100 Pounds

tag624

I would like some input from some people who have lost around 100 pounds or more. About how many calories did you consume a day? How often, how long, and what kind of workouts did you do? What was the average weight loss per month? Did you have cheat meals? I know these answers will be different for everyone I just wanted to see what everyone's responses were. I have about 50-60 more pounds I want to lose and have lost 30 since January.

ShannonMpls

I lost 130+ in 15 months. I've been maintaining that weight loss since September of 2012.

Average calories consumed a day:
I probably averaged 1700-2100 during my weight loss phase. The lower amount at the beginning, higher amount toward the end. My goal weight maintenance is 2500-2700 depending on the time of year (I am more active during the summer).

Workouts:
Three 60-minute full body strength training sessions a week; free weights (and cables, but no other machines).
For cardio, probably 45-60 minute sessions 2-3 times a week. Occasionally more, occasionally less. I did elliptical at first, then added the row machine, stair climber. Eventually I started running. Now my only cardio is hiking/recreational activity, running, or group exercise classes I love - in short, I only do what I enjoy now. I still lift 2-4 times a week though.

Average weight loss per month:
10 pounds for the first 12 months. I have a chart on my profile. After losing 120, I cooled it quite a bit and lost the last 10-15 during the final three months while training for a half marathon.

Cheat meals:
Well, yes, but I didn't call them that. They were part of my plan so there was nothing to cheat on. I didn't log 2-3 days a month the entire time I was losing. I usually planned those for around a special occasion - holiday, wedding, etc. They never impeded my weight loss, and in fact made adherence to a long-term plan much easier. However: I often exercised on off days, usually lifting; I am an extremely diligent logger when I do log, weighing everything and sticking to my goal;and I have no issue returning to the plan following an off day. YMMV on this point. By the way, I maintain this same way - logging a deficit all week, not logging most weekends.

My blog has a lot more specifics on how I lost and how I maintain:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ShannonMpls

Good luck to you!

tag624

Wow, I have tried eating 1800 and don't lose any weight, I usually have to stick to 1200-1400 to lose weight, and I average about 5 pounds a month, which has been really frustrating, but I don't really count calories on the weekends so I'm sure I overeat then lol. I do at least 3 hours of exercise a week, try to do half cardio and half strength training, I think I'm going to up that to 5 hours. I have been told to increase my calories, but when I do I just gain weight. Congrats on your weight loss, you look amazing!

scubasuenc

I"ve lost 101 lbs in 6.5 months. I started at 1680 calories per day for a 2lb per week loss. Per my doctor's recommendation I did not eat my exercise calories. As I lost weight MFP lowered my calorie goal down to 1230. At that level I was hungry, tired and didn't recover well from my workouts.

I then calculated my TDEE using one of the calculators and compared it to my TDEE based on my actual weight loss. Turns out I was burning 2700+ calories per day at that point. I slowly increased my calories up to 1700 per day, and that is where I still am. As I've continued to lose my TDEE is slowly dropping, so my rate of loss is slowing a little. I am satisfied on 1700 per day and I should be able to sustain that until goal as it is lower than my TDEE at goal.

I aim for workouts 6 days per week. I ride a stationary bike for 45 minutes every morning. Two to three days a week I try to get in a second workout where I lift weights and do additional cardio. I intend to keep this up during weight loss. I've factored in 3 days a week exercise into my plan for maintenance.

I count the good, the bad and the ugly calories. Even on the weekends and holidays when I might not like what I see. The only time I haven't logged my food was when I was on vacation somewhere with no internet access.

ShannonMpls

Wow, I have tried eating 1800 and don't lose any weight, I usually have to stick to 1200-1400 to lose weight, and I average about 5 pounds a month, which has been really frustrating, but I don't really count calories on the weekends so I'm sure I overeat then lol.

Well that's it right there. If you're eating 1800 a day M-F, not logging and overeating on weekends, then not losing weight, you're erasing your deficit on Saturday and Sunday.

You have a choice - eat a more balanced amount all week long, or strive to stick to a huge deficit M-F to make up for weekend overeating.

Losing 5 pounds a month without counting calories on weekends is a pretty good accomplishment, in my mind. But if you're frustrated and not losing as much as you'd like, you have the answer right there.

amandzor

I've lost about 30 pounds all together, 12 in the last 30 days. I'm hoping to loose a total of 120.

