losing 3-5 lbs a week

i'm interested in trying to lose 5 lbs a week (give or take a pound or two). i have 110 to lose. if you've had any luck hitting this benchmark, i'd be curious what you are doing. i know, i didn't put it on over night (in fact, it took 6 years). but, i've been reading about rapid weight loss and it doesn't sound like it's the big deal they used to think it was. i find myself getting discouraged and then emotionally eating when the scale doesn't move like i think it should. i want to get rapid results.

i know there are no magic bullets. i'm looking for targets for calories in and time spent on exercise...and what kind you are doing.

my diet is pretty healthy right now. and i am exercising 5 days a week. doing 30 day shred for 20 minutes every day and not getting the results i want. better overall fitness level, but the scale and tape measure aren't moving to my liking. i really need to invest in an HRM so i have a better idea on the cals. I know my BMR right now is about 1800. i think i figured to be on target, i'd need to find a way to eliminate another 7000 - 10,500 a week. I eat 1,000 - 1,200 cals a day. I give myself a little wiggle room, but try to be on the low end.

If you had advice on workouts (that i can do at home) it would be really appreciated!! I am able to get to the gym on the weekends, just not during the week.
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Replies

  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    I'm sorry but you'd be doing yourslf more harm than good to lose quickly. Quick weight loss is not sustainable. It will contribute to lose, saggy skin. It is generally not healthy. You didn't put it all on quickly so you can't expect to lose it quickly.

    Healthy weight loss is 0.5 to 2lbs per week. Stick with that. You won't have a loss every week but you've gotta keep plugging away.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Sorry just read the post a little more... 1000 calories is NOT nearly enough. I eat 1700 a day and lose about a pound a week.

    Less doesn't always mean more loss. You will screw up your body and metabolism doing that :(

    Biggest Loser isn't real life.
  • sizzle92
    sizzle92 Posts: 1,015 Member
    Just keep burning more calories than you eat and exercising! If you lose it slow and steady, there is a better chance you will keep it off. IMO if you lose 4-5 lbs a week, you will not keep it off.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Doing that method will also lead to a slower metabolism (which will kill long term results and lead to plateau's) and a big loss of muscle. I would aim for 2 lbs a week and really push to get strength training to maintain lean muscle mass. This way you can lose inches and body fat faster even though it may impede weight loss.
  • WanderingMe
    WanderingMe Posts: 216 Member
    Unfortunately it is still the big deal it used to be in my opinion. Loss of lean muscle mass alone is what keeps me away from going the rapid route. Also, and I know EVERYONE says this, but its a lifestyle change, so even if you get to your goal, I doubt you will have learned how to eat healthy and what not.
  • newmein2013
    newmein2013 Posts: 674 Member
    I agree with Mallory. You mentioned you get frustrated and eat. That's a hard habit to change and it won't change over night, even if you do reach your goal weight quickly. You need to train your brain on portion control and much more to be successful in long term weight loss and keeping it off. Hang in there. Just keep exercising, drink your water, and never go below 1200 calories a day. You'd be doing yourself a huge injustice otherwise. I know someone who lost over 100lbs with gastric bypass but she eats so unhealthy it's rather sad. She was instructed to go to therapy for a year and never did so she was never able to properly deal with her old heating habits after the rapid weight loss. Hope this helps. Best of luck!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Doing that method will also lead to a slower metabolism (which will kill long term results and lead to plateau's) and a big loss of muscle.

    Agreed. You may think you are losing fat quickly when in reality it will be muscle. That's why you shouldn't attempt to drop 6 years worth of weight gain in a few months. Why starve yourself when you'll still be unhealthy at the end and you will have lost muscle along the way? It makes no sense.
  • lmalaschak
    lmalaschak Posts: 346 Member
    I wouldn't think it's a crime to try for 2-3 a week for a while. 3-5 will probably discourage you because I don't think it's doable, especially for women with hormones in the mix and all. I'm on 1220 a day right now but I'm fairly close to my goal weight and only exercise 2-3 times a week. I think you might do well to be a bit kinder to your body and you'll still see some results fairly quickly! As for exercise, I think walking/jogging is probably your best friend!
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    i do have the diet down and i eat healthy most of the time. i NEVER eat fast food. and i NEVER eat processed food. didn't do that even before i started this journey. i have read too much about food and where it comes from. i am also fortunate to live in a state where i can meet farmers and buy what little meat i do eat directly from them. only organic for my family. none of that factory farm crap. so diet wise - even though i emotionally eat, it's not like it's the drive thru at McD's. it's more like a homemade quesadilla with organic cheese and going overboard on the cheese.

