How long has it taken you to lose weight?

dtegrote

Just for inspiration, I'd like to get an idea of how long it took for most of you to lose the weight of your goal. I just turned 50, got laid off from my job, and am using this time to focus on losing the extra 50 lbs. I've been carrying. I'm a yo-yo dieter from the past; I can lose weight on diet fads easily but then I gain back all the weight. I decided to do it the right way by counting calories, eating healthy foods (not drinking my meals!), and exercising. I've been measuring everything I eat and making sure I exercise at least 6 times a week. I've been sitting on my butt for the past 20 years, so this is very new for me. I'm focused, excited, but it's been very slow for me. I thought I would easily lose 2 lbs. per week, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Anyway, I just wanted to hear from you so that I know what to expect, what is reality, and to find out if what I'm experiencing is normal. I know I need to keep on keepin' on, and I plan to do so for my health. Thanks!

fteale

Difficult to put a time scale on it. But roughly, it took me 11 months from when I started running to reach my goal, but I didn't start logging my food and actually TRYING to lose weight for another 5 months after I started exercising, so I suppose it was properly 6 months, but 11 months from my highest weight and most unfit.

Edited to add, my highest weight was 162 lbs, I am now 123 or thereabouts.

Fred4point0

It took me 4 months. I started at 200 on 11/18/11 and just made my 4th month today. I now weigh 168.8. It was not easy. I don't believe in cheat days. They sabotage your program. MIx up your program after every four weeks so you want get bored or stay on long plateaus.I never eat my calories. I know many on MFP do but I didn't and it worked for me. The main thing is to stay motivated, stay consistent, and avoid traps. Motivation: pick out a dress that you want to see yourself wearing. Consistency: Make logging in a game. I have logged in 51 days in a row since joining MFP on 1/27/12. Avoid traps: When you know you are going out to eat...google the menu and find healthy alternatives. Example, If i go to TGI Friday, I order bake salmon and veggies and water with lemon. Good luck and God bless you on your journey.


Fred4point0

dtegrote

That's awesome! Congratulations!:drinker:

rhodenizer

Started last January and a total of 35 pounds, but have put on 7 over the winter so now back to losing again that the fine weather is hear. Most of the weight is staying off because I exercise more and I took it off at a slow pace.

MusicKeepsMeSane

On 9.24.11 I joined MFP at 179 lbs. Today on 3.17.12 I am 151.6 lbs.
It's taken me nearly 6 months to lose 27 and a half pounds.

Great job to you guys though!

robinogue

To get where I am now it's been a slow road. I took my time, I started slow to make sure this would be a lifestyle change and not just a moment. It took me 4 years...

mostaverage

Started watching what I was eating Jan/Feb 2011, got back on my bike in the summer of 2011 and started logging food & exercise & properly monitoring myself just before the end of last year. Not at target yet, about 8 pounds off a major milestone (5st) where I will assess my weight / fitness / body fat and set myself a few new targets then.

alisma73

Hi,

I started at 206 lb last August and have now reached 178lbs, it's been slow and steady and have had times when I have not lost for 3 weeks and put some back on over Xmas.

I know I can eat 'normal' food but in moderation and can adjust my days if going out etc. I feel that doing it this slowly I will make permanent changes - this has resulted in a 5" loss from my waist too !!!!

Slow and steady I think is the key as you will maintain your results and the new habits will become permanent.

Good luck, you will do brilliantly, just keep getting support xx

mefab50

I'm experiencing the very same phenomenon! In fact your story is exactly my story. Four weeks with MFP and I've only lost 5lbs. I'm about to start Wonderslim on Monday and I'll be doing the Insanity workout. I know Insanity is going to be a challenge but I'm going to work my way into it. I have been slowly decreasing in inches but not as fast as one would think. I log what I eat. Try to exercise six days a week. Wonderslim and Insanity are ways I'm trying to kick start my weightloss into gear. The Wonderslim is like Medifast so its not something I can maintain forever but the Insanity workout is something that will take me a while to work through and by the time I do I believe my body will look and feel healthier. Its very discouraging to not see the scale move. I'll keep at it though. I know it can be done!

esphixiet

I started in earnest on the second week of January this year. I have been following the ketogenic way of eating. I have lost 22lbs in 65 days (though I haven't weighed in a week - i generally lose 1.5-2 lbs per week).
More than losing weight, cutting carbs has totally changed my relationship with food. This alone has made this journey much easier for me than some others have experienced.
What I need to do now is start weight training, as I fear my losses are going to start slowing down.

kyle4jem

I started counting calories at the beginning of August last year when I gave up chocolate & biccies to lose a few lbs before my friends' wedding at the start of October.