I tend to stay within 1200-1300 a day, including weekends (which may be part of your problem)

I have a desk job, so I'm not very active during the day. I try to go to the gym after work 4-5 days a week, where I'll do some heavy lifting (check out 5x5 if you're curious where to start) and I'll run on the treadmill 3-4 days for 20 mins to an hour, depending on how my legs feel.

The day after I do serious squats, my quads tend to be too tight to run any serious distance.

Check out my diary, it's open. I always tend to under log by like 30-40 cals, because I know that even weighting/measuring has some deviance in calorie count.

ShannonMpls

Even on the weekends and holidays when I might not like what I see.

I know a lot of people who do this. For me, though, it's isn't about not liking what I might see. It's more about living the healthiest life I can enjoy. Counting calories most of the time is likely going to be part of my life forever. But I cannot fathom counting calories every single day. There is little I dislike more than having to guess and keep track of every bite I eat at a wedding with passed appetizers, for example. And the night I went to an amazing restaurant with an 11-course tasting menu and beer pairings. Not only would logging have been wildly inaccurate during such an event, but it would have greatly detracted from my enjoyment of it - not because OMG I ATE TWO THOUSAND CALORIES IN ONE MEAL, but because I believe that sometimes food is to be enjoyed for enjoyment's sake. I ate it; my body will keep a very accurate record. Knowing how many calories was in it would not have changed whether I ate it or not. Logging it would have been pointless, time consuming, and annoying, and for what? So I could have a very inaccurate log of an amazing meal? No thanks. Logging very accurately whenever possible, while allowing meals, days, sometimes weeks away from logging, is very helpful to me in terms of weight maintenance and adherence to what I plan on being a lifetime commitment to a healthy - and enjoyable - weight and life.

tag624

No, I'm eating about 1200 -1300 during the week, I do count my calories some weekends, maybe just not every weekend. Looking at all this maybe I need to increase my calorie count to 1500 or so daily. I burned about 1200 calories working out yesterday, ate about 1300 calories, needless to say, today I am exhausted and just want to eat!!

tag624

I think I just get so overwhelmed because I am losing at such a slow rate and some people are telling me to increase my calories and some are telling me to decrease them. But maybe I am just overeating during the weekends lol, and its summertime which means more alcohol and cookouts haha, I just need to start counting every calorie, even during the weekends :noway:

newjojie

I've lost 96 lbs since January 2013. Honestly the first 80 came off in a year and I was eating around 1400, it's been slower since I have my calories set for around 1600 , weight is coming off slowly now but I'm not worried because it definitely is a lifestyle change and I know I will eventually be where I want to. I also have troubles on the weekends but just keep trying to make better choices.

Eli716

Q: About how many calories did you consume a day?
A: About 1400-1500, usually. Anything lower and it'd throw me off a bit.

Q: How often, how long, and what kind of workouts did you do?
A: Jillian Michaels DVDs, Elliptical (usually 30 minutes, sometimes an hour) about 5 times a week. Cleaning, cooking, playing billiards, all the little things count too. Oh, and I walk about 2-4 miles as often as possible.

Q: What was the average weight loss per month?
A: Hmm... tough call, it varies month to month. Ups and downs. It's all on my profile page... at the end of this month will be my first full year on losing weight:
-12.5 lbs 07/13 -11.4 lbs 08/13 -11.8 lbs 09/13 -09.2 lbs 10/13 -09.6 lbs 11/13 -10.0 lbs 12/13
-10.4 lbs 01/14 -08.2 lbs 02/14 -07.6 lbs 03/14 -03.6 lbs 04/14 -03.6 lbs 05/14 -04.6 lbs 06/14
*Since I have less than 75lbs to go, it'll only get harder!

Q: Did you have cheat meals?
A: Why yes, I do! Once a week if possible! Normally NY style pizza, Philly cheese-steak sandwich, lasagna, or mac'n'cheese!

Hope this helps you! Good luck!

tag624

bump

ajones1965

I have lost 104lbs, 56 of those since the end of January. I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day depending on how hungry I feel and what exercise I have done. I started out walking on a treadmill for 45 mins on an incline, gradually increasing pace and incline.. In May I upped my workouts. I now run a little, doing the c25k program. I row a mile or so most days and I cycle once a week about 10k. I do some strength training like leg presses, extensions etc. I have kettlebells, dumbbells and other weights I use too. I hike cross country when I get the chance sometimes. Since April my weight loss has been between 10-14lbs a month. I am currently 256lbs, 5 ft 5 and 48 years old.