    the mental stuff isn't going to go away over night. i know that. i've heard all of these arguments before. but when i started to put on the freshman 15 when i was 19 or so, i started eating 1,000 cals a day and exercised 6 days a week. it worked for me and i had a rockin' body - and not ana-mia type either. just solid size 6 with great curves, etc. so say what you will about the cals, but i've done fine on that before and not had a problem. you'd be surprised how much food you can eat with a mostly plant based diet on 1,000 cals. i definitely don't feel hungry.

    besides, there are people who practice CR as a lifestyle and has been shown to increase longevity. i'm mostly looking for people who have had success attempting this rather than all the arguments against it. i've done research too. i know the pros and cons. i just am curious what methods people have used to achieve these benchmarks.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Eating only 1000 calories a day long term is not healthy. You may be eating all organic things, lean meats, plant based foods however too much of a calorie restriction isn't healthy.

    Just because it worked for you when you were 19 doesn't mean it will work for you now. Your body doesn't function the same now than it did years ago.

    You can't gain proper muscle on 1000 calories a day... you can't build proper muscle on a calorie deficit.

    You asked a question and got responses. Yes, most are maybe nto what you wanted to hear but they were people's ideas and opinions and answers that were to try and help you out.

    Losing 3-5lbs per week is not healthy. Speak with a proper doctor or nutrionist and they will tell you that. We all would LOVE fast weight loss (I'd LOVE to lose 3-5lbs per week) but we know it's not healthy unless you want to be skinny fat with lose skin.

    I had an appointment with my doctor last week who confirmed that fast weight loss is not healthy. When I was discussing my new weight loss journey with my doctor he had informed me all the information around it and that going far too low calorie intake wise will eventually slow metabolism, lean to muscle loss, and lots of lose skin.

    Slow weight loss is even though we all want to lose quickly.

    These comments may not of been what you want to hear but it's the information that can help if it's listened to. Speak with your doctor, than maybe you'll be more willing to do it the slow and healthy way.

    Good luck
  • Quickly losing 15 pounds (that you also put on quickly) at age 19 is a LOT different than losing 110 pounds later in life. Think of how long it took you to put on all that weight. You can't magically take it all off again quickly, without making yourself ill. Aim your caloric intake for 1.5 to 2 pound of loss a week, and keep up the exercising, alternating cardio with moderate weight lifting routines(cardio burns calories quick, but muscles use more calories over the long term, simply being there). Limiting yourself to 1,000 calories will not only slow your metabolism, but will eventually lead to some serious deficiencies in vitamins and nutrients your body needs to maintain your health.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    i do have the diet down and i eat healthy most of the time. i NEVER eat fast food. and i NEVER eat processed food. didn't do that even before i started this journey. i have read too much about food and where it comes from. i am also fortunate to live in a state where i can meet farmers and buy what little meat i do eat directly from them. only organic for my family. none of that factory farm crap. so diet wise - even though i emotionally eat, it's not like it's the drive thru at McD's. it's more like a homemade quesadilla with organic cheese and going overboard on the cheese.

    the mental stuff isn't going to go away over night. i know that. i've heard all of these arguments before. but when i started to put on the freshman 15 when i was 19 or so, i started eating 1,000 cals a day and exercised 6 days a week. it worked for me and i had a rockin' body - and not ana-mia type either. just solid size 6 with great curves, etc. so say what you will about the cals, but i've done fine on that before and not had a problem. you'd be surprised how much food you can eat with a mostly plant based diet on 1,000 cals. i definitely don't feel hungry.

    besides, there are people who practice CR as a lifestyle and has been shown to increase longevity. i'm mostly looking for people who have had success attempting this rather than all the arguments against it. i've done research too. i know the pros and cons. i just am curious what methods people have used to achieve these benchmarks.

    What is CR?

    Also, I am not trying to be a d!ck, but if something worked, then why would you be asking the question? I can tell you with all the people that I have worked with on this board (men, women, young and old), they all ran into issues with under eating. Every single one of them has needed additional calories to support weight loss. Several of them has killed their metabolism over the years (some even recovering from ED's).

