! I appreciate the tip on the food scale. I will really try to be diligent with that.
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    Hardcore dieting before a vacation is a recipe for disaster. If you've been over restricting pre vacation you are more than likely to overindulge and gain back all the weight you lost and even more.
    Maybe I need to clarify my goal. I just would like to lose 15 lbs in the next 6 weeks. Maybe I am wrong, but this doesn't seem too extreme, does it? I just wondered the best way to maximize my weight loss between now and then. I appreciate the food scale suggestion. And I am glad to hear I am on track with the cardio and resistance. I just see how successful members are and thought there might be some extra tips of the trade to help maximize the lb. droppage. :)

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    First, nobody is being mean, nasty, or snarky. You may think they are, but they're not.

    Second, to answer your question, the best food an workout combo is something that is sustainable and healthy. What you're looking for is probably neither. You could do things the unhealthy way and probably drop more weight than you should in a short amount of time, but you'll actually be doing yourself more harm than good all for the sake of looking "better" in a bikini. What most people fail to realize when crash dieting before a big event is that they're making themselves look worse. You lose your healthy glow, you look tired and haggard, you cannibalize your LBM, you may even at that point lose some hair, and you may end up sick because your immune system has been lowered. That's why crash dieting and vlcd is against MFP guidelines. Because doing those things is a quick ticket to being admitted to the hospital for malnutrition and/or exhaustion.

    So in short, your best bet is to just stick with the "slow and steady".
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,345 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    Hardcore dieting before a vacation is a recipe for disaster. If you've been over restricting pre vacation you are more than likely to overindulge and gain back all the weight you lost and even more.
    Maybe I need to clarify my goal. I just would like to lose 15 lbs in the next 6 weeks. Maybe I am wrong, but this doesn't seem too extreme, does it? I just wondered the best way to maximize my weight loss between now and then. I appreciate the food scale suggestion. And I am glad to hear I am on track with the cardio and resistance. I just see how successful members are and thought there might be some extra tips of the trade to help maximize the lb. droppage. :)

    That's actually reasonably aggressive, particularly if you're not obese, which I'm going to presume you aren't. 2lbs a week is fine for someone who is obese, but the closer to goal, the less is reasonable for you to lose per week. You're proposing over 2lbs a week, and yes, that's a bit extreme.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    Hardcore dieting before a vacation is a recipe for disaster. If you've been over restricting pre vacation you are more than likely to overindulge and gain back all the weight you lost and even more.
    Maybe I need to clarify my goal. I just would like to lose 15 lbs in the next 6 weeks. Maybe I am wrong, but this doesn't seem too extreme, does it? I just wondered the best way to maximize my weight loss between now and then. I appreciate the food scale suggestion. And I am glad to hear I am on track with the cardio and resistance. I just see how successful members are and thought there might be some extra tips of the trade to help maximize the lb. droppage. :)

    Your goal is too aggressive. Since you want to rock a bikini I'm guessing you're probably already at a healthy BMI or close to it. To lose that kind of weight healthily you'd need to be obese. 15 lbs in 6 weeks is not some small order, that's a huge feat.
  • Equus5374
    Equus5374 Posts: 462 Member
    edited March 2016


    It is extreme, actually, considering that do-able weight loss/calorie restriction is about 0.5 - 1 lb. per week; so you're looking at maybe 6-8 pounds in that time frame. Most people who try to lose 2 lbs per week end up feeling so frustrated and hungry because it is too much of a calorie restriction. Why don't you just enjoy your trip and not worry so much about how you look?
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    Hardcore dieting before a vacation is a recipe for disaster. If you've been over restricting pre vacation you are more than likely to overindulge and gain back all the weight you lost and even more.
    Maybe I need to clarify my goal. I just would like to lose 15 lbs in the next 6 weeks. Maybe I am wrong, but this doesn't seem too extreme, does it? I just wondered the best way to maximize my weight loss between now and then. I appreciate the food scale suggestion. And I am glad to hear I am on track with the cardio and resistance. I just see how successful members are and thought there might be some extra tips of the trade to help maximize the lb. droppage. :)

