205 to 179.6 in 8 weeks

guessjr94
guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • melodysf10
    melodysf10 Posts: 35 Member
    Are you eating back any of your exercise calories?
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    Yes probably around 2-300 of them back every day. I am always hungry after I leave the gym at night.
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.

    Your body can only metabolise a certain amount of fat, and then it goes for muscle.

    How much do you want to lose all together? You don't look that big in your profile picture?
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    I am trying to lose 15 more pounds to be in the "normal" range.

    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.

    Your body can only metabolise a certain amount of fat, and then it goes for muscle.

    How much do you want to lose all together? You don't look that big in your profile picture?

  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    I eat back about 2-300 calories everyday and I actually probably go over my calories atleast twice a week. And I do usually have 2 rest days, it was just nice out so I wanted to do something on those days.
    Yeah, 5.6 pounds in a week indicates that you are losing too quickly.

    Are you eating back any exercise calories? Why are you denying your body rest days?

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I eat back about 2-300 calories everyday and I actually probably go over my calories atleast twice a week. And I do usually have 2 rest days, it was just nice out so I wanted to do something on those days.
    Yeah, 5.6 pounds in a week indicates that you are losing too quickly.

    Are you eating back any exercise calories? Why are you denying your body rest days?

    I get it (I'm very active myself), but your body needs time to recover (especially when you aren't eating enough). If you're truly eating 1,200 and burning around 700 calories (which could be inflated, I'm not sure), then you're leaving your body only 500 calories for all the other essentials of daily life. That isn't enough.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    So maybe I should cut my cardio back some then, and I go off of the treadmill. I enter in my age and weight and it does the calculation for me.

    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I eat back about 2-300 calories everyday and I actually probably go over my calories atleast twice a week. And I do usually have 2 rest days, it was just nice out so I wanted to do something on those days.
    Yeah, 5.6 pounds in a week indicates that you are losing too quickly.

    Are you eating back any exercise calories? Why are you denying your body rest days?

    I get it (I'm very active myself), but your body needs time to recover (especially when you aren't eating enough). If you're truly eating 1,200 and burning around 700 calories (which could be inflated, I'm not sure), then you're leaving your body only 500 calories for all the other essentials of daily life. That isn't enough.

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.

    I still don't see this as wrong.. 800 calories a day is a huge deficit but it's not starving.

    If she is able to eat enough good food and exercise and doesn't suffer from any side effects I don't see the problem.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    So I'm really curious about how you are feeling? Do you feel low on energy? You have really lost a lot in a short period. I would imagine eventually energy levels might crash.
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    I actually feel fine. A little tired but that's what happens when you also work 2 jobs, go to school and take care of a 4 year old. I rest when my body tells me to, I eat when I'm hungry.
    So I'm really curious about how you are feeling? Do you feel low on energy? You have really lost a lot in a short period. I would imagine eventually energy levels might crash.

  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.

    You do an hour of cardio? I thought you said in the OP that you were doing 5 hours of cardio?

    Oh wait...you mean 5 hours each week. That's a good thing. And frankly, I know plenty of people that spend hours in the gym every night and I see nothing wrong with that at all. It's your life - do what you like. :)
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.

    I still don't see this as wrong.. 800 calories a day is a huge deficit but it's not starving.

    If she is able to eat enough good food and exercise and doesn't suffer from any side effects I don't see the problem.

    So you think there are no health implications to someone only leaving 800 calories for all of the bodies essential processes?

    Anecdote, someone on my friends list did this. She was grossing 1200, running miles every day, much like OP with her 5 hours of cardio. She thought her doctor had signed her off on this as she was at a critical to her health weight initially. She didn't realise she needed to up those calories at some point and compensate for the running. She ended up having seizures and being admitted to hospital.

    So no, what you eat is not the only thing to consider. Calories matter. getting enough of them matter. Grossing 1200 calories a day and doing 5 hours of cardio is dangerous and eating disorder territory.

    Where did you get 5 hours a day from? I read she was only doing an hour a day... 5 hours a day is obviously a serious concern.
  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    Yes. 1 hour of cardio 5 times a week. I would die trying to do 5 hours each time
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.

    You do an hour of cardio? I thought you said in the OP that you were doing 5 hours of cardio?

