Could I lose 20 pounds by May?

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2

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  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
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    Just log (honestly) your calories here and it will work.
    Don't go crazy and be hungry. Protein is always a good to to meal because the carbs usually look after themselves.
    Just remember, it's math. That simple. Don't beat yourself up. Just cut back 500 cals. and you're there.

    I just don't know exactly how many I need. That calculator said about 2100 - 2200 was my TDEE so I should keep my calories around 1600 - 1700 right?
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
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    I lost 25 from Jan through July, so it should be doable for you!

    Thank you! :D
  • gnvill
    gnvill Posts: 4 Member
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    This website suggests the calories for you and is reasonably sensible. It also tell you how much you have burned as you log your exercise. If you can look on that as a bonus rather than as freedom to eat more, it helps you. I do find that it's helping me to pay attention but my attention span is a bit short. I weigh in weekly at TOPS.

    Good luck
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    I lost 22 between May and October. I plan to lose another ~20 by next year May :)
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
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    You should definitely be able to reach your goal in the next 6-7 months IF you commit to eating well and within the MFP guidelines. Weight loss is mostly diet. Exercise is important too. (80% diet & 20% exercise). Do what you can to keep moving!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Just log (honestly) your calories here and it will work.
    Don't go crazy and be hungry. Protein is always a good to to meal because the carbs usually look after themselves.
    Just remember, it's math. That simple. Don't beat yourself up. Just cut back 500 cals. and you're there.

    I just don't know exactly how many I need. That calculator said about 2100 - 2200 was my TDEE so I should keep my calories around 1600 - 1700 right?
    Fill out the myfitnesspal calculator and if you have questions about how much you are burning check with the fitness frog one.
    The calculator on this site works fairly well. Leave your exercise out, just use a regular day as your base when filling out the MFP one, and log your exercise daily (as cardio). It will give back your exercise calories as ones you can eat and still maintain your 500 deficit.
    I use a heart rate monitor to accurately track my exercise calories burnt, and eat them back, or half sometimes.
    After a couple weeks you will be able to tell if you are on track.
    I've done this a couple times because I had to lose weight for a hernia operation. Then I got overweight again, and I've just tracked my intake here, had a 500-1000 cal. deficit, and it's worked perfectly.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Options
    This website suggests the calories for you and is reasonably sensible. It also tell you how much you have burned as you log your exercise. If you can look on that as a bonus rather than as freedom to eat more, it helps you. I do find that it's helping me to pay attention but my attention span is a bit short. I weigh in weekly at TOPS.

    Good luck

    Thanks! I wasn't sure rather I should stick with what MFP suggests for me or not. I think I'll only eat back half my exercise calories though! At least, for now. Which will put me about about 1600 calories!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Options
    This website suggests the calories for you and is reasonably sensible. It also tell you how much you have burned as you log your exercise. If you can look on that as a bonus rather than as freedom to eat more, it helps you. I do find that it's helping me to pay attention but my attention span is a bit short. I weigh in weekly at TOPS.

    Good luck

    Thanks! I wasn't sure rather I should stick with what MFP suggests for me or not. I think I'll only eat back half my exercise calories though! At least, for now. Which will put me about about 1600 calories!
    That sounds reasonable in my experience.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Options
    Just log (honestly) your calories here and it will work.
    Don't go crazy and be hungry. Protein is always a good to to meal because the carbs usually look after themselves.
    Just remember, it's math. That simple. Don't beat yourself up. Just cut back 500 cals. and you're there.

    I just don't know exactly how many I need. That calculator said about 2100 - 2200 was my TDEE so I should keep my calories around 1600 - 1700 right?
    Fill out the myfitnesspal calculator and if you have questions about how much you are burning check with the fitness frog one.
    The calculator on this site works fairly well. Leave your exercise out, just use a regular day as your base when filling out the MFP one, and log your exercise daily. It will give back your exercise calories as ones you can eat and still maintain your 500 deficit.
    I use a heart rate monitor to accurately track my exercise calories burnt, and eat them back, or half sometimes.
    After a couple weeks you will be able to tell if you are on track.
    I've done this a couple times because I had to lose weight for a hernia operation. Then I got overweight again, and I've just tracked my intake here, had a 500-1000 cal. deficit, and it's worked perfectly.

    This site says 1400 calories without exercise added. Fitness Frog says my TDEE is about 2100 so if I a 20% deficit of that, that's about 16000 calories. I'll probably only eat back half of my exercise calories.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Options
    This website suggests the calories for you and is reasonably sensible. It also tell you how much you have burned as you log your exercise. If you can look on that as a bonus rather than as freedom to eat more, it helps you. I do find that it's helping me to pay attention but my attention span is a bit short. I weigh in weekly at TOPS.