    That is 2.5lbs a week which is extreme. The Max is about 2lbs a week and that is if you have 75+ lbs to lose.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    I know, I know...slow and steady weight loss wins the long term weight loss race, but I have a trip to Costa Rica coming up in 5 weeks to celebrate a "big" birthday and after looking at some recent pictures of myself, I realize I need to kick it up a notch if I am going to enjoy my birthday celebration and not stress about what I look like in my bikini the whole time. Once we get back, I will continue on the healthier slow weight loss, but until then, can someone please help me with a plan to lose as much weight as possible between now and April 16th? Currently I am walking 45 minutes almost every day, doing slim in 6 pack Abs, assorted weight lifting exercises and eating according to my fitness pal suggestions...But it just doesn't seem to be working. Help? Thank you SO much!

    LOL do you have any idea how long and how hard people work to get a 6-pack???

    I give you a hint... longer than 5 weeks.

  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you all for your help!! I am about 30 lbs away from my ideal weight so I am not sure if that is considered obese? At one point I understood that 20 lbs overweight was considered obese...? Regardless, I know you are all right about a slower weight loss. I was just hoping that a 2-3 lb per week loss for someone 30 lbs overweight would be doable. I would love to enjoy my trip regardless of my less than stellar body image. I will definitely put that on the list to work on along with the weight loss. ;)
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Yep. For a 15 lb. loss, you'll want to lose at a rate of about .5 lb/week. Barring crash diets, which are a really dumb & unsafe idea.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,345 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    Thank you all for your help!! I am about 30 lbs away from my ideal weight so I am not sure if that is considered obese? At one point I understood that 20 lbs overweight was considered obese...? Regardless, I know you are all right about a slower weight loss. I was just hoping that a 2-3 lb per week loss for someone 30 lbs overweight would be doable. I would love to enjoy my trip regardless of my less than stellar body image. I will definitely put that on the list to work on along with the weight loss. ;)

    30lbs overweight is definitely not obese, nor is it a 2+lb a week loss weight.
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    CollieFit wrote: »
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    I know, I know...slow and steady weight loss wins the long term weight loss race, but I have a trip to Costa Rica coming up in 5 weeks to celebrate a "big" birthday and after looking at some recent pictures of myself, I realize I need to kick it up a notch if I am going to enjoy my birthday celebration and not stress about what I look like in my bikini the whole time. Once we get back, I will continue on the healthier slow weight loss, but until then, can someone please help me with a plan to lose as much weight as possible between now and April 16th? Currently I am walking 45 minutes almost every day, doing slim in 6 pack Abs, assorted weight lifting exercises and eating according to my fitness pal suggestions...But it just doesn't seem to be working. Help? Thank you SO much!

    LOL do you have any idea how long and how hard people work to get a 6-pack???

    I give you a hint... longer than 5 weeks.

    Haha, I know!!! Again, I was just trying to get any tips on helping the lbs come off as quickly as possible...I know i set myself up for these responses...Like I said, I don't expect a "biggest loser" transformation, or a 6 pack in 5 weeks, but I sure would like to drop as much as possible. I think I am doing it the right way with diest and exercise~ I haven't resorted to any crazy supplements yet...;)
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    CollieFit wrote: »
    mollieb76 wrote: »
    I know, I know...slow and steady weight loss wins the long term weight loss race, but I have a trip to Costa Rica coming up in 5 weeks to celebrate a "big" birthday and after looking at some recent pictures of myself, I realize I need to kick it up a notch if I am going to enjoy my birthday celebration and not stress about what I look like in my bikini the whole time. Once we get back, I will continue on the healthier slow weight loss, but until then, can someone please help me with a plan to lose as much weight as possible between now and April 16th? Currently I am walking 45 minutes almost every day, doing slim in 6 pack Abs, assorted weight lifting exercises and eating according to my fitness pal suggestions...But it just doesn't seem to be working. Help? Thank you SO much!

