To lose 50 lbs in 5 months

Peachoid

First off, I have consistently lost weight and MFP has truly allowed me to be realistic about my weight loss. I ave lost 11 lbs so far and I have 50 more to go but now I am on a timeline.
Question 1. Is this realistic.
2. How do I achieve this?

I eat less than 1200 cals/day of alcohol free, vegan food. I workout everyday to burn nearly 950 cals at the gym and about 110 walking from home to work to gym and back. Eating any less will not work very well.

What can do to improvise?
It really really matters to me to lose 50lbs in these 5 months. I just have to do it. I might even try something a bit crazy if that is what it takes. :-)

Thanks

eventing07

1. I think this is very realistic if you are dedicated and work hard! Remember though that you gain muscle with working out. So find what your body fat % is and measure to help keep you motivated when the scale doesn't move!


2. You really should eat no less than 1200 calories. On the days you exercise it needs to be more. It sounds crazy but if you eat more and often (healthy choices staying in calorie deficit) you will drop better. If you do not eat enough ESPECIALLY if you are working out your body will not let the fat go.

I'm a big fan of measuring to help keep me motivated. I've logged, eaten healthy, and exercised consistently for the last 5 weeks and have not lost a pound which was crazy frustrating especially since my clothes are looser and I lost 15inches! I did more research and figured out I had lost 6% body fat and gained 13lbs of muscle! After figuring that out I felt a lot better and just focus on my eating and working out knowing it will come off.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your goal! My goal is to lose between 50 and 60lbs by May 5th (My first Warrior Dash!) You can add me if you would like and we can help motivate each other!

erickirb

Not safe or realistic. and if you are only eating 1200 cals you should also eat back the cals you burn. If you burn 950 and only eat 1200 that would be like eating 250 cals and not exercising (1200-950) which is not enough for your body to live on and your metabolism will slow down and you will end up losing a lot of lean muscle.

Here is a guide for setting proper weekly weight loss goals. and keep in mind with each of these you should be eating your burned calories back:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

so at most you should expect to lose 44lbs in 22 weeks, but if you have less than 75lbs to lose you should lose less than that.

_SusieQ_

I'm sure the majority of people on this site who are here to lose weight wish it could happen RIGHT NOW.
But to come to a place like this and say "I might even try something a bit crazy if that is what it takes. :-) " is probably not going to get you the answers you are looking for.

I wish I could be more supportive, but I'm afraid your RIGHTNOW attitude will set you up for failure. Use MFP as it's designed, stay strong and it will happen. It may not happen on your timeline, but you'll get there.

MB_Positif

this is a bit of an unrealistic goal, but it is not impossible. that said, you are definitely losing right now because you are not eating enough. you can't continue at this rate.

infamousmk

Your timeline should be "as long as it takes to get fit in a healthy and non-damaging way."

ArroganceInStep

10 pounds a month is a very aggressive goal, but realistic. I would be very careful about how extreme you let your diet get. Not only are there potential long term health implications, it's also very easy (I say this part from experience) to fall off your diet and ultimately sabotage yourself if your diet is too extreme.

JaimeBrown5

You MIGHT do something crazy if needbe?

You already are.

You aren't eating enough. You're burning off almost, is not all, of the calories that you are taking in and you have a goal that does't lend itself to a long-term lifestyle change, unless ending up in an ED rehab is your goal.

Captain_Tightpants

You might be one of those rare people who can diet that aggressively, but not many of us are. My guess is that if you try anything extreme you'll just plateau or even gain.

Of course, with a really good regime of toning and weight training exercises you could probably *Look* 50lbs lighter in 5 months, even if the scale says you're only 25lbs down.

danigirl1011

I think some of the other people are right when they say you might not be eating enough. When i got as low as you did in calories (i work at a desk job so that is the recommended amount) my body didn't like it and i felt exhausted at night when i tried to work out. I added an extra few hundred calories and still lose the same amount (1-2 pounds per week) and have way better workouts. I understand wanting to lose weight fast, but if you keep going like this you're gonna put it all right back on.

Wuggums

I did more research and figured out I had lost 6% body fat and gained 13lbs of muscle!

I wonder what calculations you're using. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding something. I find it hard to believe that you can lose 6% body fat and gain 13 pounds of muscle in only 5 weeks, especially while working on a calorie deficit.

ryno0618

Sorry but its not realistic or healthy to get where you want to be in such a short time.

For one, you need to eat a MINIMUM 1200 per day. And if you are exercising as hard as you are then you need to be eating back some of those workout calories.

I know the old mantra of eating less pushing harder equates to weight loss is stuck in all our heads. But its completely FALSE. You are going to have more sustainable success if ya do it the healthy way.

andrejjorje

Give us some stats.
Age
Height
Actual weight. Starting weight.
What workouts/cadio for how long.
Open up your diary.

Do not expect to get realistic answers if you don't ask realistic questions.
So let's see what you've got.

SwimmingLibrarian

My mom and I lost 45 pounds in 5 months doing Jenny Craig and exercising, so I think that you can do it. All I have to say is that we were truly dedicated.

Quasita

It really depends on where you start, people. I'm heavy, and have a goal of 50 pounds in 25 weeks, which is approximately 6 months. However, I'm *so* heavy that I'm averaging 5+ pounds a week. The point is, you have to listen to your body and feed it when it needs it.

I would recommend a more intense workout plan. My current plan is 5 workouts a week of 80 minutes or more, and it's working wonders. I also eat plenty of food. I make sure that my intake is *at least* my BMR when I'm working out like this, and on days that I don't work out, I keep my calories low.