    Good luck

    Thanks! I wasn't sure rather I should stick with what MFP suggests for me or not. I think I'll only eat back half my exercise calories though! At least, for now. Which will put me about about 1600 calories!
    That sounds reasonable in my experience.

    Thank you so much!!! :D
  • Xian007
    Xian007 Posts: 2
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    Definitely doable, but I think your calories may be a little high. What did MFP say? I'd recommend setting your lifestyle to sedentary and then eating back all of your exercise calories. You'll probably find you're more in the 1400 - 1500 range to lose weight.
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
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    Definitely doable, but I think your calories may be a little high. What did MFP say? I'd recommend setting your lifestyle to sedentary and then eating back all of your exercise calories. You'll probably find you're more in the 1400 - 1500 range to lose weight.

    Uhm, I'm totally not sedentary, by any means. I think I'll keep my lifestyle at lightly active, and eat back only half my exercise calories. That would put me at about 1600 - 1700 calories. My TDEE is about 2100 - 2200 and if I'm to eat 500 less than that, 1600 - 1700 would be perfect :)
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Definitely doable, but I think your calories may be a little high. What did MFP say? I'd recommend setting your lifestyle to sedentary and then eating back all of your exercise calories. You'll probably find you're more in the 1400 - 1500 range to lose weight.
    I'm a 5'-7" male, and I lose 2 lbs/week at 1400. So she should experiment and see. I hate when people try to go too fast.
    That being said, I did set my lifestyle to sedentary (though I'm not) just because I work in an office. I also have a house I look after :)
  • thr33martins
    thr33martins Posts: 192 Member
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    I am trying to lose the same amount of weight, but in a much shorter time frame! I have done it before, after my first baby, as soon as I started tracking and paying attention I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Since baby #2 I have not had that kind of success, so I am embarking on a low-carb eating regimen and hoping for the best. I am confident you can do it. You are young and that is a great thing to have on your side!!
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
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    I am trying to lose the same amount of weight, but in a much shorter time frame! I have done it before, after my first baby, as soon as I started tracking and paying attention I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Since baby #2 I have not had that kind of success, so I am embarking on a low-carb eating regimen and hoping for the best. I am confident you can do it. You are young and that is a great thing to have on your side!!

    Thank you!!! How did you lose that much so fast though? I know I can't pull that off since I only have so little to lose. I'm only about 7 pounds "overweight" anyways. Good luck to you! :3
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
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    If you go balls to the wall with nutrition and exercise, you could lose 20 by Christmas. Just sayin. :)
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    If you go balls to the wall with nutrition and exercise, you could lose 20 by Christmas. Just sayin. :)

    Yea, I'm in this for a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Hope the OP is too.
  • bakz4
    bakz4 Posts: 64 Member
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    In April 2012 I was 5'2" and 50 years old and lost 25 pounds in less than 6 months by counting calories (1200) and walking. Since beginning I've gained strength and endurance and walked 2 5K's. So, yes, you can lose 20 pounds by May.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
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    Yes, I'm 5'3" and 47 and lost 20 lbs in a little less than 6 months this year. During the first 4 months, I was eating 1650 and exercising about like you. For the last 2 months, added 2 Spin classes a week, added some HIIT intervals on my Sunday walk, and upped my calories to 1850 and still lost. Try it until the first of the year, and if you are behind where you should be to get there, drop 100 calories. If you are ahead, you can add a few if you want.
  • thr33martins
    thr33martins Posts: 192 Member
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    I am trying to lose the same amount of weight, but in a much shorter time frame! I have done it before, after my first baby, as soon as I started tracking and paying attention I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Since baby #2 I have not had that kind of success, so I am embarking on a low-carb eating regimen and hoping for the best. I am confident you can do it. You are young and that is a great thing to have on your side!!

    Thank you!!! How did you lose that much so fast though? I know I can't pull that off since I only have so little to lose. I'm only about 7 pounds "overweight" anyways. Good luck to you! :3

    I did Weight Watchers - that was about 4 1/2 years ago, and it was awesome. Had I not become pregnant I have no doubt I would still be that size. But I am almost 40 now, and the weight gain from baby #2 just came at a bad time for my metabolism. I have been thinner than I am now (recent weight gain is due to another extremely stressful life event that changed my eating/sleep/exercie habits for several months), but never as effortlessly as when I was 34.

    The new WW plan (PointsPlus) was just not working for me - I hated it. So I decided to get into MFP and see what else is out there. There are lots of approaches, and I feel that the low-carb lifestyle fits me well.

    I too am in this for the long-haul, not a quick fix. But let's face it, getting the weight off as quickly as is healthy, and with the least amount of emotional turmoil is always the preferred outcome!!

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