    LOL do you have any idea how long and how hard people work to get a 6-pack???

    I give you a hint... longer than 5 weeks.

    Haha, I know!!! Again, I was just trying to get any tips on helping the lbs come off as quickly as possible...I know i set myself up for these responses...Like I said, I don't expect a "biggest loser" transformation, or a 6 pack in 5 weeks, but I sure would like to drop as much as possible. I think I am doing it the right way with diest and exercise~ I haven't resorted to any crazy supplements yet...;)

    Don't resort to them at all!!!
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you all for your input! I will just keep on keeping on...and be happy >gulp< with whatever I manage between now and then...;)
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    Don't resort to them at all!!![/quote]

    lol, I won't! ;)

  • mrsloganlife
    mrsloganlife Posts: 158 Member
    To the OP--nobody is being snarky. People gave advice and told you why realistically crash dieting is not such a good idea.

    And they are right.

    Welcome to MFP--this is not where people sit in a circle and sing Kumbaya. This is where you will get tough love from people who succeeded. To me I would rather want tough love than get flowery posts about unicorns and rainbows that will not help me in my journey.

    You want tips and tricks on basically crash dieting before a vacation...there are no tips and tricks that are healthy for you and your body. Sorry, but I'm not a big "rainbows and unicorns" person when delivering a point.

    Does anyone have the link to the "Dear Mean People of MFP" post? I think the OP would benefit reading it. I was the same as you OP thinking people were rude...but that thread changed my entire perception.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Nose to the grindstone, I'm sure you will look amazing in due time. Have fun!
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    edited March 2016
    To the OP--nobody is being snarky. People gave advice and told you why realistically crash dieting is not such a good idea.

    And they are right.

    Welcome to MFP--this is not where people sit in a circle and sing Kumbaya. This is where you will get tough love from people who succeeded. To me I would rather want tough love than get flowery posts about unicorns and rainbows that will not help me in my journey.

    You want tips and tricks on basically crash dieting before a vacation...there are no tips and tricks that are healthy for you and your body. Sorry, but I'm not a big "rainbows and unicorns" person when delivering a point.

    Does anyone have the link to the "Dear Mean People of MFP" post? I think the OP would benefit reading it. I was the same as you OP thinking people were rude...but that thread changed my entire perception.


    I apologize for being a little sensitive after that first post. It was hard for me to post at all and then to have the first response to be a snarky one (do you disagree?) was a little disheartening. I didn't expect rainbows and unicorns, just some advice for someone desperately trying to figure out this weight loss puzzle. I honestly didn't think I was asking for advice on crash dieting. This is why I came here to learn what is and isn't reasonable. Thank you SO much to all of you who posted kind and honest responses!
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Nose to the grindstone, I'm sure you will look amazing in due time. Have fun!

    Thank you so much. :)
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Aim for a 3-5 lb lots and then if you lose more it's just a bonus! Be very very tight with the logging, become best friends with your food scale. I'd eat out as little as possible so you have more control over knowing exactly what you're eating. Use accurate entries and the recipe builder. Have a fabulous time on your trip!
  • HG93022
    HG93022 Posts: 80 Member
    OP, what is your current height and current weight?
  • mrsloganlife
    mrsloganlife Posts: 158 Member
    Oh no I can see how--trust me my first few times on the page here I was like why is everyone so short?

    Then I realized it's some fun stuff :)
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    HG93022 wrote: »
    OP, what is your current height and current weight?

    I am 5'5" 168(ish)
  • mollieb76
    mollieb76 Posts: 20 Member
    Aim for a 3-5 lb lots and then if you lose more it's just a bonus! Be very very tight with the logging, become best friends with your food scale. I'd eat out as little as possible so you have more control over knowing exactly what you're eating. Use accurate entries and the recipe builder. Have a fabulous time on your trip!

    THANK YOU! :) Reigning in the eating out is good advice~ along with the scale...Maybe I haven't been as close to my calorie goal as I thought...? :neutral:
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