Is it possible to lose 10lb a month?

AngelaAwesome97

Hi all. So I'm 183-185lb, 5'1, and my goal weight is 130lb. I really, REALLY want to be at least close to my goal weight by swimming season, so I can buy a new swimsuit I was wandering if it is possible to lose 10lb a month, going by what the myfitnesspal says ( 1200 calories a day )? is there anybody who has lost about 40lb in 4 months? 50lb in 5 months?

p.s i read somewhere online that to lose 10lb a month, you need a 1000 calories deficit in your diet. is this true?

SweeDecadence92

You'd need to be losing 2.5lbs a week. It's just about doable. A 1000 cals a day is probably accurate but it's not a healthy or maintainable intake, as soon as you up the calories your gonna pack it back on. I'd lower my expectation a tad if I were you.

ThickMcRunFast

You could, maybe, but you wouldn't end up looking very good in that swimsuit.

Best to set a more reasonable deficit, and keep the weight off for good.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

daniellabella986

It's doable but it may not be easy to maintain once you lose - try giving yourself a little more time so it's easier to keep up with day to day.

jeremywm1977

Is it possible.......sure, it's possible.
Is it possible to do in a healthy fashion..........now, that's the tricky part.

By taking drastic measures to lose that much in that short of time, you're setting yourself up for potential failure and an epic rebound (i.e., putting it all back on plus more).

I'd stick with the gradual, and healthy.
A good rule of thumb is do not try to lose more than 1% of your body weight per week. So for the first few weeks, you probably shouldn't try to lose more than 1.7 - 1.8 pounds each week.

A 1,000 calorie deficit just does not seem sustainable, plus you'll make yourself absolutely miserable doing it. Ask yourself if that new bathing suit is really worth that much. Start your journey today, deal with the bathing suit you have for this year, but have a goal of getting a newer one for next year..........continue to work on your eating habits / exercise throughout the summer, and the fall and winter...........by time you know it, we're at next bathing suit season, and you'll have earned that new bathing suit through the wonderful changes you've made.

I'm sure you didn't get up to 180+ overnight, so don't plan on getting down to your goal weight in that manner either.

eversosquidly

Here's the thing: I don't think it's just about the weight anymore. When I first started losing weight, I never thought that losing 50 pounds would allow me to start shopping at normal stores. It might not be something so drastic as 50 pounds in five months. It might be more about the actual size of your body versus the weight of your body. So keep that in mind!!

That said: yes. I think it IS possible to lose 10 pounds in a month. I lost 50 pounds between the end of May and the end of September. I actually dropped 11 pounds my first week. So it is absolutely possible.

But. That said: I would caution about how you lose the weight. It's not just about calories: make sure the foods you're planning to eat are good, whole, healthy foods. If you're smart about how you eat, plenty of veggies/fruits/protein, then you'll lose a lot more quickly (and efficiently) than if you'd eaten a lot of frozen foods or ready-made-fast food.

I also don't think you should be eating 1200 calories a day to lose the weight. I know what MFP SAYS. But a completely sedentary person who doesn't move at all could have a resting BMR that would mean they'd need 1200 calories to survive. If you move around at all during the day, you're going to need more calories than that. I'd figure out your BMR and then figure out how active you are--and then use that information to decide how many calories to eat. 1200 is a very small amount of calories, and it's really not good to starve your body. It'll help you lose at first. But you can only keep that up for so long before you get angry--and when you starve your body, you actually start to store fat instead of get rid of it. So by eating more, you'll actually lose more!

One pound is 3500 calories. If you eliminate 3500 calories per week, you'll drop a pound. So you deduct that from seven days a week and it'll tell you how much you need to eat to lose weight, basically. Two more suggestions! Drink as much water as you can stand! The more water you drink, the more quickly you'll lose the water weight. When you don't drink a ton of water, your body worries that you won't be hydrating it often enough, so it holds onto the water. If you drink more than it's used to on a regular basis, you can get rid of that water because your body will be reassured that you'll be hydrating!

