How long does it take to see results?

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  • donnakcraig
    donnakcraig Posts: 23 Member
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    I started July 27 and dropped a fast 20lbs. by eating 1200 a day. some days i did eat back my exercise points but only if i have too,

    my goal by Thaksgiving is 40 lbs (4 monthes) and i am a little over it.

    no matter how much you exercise you must lgo and count calories and do it each day and it will work for you also

    good luck
  • cc_126
    cc_126 Posts: 47
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    Thanks donna and congrays on d great weightloss, all you guys are an inspiration :)
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
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    Depending how much you have to lose, 3lbs in one month isn't really that bad.
    Heck it's a loss not a gain. I always say, all the small numbers will add up to bigger numbers.

    make sure you are getting in a calorie deficit. Exercise is important, but diet means alot more.

    When I started I was 245 lbs, so I lost more out of the gate (I can't say that anymore haha), but I would say it took 20+ lbs for people to notice. I was obese though.

    Keep at it... time is going to pass anyways, so you will get there.
  • cc_126
    cc_126 Posts: 47
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    wow, 87 pounds is amazing, tats brilliant, im inspires, im probably hoping for miracles, i need to be patient i know, im just so eager to start seein results
  • Tina2Cats
    Tina2Cats Posts: 493 Member
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    Hi All i new to mfp, i started exercising instensely around 4 weeks aago but havent really seen any changes on the scales and am starting to get dissheartened, I need to lose 40 pounds , has anyone any advise? Hw long does it take to see results? and what should i be doing, so far ive been kickboxing and strength training with dumbells .

    Hi, I have been on mfp for 2 months and have lost 10.5 lbs which I gained some of it back, about 2 lbs. There isn't any real noticable changes in me yet. My hubby, of all people, hasn't noticed, but maybe it's still too soon. 8 lbs isn't that much difference. I too, exercise daily, but it's about calories and eating habits. I am getting better at changing my eating habits, but it's still rough going at times. Still, I will not get discouraged or give up. I will keep persevering and keep my eye on the prize: A slimmer me with a fab body!

    I read on here somewhere that it takes about 12 weeks for others to notice a difference (weight loss/gain) either way. We have to keep working at our weight loss journeys and eventually, others will take notice. I will support you.
  • ggsmamma
    ggsmamma Posts: 117 Member
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    Hi guys thanks for d replies, i have been eating less but mayb my diet could do with some more fine tuning, i feel like i can see some small changes but on the scales ive only dropped 3 pounds, i will keep going and hope for the best, hopefully by 8 weeks things will be changing :)

    3# in 4 weeks is awesome! I wish that I could average that high :-)
  • DiaryOfaThickFitWoman
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    Hi there, I have only lost about 7lbs since my journey starting 10\22\2012. However, I'm coming to understand that losing weight is all about eating less and exercising more. It's as simply as that! There's no special way or secret regimen. Do those two things and log your food faithfully and you will lose. The amount and time period varies from age, weight and genetics like everything else. I have recently learned and accepted this. Feel free to add me. *Also, healthy foods are most definitely needed, but moderation is the key. This is a lifestyle change .....
  • buffykaz
    buffykaz Posts: 50 Member
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    I've only been doing this for a few weeks and while I still look pretty much the same in the mirror, I have noticed that my pants are more baggy around the waist.
    I don't excercise like crazy at the gym or anything, but I do try and do some form of exercise (be it a walk, vigorous housework etc) every day. Counting calories and making sure I stay under my daily limit seems to be the best method for me.
  • katrinaryanwong
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    I asked the same question when I first started my diet and exercise two months ago. I started my 1,200 calories count and excised every day but still didn't see the result the first month. But then my weights started dropping every week which I had lost almost 11 lbs since September 23. Don't give up..just keep exercising and eat healthy. You should see the results soon.
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
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    Hi guys thanks for d replies, i have been eating less but mayb my diet could do with some more fine tuning, i feel like i can see some small changes but on the scales ive only dropped 3 pounds, i will keep going and hope for the best, hopefully by 8 weeks things will be changing :)

    3 pounds in 4 weeks is excellent progress.
  • cc_126
    cc_126 Posts: 47
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    Thanks all trying my best to stick at it , what exercise do u all recommend, would anyone recmmend a vibroplate?
  • ReasonableAssumption
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    Thanks all trying my best to stick at it , what exercise do u all recommend, would anyone recmmend a vibroplate?