Instead of asking here if it's safe, I would visit your doctor and/or a trainer, and discuss your goals. Depending on your body, this could be easily achieved. I mean, we're talking 2.5 pounds a week! It's not like you're trying to do this in a month. Certain adjustments could make this a very feasible goal.

All this being said, I would re-examine the timeline, and why you are on a deadline. Why 50 pounds? Is that a magical number that will guarantee a certain figure? Frankly, just because you lose 50 pounds doesn't mean you'll be where you want to be or look the way you expect.

Captain_Tightpants

My mom and I lost 45 pounds in 5 months doing Jenny Craig and exercising, so I think that you can do it. All I have to say is that we were truly dedicated.

Problem is she's already lost 11lbs at the outset - that suggests to me that most of her quick water weight loss period is over and soon she'll get into the slower real fat burning stage. How much of the 45lbs you lost on Jenny Craig fell off in the first month? 15lbs of it at least I bet?

bcsrule

I've lost a total of 41 lbs since April, (24lbs since I started MFP in August)...am I going to slow. I've lost tons of inches, and have 23lbs to go.

cassieday

I have lost 50 pounds but it took me a year and 4 months. I also took it really slow and really only needed to lose those 50 pounds and the last 5-10 pounds were what took the longest. I did it eating enough and working out 5/6 days a week and have kept it off. Just make sure you are eating enough calories everyday because if you crash diet you are just gonna gain it all back once you reach your goal. Less than 1200 is not enough. I am a vegan too but make sure i always get at least 1200 calories a day witjh as healthy of choices as i can make. I have watched so many people crash diet and it is so terrible for you so please make sure you do this in a healthy way! Good luck!!!

ShannanLaNae

bump

Brittypop

Not safe or realistic. and if you are only eating 1200 cals you should also eat back the cals you burn. If you burn 950 and only eat 1200 that would be like eating 250 cals and not exercising (1200-950) which is not enough for your body to live on and your metabolism will slow down and you will end up losing a lot of lean muscle.

Here is a guide for setting proper weekly weight loss goals. and keep in mind with each of these you should be eating your burned calories back:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

so at most you should expect to lose 44lbs in 22 weeks, but if you have less than 75lbs to lose you should lose less than that.

GREAT info!

ShannanLaNae

bump

LilMizDetermined

Not safe or realistic. and if you are only eating 1200 cals you should also eat back the cals you burn. If you burn 950 and only eat 1200 that would be like eating 250 cals and not exercising (1200-950) which is not enough for your body to live on and your metabolism will slow down and you will end up losing a lot of lean muscle.

Here is a guide for setting proper weekly weight loss goals. and keep in mind with each of these you should be eating your burned calories back:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

so at most you should expect to lose 44lbs in 22 weeks, but if you have less than 75lbs to lose you should lose less than that.

THIS. You are not eating NEARLY enough!!

HarpingOn

pretty much what I've dine since September. Lots of exercise and sensible eating. I try and never eat less than 1500 net of exercise. I'm on a goal of 1800 cals food. Went from 115kg ish to 91.4kg last weigh in. I'm targeting 86, but its getting a lot harder now.

SwimmingLibrarian

No, only 10. Generally I averaged about 10 pounds a month.

tiggersstar

chances are that even if you did kill yourself to loose it that quick....you would just pile it back on the second you stopped. i would slow down and make a healthy long lasting change.

:flowerforyou:

tig_ol_bitties

Your timeline should be "as long as it takes to get fit in a healthy and non-damaging way."

^^yup, yup.

ConfidenceNMe

Maybe it's not how much of something you're eating but what it is you're eating. Eat fresh veggies. steamed or not either way it's a great way to get full on the smallest amt of calories. Plus they're filled with vitamins and minerals that will aid in your weightloss and help your digestive system. Congrats on the 10 lbs so far! I think 10 lbs per month is doable. Work it gurl!

laneybird

I think it depends on what your starting weight is... the more you weigh the "easier" it is to burn more at a time. Personally, I lost 60 lbs in the first 6 months (I started at 302lbs.) I was using the guidelines MFP set for me and exercising 5-6 days a week. The past 2 months the loss slowed down, but I fully expected for that to happen. 50lbs in 5 months is doable, but it needs to be done in a healthy way so that you're not just skinny, you are healthy. Best of luck to you on your journey and I hope you are able to reach your goals!

Yanicka1

i can predict a burn out in a very near futur, maybe with hair lost and a messed up metabolism... Very high chance of gaining all the weight loss and a few pounds more. You do what you want, it is your life and your body after all but i can say that when you decide to stop DIEting, we will be therw to answer your questions.

nikki1anna

Not safe or realistic. and if you are only eating 1200 cals you should also eat back the cals you burn. If you burn 950 and only eat 1200 that would be like eating 250 cals and not exercising (1200-950) which is not enough for your body to live on and your metabolism will slow down and you will end up losing a lot of lean muscle.

Here is a guide for setting proper weekly weight loss goals. and keep in mind with each of these you should be eating your burned calories back:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

so at most you should expect to lose 44lbs in 22 weeks, but if you have less than 75lbs to lose you should lose less than that.

thanks this actually helps me set a realistic goal for my last 15 lbs!

eventing07

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I wonder what calculations you're using. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding something. I find it hard to believe that you can lose 6% body fat and gain 13 pounds of muscle in only 5 weeks, especially while working on a calorie deficit.
[/quote]

You use your inches, weight, height, etc. To calculate. My nutritionist did this for me. I do not remember the exact way to figure it out. I work out a whole lot using workouts my trainer back in Texas gave me; Functional/Crossfit style, spin, ride horses, care for horses daily, and run some. I eat a lot of protein, veggies and fruit, and am not always perfect.
So it may be hard to believe but it's what has been calculated for me and really explains the really loose clothes, inches lost, without the scale moving down.