Lastly: consider cutting down on those foods that you know you struggle to avoid. When I started, I cut out some very big things from my diet. And I benefited greatly. But you don't have to be as extreme. I cut out sugar completely. If you like sugar (or potatoes or bread or whatever might be your ~hang-up food~), plan to have it once a week or something. But try to avoid those things so that you eat less of them. That way, you aren't tempted to eat more than you should. And you can fill the calorie spaces with something better for you!!

And remember: the more you exercise, the more quickly you can achieve your goals! A healthy balance can get you to your swimsuit season looking fantastic!

ingenueorbust

It's possible but not very realistic for most people. And you may get discouraged if you don't hit 10 which will sabotage you in the long run. Maybe rethink the goal slightly... 6lbs a month? That's a pound and a half a week (a lot easier!) and in four months (in time for swimsuit shopping still) you will still have lost nearly 25lbs. Just a thought.

SLLRunner

Hi all. So I'm 183-185lb, 5'1, and my goal weight is 130lb. I really, REALLY want to be at least close to my goal weight by swimming season, so I can buy a new swimsuit I was wandering if it is possible to lose 10lb a month, going by what the myfitnesspal says ( 1200 calories a day )? is there anybody who has lost about 40lb in 4 months? 50lb in 5 months?

p.s i read somewhere online that to lose 10lb a month, you need a 1000 calories deficit in your diet. is this true?

So, you are basically trying to lose 55 pounds by summer, which is 5 1/2 months away, or about 19 weeks. You would have to lose roughly 2.6 pounds a week to reach that weight by June 1.

Nope. Not safe. Don't do it.

If you start now by setting up your profile in MFP to lose 2 pounds a week to start, and if you log everything you eat and all your exercise, weigh and measure all your food, and stay within your calorie goals, you will lose some weight. You will lose it slowly at and at a healthy rate.

Though it's not required, I also suggest some weight lifting to help your body adjust as you lose weight. The last thing you want is saggy skin from losing too quickly and no exercise.

Good luck.

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Cranquistador

No.

AngelaAwesome97

@ingenueorbust you know what, you're absouletly right! and so is everyone else. idk i would just like to lose more but i mean 25lb is still a lot!! i think i'll try to do that and lose 6-7 lbs a month so i dont get frustrated.

Dewymorning

Why not aim to lose 20-25 pounds by summer?

EDIT: Looks like you have been convinced. I just want to add, that losing 25 pounds will put you at a little below where I was at the start of NZ's summer, and I am a lil bit taller than you, so maybe a similar body size, and I wore a swimsuit with no shame. :P

AKA, look at the girl in the middle of my photo, and that is me just a week before I first doned a swimsuit this summer.

Slrajr

Why not lose 1 pound a week, or some weeks just half a pound and never get frustrated, just feel proud that you're moving in the right direction, you're in control, and at the same time nourishing and loving your body?

DopeItUp

I would be more inclined to shoot for next year's swimsuit season to reach your goal weight. Weight loss goes faster to start with, and slows to a crawl by the end (by the end, I was only losing 2lbs/month which I was very happy with). A year is at least somewhat reasonable.

SLLRunner

@ingenueorbust you know what, you're absouletly right! and so is everyone else. idk i would just like to lose more but i mean 25lb is still a lot!! i think i'll try to do that and lose 6-7 lbs a month so i dont get frustrated.

What a great response to us telling you to basically forget losing that fast and set more realistic goals.

Since you have quite a bit to lose, you can start off setting your calorie limit to lose 2 pounds a week, and then set it to one pound a week when you've lost about 20 pounds, and then set it to .5 pounds a week when you're around 10 pounds from your goal. Keep in mind that weight loss is not linear, weight fluctuates from day to day, and sometimes you weight will have slow losses and quicker losses.

