keeping up metabolism and losing 5 lbs a week?

ToughTulip

How heavy are you? Because my BMR is like 2500 (i eat between 1200-1500 a day) so if I ate 0 cals id barely lose 4 pounds. Cmon smarten up a bit.


edit: And eating back calories is the most counter productive thing if you are trying to lose weight (NOT bodybuilding). You might as well not exercise.

says a guy eating 1200 cals. lololol

supplemama

Even if you could lose 25 pounds in 5 weeks, at 256 pounds now you will still be obese in October. You'll be 231...why are you willing to risk your health and still be very fat at the end? Isn't it better to lose weight in a reasonable healthy manner and end up slender and at a healthy weight?

addaline22

You won't work miracles in 5 weeks but it will be a start. For the rest I suggest Spanx.

truth.

3beans3

I have been using fitnesspal and it instructs me to eat 1200 calories/day plus the amount I accumulate with exercise. I try to stay in the 1200 range even if I DO exercise. I never really go above 1400. I'm not sure if that's the best way, but the fitnesspal app doesn't tell me I'm eating too little as long as I eat at LEAST 1200 calories total, not net.

The best advice I can give is to really go hard with exercise. You might not lose POUNDS, but your body will LOOK different. Don't eat less than 1200 calories no matter what. Your body needs it to do it's everyday functions. Also, don't eat crap. Eat healthy whole foods (beans, brown rice, salads, no dairy, poultry instead of beef/pork, fruit, veggies, nuts). These are basics, but honestly, I'm sure you want to look and feel good...not be a certain weight.

I have lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks...but people are asking me "how much weight have you lost" because the exercise changes your body. I do spinning...now THAT'S an intense workout...and jogging (make sure you have good shoes).

Good luck to you.

Lina4Lina

I know it isn't mentioned a lot but there is a reason for the 2 lbs/week recommendation and someone in the mid 200s would certainly qualify.

Basically, your body is composed of various energy stores including glycogen, fat and muscle tissue. The body likes its glycogen stores as they are quick energy for the muscles and important in flight of fight situations. Fat is an important long term storage and muscle tissue is what helps you maintain your activity.

So if you cut your calories to a moderate level where your body isn't shocked, it is pretty willing to keep your metabolism as-is and shed a couple lbs of fat. You cut your calories to a drastic level and your body starts thinking that it needs to conserve. Now this may be that your body tries to slow down your metabolism but your body also tries to rid itself of what also burns calories 24 hours/day and that is muscle. So 2 lbs/week is generally an optimum fat loss number but more than that, you are more likely losing more muscle than you would otherwise. Since muscle burns fat, this is really not a good idea.

Hendrix7

edit: And eating back calories is the most counter productive thing if you are trying to lose weight (NOT bodybuilding). You might as well not exercise.

Please stop.

lizziebeth1028

edit: And eating back calories is the most counter productive thing if you are trying to lose weight (NOT bodybuilding). You might as well not exercise.

Please stop.

arghhhhhhh. once again......the deficit you need is already built into the calorie number MFP gives you. this website is designed with the intention that YOU EAT YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES BACK. if you don't you are not consuming enough calories and thus the reason why so many people flood the forums asking why have they plateaued. Eat your exercise calories, fuel your body, be kind to your body! :flowerforyou:

Halleeon

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Find your BMR and TDEE and eat slightly above your BMR, but below your TDEE. Do cardio and strength training. Measure your body by body fat percentage, inches lost on different parts of your body (bicep, calf, stomach, breasts, heips, neck, thigh, etc.) congratulate yourself for any non-scale victories and try not to weigh more than once a week....or at least only count your weigh in once per week.

Remember that TOM adds 2-10 pounds of water weight depending on your body and it takes about a week post TOM for it to go away on its own. It's natural, so don't beat yourself up over it.

Let's see...cut out processed foods, up your protein and veggie intake to way above what MFP suggests, cut your carbs (in this sense of the word "carbs" I mean, pasta, refined flour and not healthy complex carbs gained from vegetables and whole grains.)

Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week and to be healthy, look healthy and avoid a hospital stay lol cus what you are suggesting could very well put you there.

Keep asking questions and don't let meanies deter you. Friend those that actually help you and ask them more questions.

**note...I eat my BMR which is 2300 a day and consistently am losing weight as do all of the people I look up to on this site who have met their goals. Yes, there are other ways of doing it...but this way, for me, has been sustainable and I feel amazing.

rueyaroo

NO.

Please do not destroy your metabolism!! Just eat like 2000 calories and begin strength training along with cardio! Strength training is key here.

EccentricDad

Large calorie deficit is for people who live sedentary lives and can't become active (have children, work 3 jobs, in school most the time, etc). I know people will reply "but you can STILL fit in time to exercise" but all I have to say STFU and adopt a child so you can see what it's like. And I do believe that there are people out there that SHOULD risk having their lean muscle mass eaten, because that is the ONLY way the fat is coming off until their circumstances change and they have the time/energy to exercise.

People who are telling you to eat 2000 calories a day are also leading active lives and have the confidence gained from "doing it wrong" at some point. If you can't be active, then a deficit is the best option you have. 5 lbs a week is a bit outrageous expectations though; you'd be better off shooting for 2 or 3 max.

My take on it is this: As long as what you're putting IN your body is 100% nutritious and has absolutely 0 empty calories, why would it matter if you are under your BMR or daily required. The point of dieting is to be at a deficit. These people just live in fear that they will never repair their metabolism. Don't listen to the fear mongers, do whatever you feel is safe.

thistimeismytime

edit: And eating back calories is the most counter productive thing if you are trying to lose weight (NOT bodybuilding). You might as well not exercise.

Please stop.

Yes. Please. Stop.

OP, it depends on if you just want to lose "weight", and you don't care if that weight is fat, water, or muscle. If you want to lose lean body mass, you can eat as little as you want.

If you want to preserve your lean body mass, firm up your body, and lose FAT, you have to fuel your body appropriately. So yeah, you gotta eat most of your exercise calories. Strength training will do more for your body than just losing X amount of weight anyway. Do the things that will make a VISIBLE difference--no one but you sees the scale, but everyone will see if you lose inches and tighten up.

cherrytulips

it's not like you'll die if you eat about 1200 calories a day. i've eaten anywhere from 1000 to 1500 for years and i am perfectly fine...

Sabine_Stroehm

That sounds like a really terrible idea. Even if you managed to do it, I suspect you'd lose 1-2 LBS a week regardless.

zechks

Unless you are morbidly obese, like the ones you see in the Biggest Loser show, then yes losing 5lbs or more is possible in a week and it's not a problem. But if you're at a pretty normal state, then NO way. Crash dieitng is unhealthy, you'll lose a lot of muscle mass and you'll starve yourself to death. And once you eat again you will get even fatter. So take it slow, try to make it a lifestyle, and your body will benefit in the long run.

rueyaroo

I was doing 1200 this past summer and it destroyed my metabolism (I trained 5-6 days a week too, I lost around 15 pounds). I hit plateau, and I started eating 1400 with some different added moves in strength training, I did break it and go down 3 pounds. Then I moved to Chicago, and gained like 5 pounds and now I'm working with a personal trainer who has told me to eat around 2000 calories. I tried eating 2550 for 2 weeks and now I'm eating around 2000, since my body was in starvation mode. I think it's still adjusting, and believe me..adjustments phases SUCK.

alpine1994

I know it's tempting to do something like that for a beach vaca, but honestly you'd be much better off concentrating on some strength training. All I've been doing is 30 Day Shred (so 3 or 5lb weights depending on exercise) and eating around 1400-1600 cals a day and I lost 2 sizes, but only like 3 lbs. I look a lot better in a bikini than I did a month ago, and it's seriously making me reconsider my goal weight because I feel like I'm almost there, even though I still have 20 lbs to lose to get to my original goal.

I would do something like this, can even do it twice a day or incorporate another workout with it (like running, which will also really thin you out) until your vacation. Then, strut your stuff on the beach woman!!!