    I would. I think their the best thing for workout routines. Much faster results than lifting heavy weights.
  • memubo99
    memubo99 Posts: 58 Member
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    I have lost 11lb in 8 weeks and I am only noticing a physical difference now, no one else has yet. So keep going it'll happen any day now.
  • gonnabefitshyla
    gonnabefitshyla Posts: 6 Member
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    Are you eating less?

    Weight loss is mostly a matter of eating less, exercise is maybe 20% of the plan
    It's 100% diet.

    Don't give up the exercise but it's what you eat that is going to get you there. The exercise just determines what your going to look like when you get there.


    Its actually 70% diet and 30% exercise. my sister has a personal trainer and plays on the Canadian games volleyball thats what she told me.
  • cc_126
    cc_126 Posts: 47
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    Hey all , Im back, Sadly I gave up, Gained 10 pounds but am determined this time, feel free to offer any advice or success stories :)
  • FixieFreak
    FixieFreak Posts: 11 Member
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    You can see results in one week, but you will really notice after you lose 10% body weight, which will take about a month or more, depending on your weight. I find it is best to jump in to a low-fat whole foods diet. If you focus on whole plant foods, whole grains, beans, pasta, veggies, and fruits. Do your best to eliminate added oils from your diet. Use salt and sugar sparingly on the food to make it taste good. It takes some effort to change these things, but trust me, your tastes will change to like your new diet, and you will feel much better fairly quickly.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    cc_126 wrote: »
    Hey all , Im back, Sadly I gave up, Gained 10 pounds but am determined this time, feel free to offer any advice or success stories :)

    Don't start at an intense or super restrictive level. Gradually work up to doing more intense exercise or lowering your calories.
    Start with logging all your food. Weigh and measure things. Eat food you like- just smaller portions of higher calorie items. You might find using a smaller plate helpful. I like to pre-log my whole day so I can see that everything fits.
    I started exercising around 30 minutes a day. That was very easy to fit into my life. Some days I do more now. I alternate between different workouts so it doesn't get boring or too easy.
    Take measurements and a photo once a month or so. Look at other ways to measure progress than the scale.
    Good luck!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    Hi All i new to mfp, i started exercising instensely around 4 weeks aago but havent really seen any changes on the scales and am starting to get dissheartened, I need to lose 40 pounds , has anyone any advise? Hw long does it take to see results? and what should i be doing, so far ive been kickboxing and strength training with dumbells .

    Everyone is different. It took me two years to lose 60 lbs and I've kept it off for over a year.

    Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

    There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

    Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

    Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

    The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

    To say eat more is wrong.

    To say eat less is wrong.

    If you plug in all your info (typically age, gender, height and weight) into one of those calculators what you get is the average metabolic rate of a group of people who share your age, sex, height and weight. What you DON’T get is YOUR EXACT calorie needs. It's a place to start.

    To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

    All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.

    This is the best MFP post I've ever read.
  • Jojomotivated
    Jojomotivated Posts: 141 Member
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    When I started to work out, it was a full 2 months before I saw any difference on the scale (and that was 3 times a week of 120 minute kickboxing). I ate better and became on and off with the exercising. I got really jealous of people losing 35 pounds in one month and I only lost 3-4 at that time. But you keep going. Just keep doing what you're doing and logging your cals =) change will come eventually.
  • TahoeSki
    TahoeSki Posts: 69 Member
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    Bump. Great post, tomatoey!