It has taken me about nine or so months to lose 36 pounds. Sometimes I didn't seem to lose anything, other times I thought I was losing too fast. I just played with those calories until I seemed to get it about right for me.

Be patient, see this as a lifestyle change, accurately log everything, weight and measure your food, and you will soon see amazing results.

rocketblaster

I want to lose about 40 (at least that's the magic number I have in mind, I'm only a tad taller at 5'3" and I'm trying to lose 1.5 a week but rather than focusing on the rate of loss as I have in the past I'm going to focus on how much better I am treating my body and the ultimate health benefits. I'd be lying in looking better in a bathing suit wasn't part of my motivation but I have tell you, during this first week I feel so much better, it may be psychosomatic but I feel "lighter" and happier in that I've increased my good foods and pretty much stopped the unhealthy things that have snuck into my diet over the last few years.

I think you will also notice that at 10%, 25% etc...of your goal you'll notice how much better you look and feel. Although the goal is super exciting you'll have many happy milestones along the way.

I've been under my calorie goals this week (week one) but next I'm going to hit goal and incorporate more exercise. The slow steady pace will help me keep this a "way of eating" rather than a short term "diet".

Good luck, make sure to celebrate all of the small progress you make on the path to the big reward.

rockmama72

It's so common for us to start a program by saying, "I want to be X pounds by X date." If you think about it, it's kind of BS! How can we ever really know if that's going to happen? If we look instead at aiming for progress--think about the work you'll be putting in, how healthy it will make you feel, and yes, how you'll shrink--NO DOUBT--if you do the work. It's that hard, consistent effort that's going to give you the most pride as the weeks and months go on. If you keep eating well and exercising for the next five months, you are going to feel and look SO FANTASTIC this summer. Your body will have changed significantly, you'll probably be a few sizes smaller, and you will be so happy with your progress that you won't even care if you're at your goal yet.

mrsamanda86

Honestly, the most I've lost in a month was 9 pounds... and then the following month I was hungry a lot and ended up only losing 1.6 pounds for that whole month. Just focus on doing better, and eventually you will get there. No matter what, if you stick with a plan, you will look better in 4 months than you do today, and as long as you do it the right way, you'll be healthier too. It shouldn't just be a race so you look good in a bikini. I'm all about looking better, but expecting that major of a loss in that short a time is setting yourself up for disappointment, which never ends well.

Greenrun99

No.

Amandabelanger614

Hello! I am 5'4 and started my journey Dec 3rd @ 180 lbs. I eat 1200 calories a day (which most do not recommend on here). I workout 5-6 hours a week.

In December i lost 8 lbs before the week of christmas, gained back 3lbs and as of yesterday i am down 10lbs in 44 days. It could be just the first month, so dropping off quickly. I do think you could get close.... i also hear the last pounds take longer too.

TR0berts

. nvm .

mammamia811

yes it is possible..I lost 38 pounds in 16 weeks after my 2nd child....doing weight watchers and pilates and running....however I was "skinny fat"....now after baby 4 I do lots more strength training mixed with cardio

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mammamia811

I should have been more clear..M 2nd child was 4....not a new mom..I wasn't aiming to lose fast..just a nice 1-2 pounds a week..some week I would only lose .4 next week..2 or 3...I agree with everyone...,make it lifestyle change and it will come off

ChristineOlivarri

Yes it is possible.... anything is possible but you need to do it safely. DO NOT starve yourself, change your habits long term and believe me your body will appreciate it. I have lost 10 lbs in two weeks but I am very overweight and have been under doctors supervision while losing weight. Slow and steady wins the race.

bazzaking38

100 percent for sure you can lose 10 pounds in a month . my wife lost 12 pounds a month for 3 months . my aim is 4 stone in 5 months my first week was 5lbs so i am on course to get over 10 pounds this month just need another 3 weeks with a couple of 3-4 pounds a week off. you can get that easy and its not too harsh but the more you lose in a month the more chance it might go back on dont go extreme just cut the cals and walk