I've been at this just over 7 months now and I've lost 50lbs.

I'm still technically obese (although I don't look it) and I need to lose at least another 30lbs but ideally I need to be another 45lbs lighter. I should be 30lbs lighter by Christmas. I could lose the weight more quickly, but I'm happy to take things slow and steady and give my body time to firm up!

Weighinginwithmy02

I lost my first 30 pounds and maintained it for 7-8 months before I started losing any more. I'm now working hard at it again and plan to be at my goal weight (so dropping an additional 90 pounds) in two years.

fitnessbudget

Don't get discouraged by the scale. Look for NSV [non-scale victories] such as clothes that fit looser, increased mobility, the ability to run or walk the same distance in a shorter period of time.

Yes, the weight will not come off like when you were younger, but if you create a healthy lifestyle, not only will the change be sustainable, the weight will more than likely stay off. [the true objective]

Check out Jillian Michaels podcast for a weekly dose of fitness motivation. See the iTunes store - it's free.

Add me as a friend if you like.

Best wishes!!:flowerforyou:

invisibubble

It took me 6 years to go from 294lbs to my current 151lbs. Some of that I was plateaued out, and in one year I gained 14lbs instead of losing anything. But to be honest I have problems and stuff which contributed to both loss and gains.
The best thing I can tell you is just to make the changes little by little to live a healthier lifestyle for good. Don't try and rush this stuff, it's not urgent, it's a healthy way of living.

katkins3

I joined MFP Memorial Day 2011. I've gone from 230 to 172 since then. I'm 5'2" and my GW is about 130. I'll be 62 in June.

stormyous

I gained almost all my weght back. I just started back up again at 166.8 llbs and now two weeks later im 161.0 llbs.

Balance27

I am still very much a work in progress, however I have lost 17 pounds in two months by walking 3 miles at least 3 times a week and logging what I eat. Looking to start adding strength training soon.
I have about 60 pounds to go,I think, and I hope to have that all gone by Christmas.

Good luck to you.

Stinkybug

It has taken me 15 months to lose 86 pounds. I still need to lose another 22 to get to my goal of 140 pounds. I am giving myself until the end of September (this year) to finish losing the last 22 pounds. It may not take that long, but I want to keep losing at a healthy rate.

PositivePower

Hi there ~ Well I have lost alittle over 20 since July...which I should be at my goal by now...we are the same age and it is harder. I have turned into an exercise freak...5-6 days, just ran my first 1/2 marathon (walk/run) and I have a Warrior Dash on the 31st. I am frustrated with the scale..but what keeps me going is tons of NSV's. I have people telling me it looks like I have lost 40 pounds!!!! I feel great I count my calories and enjoy my wine on the weekends:drinker: I am also in a size 12!!! Which is very foreign to me and feels GREAT!

I have met sooooo many great people here and I know this time it's the last time. I also feel so strong and confident and I have no doubt I can lose that last 15#!!! By the time I hit 51 in June I WILL be sporting a 2 piece bathing suit:happy:

Stay strong - Push Hard - You can do it!!!! We all can do it by sticking together!!!!

Feel free to friend me :bigsmile: Happy Saint Patrick's Day :drinker:

jching29

I've been changing my lifestyle over since last November. I started at 202 pounds (my record high, and a number I'll NEVER see again!) and I'm currently at 181. I intend to lose another 50+ pounds to reach my ugw of between 125-130 pounds. Keep up the hard work! Plateaus suck, but they always pass

TexasNana41

In January 2011 I hit 207. I started to diet and lost 20 and then started to gain it back, just like a million times before. In July I decided that was enough. I finally get the relationship between eating healthy and exercising. I started out with walking and then after a couple of months decided to give C25K a try. Mostly because I'm lazy....it takes less time to run off calories than walking off calories. Turned out that I like running. I usually eat back ALL of my exercise calories because I can and because I don't want to feel like I'm dieting. I wouldn't get too concerned about how long it's going to take. I finally figured that I plan to eat well and work out for the rest of my life, so what did it matter. The good news for me was that the initial weight came off at a pretty steady clip. About 2 pounds a week. That allowed me to get to a weight that I was comfortable at. It slowed down a lot around November. I've lost 62 pounds total now. About 50 of that since July 2011 on MFP. I'm 4.2 pounds from goal now. You can do it! The biggest thing is to realize that you're making a lifestyle change, not dieting.

jleslie66

I have lost 30 pounds in less than 90 days! I am halfway to my goal of 60 pounds.

Crying_In_Color

35 pound loss since January 1st of this year.