    In the end, it all comes down to lean muscle mass and metabolism. The more LBM you have, the better your immune system is, the better your insulin control is, the more effective your body works and the longer you live.
  • MenaMena
    MenaMena Posts: 232 Member
    CR = Calorie Restriction
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    i do have the diet down and i eat healthy most of the time. i NEVER eat fast food. and i NEVER eat processed food. didn't do that even before i started this journey. i have read too much about food and where it comes from. i am also fortunate to live in a state where i can meet farmers and buy what little meat i do eat directly from them. only organic for my family. none of that factory farm crap. so diet wise - even though i emotionally eat, it's not like it's the drive thru at McD's. it's more like a homemade quesadilla with organic cheese and going overboard on the cheese.

    the mental stuff isn't going to go away over night. i know that. i've heard all of these arguments before. but when i started to put on the freshman 15 when i was 19 or so, i started eating under 1,000 cals a day and exercised 6 days a week. it worked for me and i had a rockin' body - and not ana-mia type either. just solid size 6 with great curves, etc. so say what you will about the cals, but i've done fine on that before and not had a problem. you'd be surprised how much food you can eat with a mostly plant based diet on 1,000 cals. i definitely don't feel hungry.

    besides, there are people who practice CR as a lifestyle and has been shown to increase longevity. i'm mostly looking for people who have had success attempting this rather than all the arguments against it. i've done research too. i know the pros and cons. i just am curious what methods people have used to achieve these benchmarks.

    Also, I am not trying to be a d!ck, but if something worked, then why would you be asking the question?

    I have to agree. If you think what you are doing is healthy, then just do it and don't bother soliciting advice from the boards if you don't want opinions from other people. You would be hard pressed to find a doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian to agree with you that eating 1000 calories a day is healthy to do without medical supervision. However, if you have all of the answers and believe what you are doing is right, then you don't need to try and justify your actions here. Just go about your business.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    i do have the diet down and i eat healthy most of the time. i NEVER eat fast food. and i NEVER eat processed food. didn't do that even before i started this journey. i have read too much about food and where it comes from. i am also fortunate to live in a state where i can meet farmers and buy what little meat i do eat directly from them. only organic for my family. none of that factory farm crap. so diet wise - even though i emotionally eat, it's not like it's the drive thru at McD's. it's more like a homemade quesadilla with organic cheese and going overboard on the cheese.

    the mental stuff isn't going to go away over night. i know that. i've heard all of these arguments before. but when i started to put on the freshman 15 when i was 19 or so, i started eating under 1,000 cals a day and exercised 6 days a week. it worked for me and i had a rockin' body - and not ana-mia type either. just solid size 6 with great curves, etc. so say what you will about the cals, but i've done fine on that before and not had a problem. you'd be surprised how much food you can eat with a mostly plant based diet on 1,000 cals. i definitely don't feel hungry.

    besides, there are people who practice CR as a lifestyle and has been shown to increase longevity. i'm mostly looking for people who have had success attempting this rather than all the arguments against it. i've done research too. i know the pros and cons. i just am curious what methods people have used to achieve these benchmarks.

    Also, I am not trying to be a d!ck, but if something worked, then why would you be asking the question?

    I have to agree. If you think what you are doing is healthy, then just do it and don't bother soliciting advice from the boards if you don't want opinions from other people. You would be hard pressed to find a doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian to agree with you that eating 1000 calories a day is healthy to do without medical supervision. However, if you have all of the answers and believe what you are doing is right, then you don't need to try and justify your actions here. Just go about your business.

    ^^ Agreed
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Just because people claim to see benefits from a CR lifestyle (my already-skinny brother tried it when he was in college), does not mean it is a healthy or desirable weightloss strategy for a 36 year old woman. As we age, our nutritional needs change quite a bit, and you are risking long-term damage to your health. If you insist on undertaking such a venture, please make sure you have adequate medical supervision.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    You didn't put the weight on overnight and you shouldn't expect to take it off that quickly either. 5 pounds/week is an extremely aggressive goal and not a very reasonable one either. Most people aim for 2 pounds/week max. Do you really want to eat only 1000 calories for the rest of your life? There's no point in doing something to lose the weight that you aren't willing to do to maintain it.
  • seanwebster
    seanwebster Posts: 83 Member
    Slow and steady wins the race. It's fun to see the weight melt off, and my first few weeks it was like that for me. But then they say your body adjusts. Personally, I wasn't overly restricting my calories, but was working out pretty hard (for me). Dropped about 4 pounds a week for a month, maybe a month and a half. Then it leveled off to around 1-2 a week. My guess (I'm obviously not a dietician or nutritionist, YMMV) is the 2 pounds/week target is set there because that's an equilibrium point for most people. More than that, there could be something wrong, and your body's smart enough to adjust.