    Oh wait...you mean 5 hours each week. That's a good thing. And frankly, I know plenty of people that spend hours in the gym every night and I see nothing wrong with that at all. It's your life - do what you like. :)

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    Yes. 1 hour of cardio 5 times a week. I would die trying to do 5 hours each time
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I actually kind of like it. I just do an hour every time I go to the gym and then work on the rest of my body.

    You do an hour of cardio? I thought you said in the OP that you were doing 5 hours of cardio?

    Oh wait...you mean 5 hours each week. That's a good thing. And frankly, I know plenty of people that spend hours in the gym every night and I see nothing wrong with that at all. It's your life - do what you like. :)

    Ah ha, my bad. Even so, her calories are still too low.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.

    I still don't see this as wrong.. 800 calories a day is a huge deficit but it's not starving.

    If she is able to eat enough good food and exercise and doesn't suffer from any side effects I don't see the problem.

    If her deficit is big enough to regularly lose 5 pounds a week, then she's cutting into her lean muscle tissue. In addition to being counterproductive to her goals (that is, winding up with an unnecessarily high body fat percentage), it puts her health at risk.

    There is no food good enough to make up for not eating enough.

    She's not losing 5lbs a week... I understand what you're saying but the maths are very important..
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.

    I still don't see this as wrong.. 800 calories a day is a huge deficit but it's not starving.

    If she is able to eat enough good food and exercise and doesn't suffer from any side effects I don't see the problem.

    If her deficit is big enough to regularly lose 5 pounds a week, then she's cutting into her lean muscle tissue. In addition to being counterproductive to her goals (that is, winding up with an unnecessarily high body fat percentage), it puts her health at risk.

    There is no food good enough to make up for not eating enough.

    She's not losing 5lbs a week... I understand what you're saying but the maths are very important..

    She's averaging 3 pounds a week over the past eight weeks, but in the past week she lost 5.6 pounds. If she continues a deficit large enough to lose at this rate, she'll be losing muscle unnecessarily.

  • guessjr94
    guessjr94 Posts: 32 Member
    I never run so I think my body just freaked out

    quote="robs_ready;38921861"]
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    Someone who is eating 1,200 and burning 700 in a gym session (assuming those numbers are accurate) is only giving her body 500 net (800 if she eats back 300 calories). This isn't enough.

    I still don't see this as wrong.. 800 calories a day is a huge deficit but it's not starving.

    If she is able to eat enough good food and exercise and doesn't suffer from any side effects I don't see the problem.

    If her deficit is big enough to regularly lose 5 pounds a week, then she's cutting into her lean muscle tissue. In addition to being counterproductive to her goals (that is, winding up with an unnecessarily high body fat percentage), it puts her health at risk.

    There is no food good enough to make up for not eating enough.

    She's not losing 5lbs a week... I understand what you're saying but the maths are very important.. [/quote]

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited February 2017
    robs_ready wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    That's pretty good going, works out about 3.5lbs a week which is a little over the recommended. As long as your eating right there's nothing wrong with it.

    Gross 1200 cals isn't 'right'

    How do you come to that conclusion? We've already established she's losing over the recommended weekly rate but 1200 is far from starvation. It completely depends on what her calories consist of.

    When I posted that OP hadn't said she was eating any exercise cals.

    Whichever way you look at it, losing 5lbs in a week isn't healthy.
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
    guessjr94 wrote: »
    I am 5' 8'' and I have lost a little over 25 pounds over the course of the last eight weeks. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and do about 5 hours of cardio. I burn usually between 700-1200 calories per gym session. In the past week I decided to go running on my 2 rest days. In the past week alone I dropped 5.6 pounds. Is this too fast? I eat around 1200 calories a day, never less. I am loving the loss but I don't want to end up with loose or saggy skin. I know big losses are expected in the beginning but I thought they started to tamper off after a while. Thoughts?

    I think you should eat back more of your exercise calories. It's likely you're losing muscle mass due to too high of a deficit. If you're making these changes for health, it's important to do it in a healthy way. Since you have lost so much, it's probably also time to re-evaluate your loss goal to something more sustainable. The closer you get to goal, the less per week you should be losing.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    I peeked at your diary, you are eating down to half your goal calories on a regular basis.
    Just eat up to your goal calories, and see what happens.
This discussion has been closed.