20 lbs in 70 days?

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This is my first time posting here. I've been on MFP for a long time, and at first I did pretty well. I lost 10 lbs within my first month and a half on the site. Then I stopped seeing results and got lazy tracking. I track breakfast, lunch, and snacks, then usually my grandmother cooks dinner and I don't sit there and watch everything she does so I don't track recipes or meals. I don't go crazy and eat a ton, usually 1 helping on a small plate. For the past 150 days :noway: I've been completely stuck between 188-190. I really feel like I've been trying and getting nowhere.. I eat less. I eat more. No idea what I've been doing wrong. Anyway, I'd really love to lose 20 lbs by my 21st birthday (October 25th) and at this rate that won't happen. I'd like to get down to 140 but this is just a start. I need some help or suggestions I guess and I'm wondering if this is even a realistic goal or just wishful thinking.. :ohwell: If anyone bothers to read this or reply, thanks!

Replies

  • _kayla_
    _kayla_ Posts: 4
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    Lol guess not.. :ohwell:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    open diaries help people comment.

    2 lbs/week is towards the upper end of what's realistic, but starting at 188-190 it should be possible to begin with.

    How old / tall are you, what exercise do you do, do you eat enough protein, how many calories per day are you eating etc
  • _kayla_
    _kayla_ Posts: 4
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    I'm 20, and around 5'2. I'm usually good on protein or a little over according to MFP. I basically just eat chicken, eggs, beans, all kinds of vegetables either raw or sauteed in a small amount of olive oil. I've been eating around 1500 a day but just lowered it to 1200. I don't do much exercising except for swimming, but can't do that when it's raining all week :-\ Would walking 3-4 miles a day make a big difference? I don't have money for a gym membership or any kind of equipment to work out at home, so I don't really know what to do for exercise..
  • LadyGreatrick
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    You don't need equipment to exercise at home! Check out YouTube or BodyRock.tv for some videos. They're really helpful. :) best of luck!
  • leaasdfghjkl
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    I think you should start exercising, mainly weight training - try something like Insanity, if you can't afford going to the gym. It is all over the internet :)
    1. more muscle means better metabolism
    2. it makes you "tighter"
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Let's assume you have about 100lb of lean body weight as you're 5'-2" and 190. For that you should eat ~100g per day of protein which will be more than MFP's recommendations - so tweak the settings at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_custom for 33% calories from protein at 1200 total intake. 0.2g of fat per lb is about 40g of fat or 360 calories (30% of total) and carbs to make 100 at 37% of calories (110g of carbs).

    Walking is good, but diet is going to do at least 80% of your weight loss.

    Try that for a month and see how it progresses.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    ...usually my grandmother cooks dinner and I don't sit there and watch everything she does so I don't track recipes or meals. I don't go crazy and eat a ton, usually 1 helping on a small plate.

    You might want to get an idea of what your grandmother is cooking with. Even the addition of a few fatty, high calorie ingredients can take a meal from reasonable to "omg, HOW many calories?! I doubt it would be the only reason for your issue, but I think it's worth paying attention to.
  • styxx
    styxx Posts: 22 Member
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    I think of things in pretty simple terms.

    At the end of the day to lose weight you have to burn more than you eat .... so if you get stuck you need to eat less or work out more....... I find it better to make small changes and just keep upping the excersise or lowering the cals in small steps until I see it making a difference.

    A moderate pace 30 minute walk MFP says uses around 160 cals which if you do it daily is 4,800 cals a month which at your current intake is kinda the same as not eating for 4 days a month...... which is going to make a difference yes !
  • joeyog147
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    It is very possible to lose 20lbs or more in a month mostly by watching what u eat stay inspired. I am a wrestler season starts basically in october and im 155 right now trying to get back to 135 at least im gonna be 145 by september add me i need the support
  • SelenityJ
    SelenityJ Posts: 168 Member
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    Heya, I'm in your age range and height.

    I'm 25, 26 in September, and I'm 5'3. I've lost 32 lbs since I started here a few months ago. My diet has been alot of it. I follow the Harcombe diet where I basically eat healthy, cut out the processed junk, and keep my fat meals separate from my carb meals. Recently I started exercising more, my routine is generally something like this:

    Morning: AB workout- Crunches/Situps/Bicycle Crunches/situps
    Afternoon: Running/Swimming
    Mid Afternoon: Upper AB workout
    After dinner: Jog/walk
    Before Bed: Dance- Belly, hip hop, modern... any one or more of the mentioned.

    My snacks throughout the day are generally grapes or fruits or a cup of greek nonfat yogurt plain. Every once in awhile I'll treat myself to a smoothie or frozen yogurt with dark chocolate shaved on it.

    I don't really calorie count. Sometimes I fall within my calorie range, sometime I don't. You're really young as well so I'd definitely suggest some strength training. It's suppose to help with making sure there's not to much excess skin and help tighten the core. I'm going to start adding some into mine.
  • gmichaelguy
    gmichaelguy Posts: 123 Member
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    Go cook with your grandmother. I learned so much from cooking with mine and I miss them dearly. You may also discover some oils and sugar you didn't know about. You don't have to tell your grandmother to cook differently, but you can adjust your portions accordingly. But really, go in the kitchen and tell her you want to do it together. You'll learn a lot and also get to spend some time with your grandmother. I think most grandmothers would absolutely love to have that time with their grandkids. So get cooking--one day you'll wish you could do it again!
  • Aedrah
    Aedrah Posts: 100 Member
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    This!
    I wish I would have spent time with my grandmother in the kitchen - I would probably be a much better cook today!
    Go cook with your grandmother. I learned so much from cooking with mine and I miss them dearly. You may also discover some oils and sugar you didn't know about. You don't have to tell your grandmother to cook differently, but you can adjust your portions accordingly. But really, go in the kitchen and tell her you want to do it together. You'll learn a lot and also get to spend some time with your grandmother. I think most grandmothers would absolutely love to have that time with their grandkids. So get cooking--one day you'll wish you could do it again!
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
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    and learning to cook is a really useful skill later in life also if your interested try http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/ it kicks my but 1 rep only but im working on it tho im gonna have to do something about squats to make em harder *shrugs* band in high school have tones of muscle strength and control in my legs
  • AmIhealthyyet
    AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
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