    But nobody here knows you better than you do. If that's what you need to do, then go for it. Just be safe and smart about it for your own sake.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    if you read my initial question it was asking for anyone who had had any luck hitting that benchmark. i didn't ask anything but that. that is all. and yes, 1000 cals is working for me plus exercise, but i'm not hitting the 3-5 lbs per week. my question is more of a mathematical one - what is the formula for calculating deficit taking into account bmr so i can figure out how much exercise i need a week to hit this goal.

    i certainly don't claim to have all the answers, but several responses were about eating healthy, no processed foods, etc. And no, I don't see anything wrong with calorie restriction because I more than exceed all my dietary needs with regard to macros because i choose the right foods. i have worked with a nutritionist in the past and i know how to make the 1,000 cals work.

    i'm trying to figure out how much exercise i need to get the deficit i'm aiming for. perhaps my question wasn't clear enough that i was looking for people who have had success doing that - not just opinions from random "experts".
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    and i should note, that i do increase my calories as i get closer to my goal. i am aware of that and plan to adjust my calorie intake by 20-50 calories for every 20 lbs lost.
  • shamr0ck
    shamr0ck Posts: 296 Member
    The math is easy. Just figure you need to burn 3500 calories for every pound you want to lose. 5 lbs a week would be 17500 calories that you need to burn. Eat your bmr every day, or if you are intent on sticking to 1000 calories, subtract that spare 800 from what you need to burn with exercise.

    For 5 pounds a week, you need to run at a deficit of 2500 calories every day. If you are eating 1000, then you will have to burn 3500. Figure the bmr for the weight you want to attain, not your current weight, and burn the difference in exercise.

    I don't think it can be sustained long-term. The folks that do it for TV have been carefully selected, have medical supervision and trainers watching them very closely. Not to mention they exercise 6 hours a day or more. I don't see any way you could do that at 20 minutes per day.

    Heck, i'm in the gym 15 hours a week, 9 of them supervised training, and i've been at a plateau for several months. But good luck to you.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Weight loss doesn't follow mathematical equations. Just because you burn enough for doesn't mean you'll lose that amount. Your body does will start fighting back soon.

    See a doctor... This is an ED
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
    "
    Overview (why I'm posting this)
    Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people suceed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is dissapointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new commers and vetrans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

    Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
    Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

    Phase 2. Reality setting in.
    At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permenant yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tryies to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

    Phase 3. The routine.
    At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistant (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becomming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

    Phase 4. Really digging in.
    This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

    Phase 5. End game.
    5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
    The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficite, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficites you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficite (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

    Conclusion:

    this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from. "

    That's all I got because I have no clue how to lose 3-5lbs a week.


    THIS.

    Read, print out... tape up all over your house.


    :drinker:
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
    You are getting some great advice here - especially from Mallory. I hope you listen to it, instead of just looking for the answer you want to hear (the math equation).
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
    Guys dont argue with her. Let her try it. and then when she gives up after losing 20 pounds, then gaining it all back, she will come back here again, and will actually listen to your advice.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
    Let her try it. and then when she gives up after losing 20 pounds, then gaining it all back, she will come back here again, and will actually listen to your advice.
    I am trying to avoid that step and have her enjoy a healthy lifestyle the whole time instead of having her fail further.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
    Let her try it. and then when she gives up after losing 20 pounds, then gaining it all back, she will come back here again, and will actually listen to your advice.
    I am trying to avoid that step and have her enjoy a healthy lifestyle the whole time instead of having her fail further.

    yeah, i learned the hard way:) it worked though

    i wish her the very best of losing weight. and losing it the healthy way. which is sustainable and doesnt stress the body.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    if you read my initial question it was asking for anyone who had had any luck hitting that benchmark.


    I think the reason you're getting a lot of responses from people telling you that this doesn't work and isn't healthy kind of answers your question... People don't have success with long-term low-calorie diets. There is no magical equation that will make you lose 3-5 pounds a week without destroying your metabolism and muscle.
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVxL4UGfJWxhQppzGpYZ_IEhshd-6LplMHXYjHgdxcDfF4koHQlg