Is it possible to lose 40 pounds in a 3 month period?

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Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Aim for about 15 pounds in three months. If you eat right and get regular exercise including strength training, that 15 pounds can make an amazing transformation.... a much better transformation than losing more pounds through starvation.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    That's more than 2% of you body weight a week? Possible, but not likely without some funky side effects.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • bviv89
    bviv89 Posts: 36 Member
    Aim for about 15 pounds in three months. If you eat right and get regular exercise including strength training, that 15 pounds can make an amazing transformation.... a much better transformation than losing more pounds through starvation.

    Body composition is the answer. I am not a "qualified source" but losing inches will make more of an impact than just weight.

    Read this:
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I did it. Just over 40 lbs in just over 3 months. IIRC I ate around 1200 calories a day and did cardio for about 8 hours a week, plus some meager strength training with bodyweight and 20-lb dumbbells.

    Stupidest thing I've ever done, and that's really saying something. I've done some dumb things before.

    If I had actually been smart, instead of an idiot, back then I would have lost weight much more slowly, done much less cardio, and a much more comprehensive strength program.

    I could have lost that weight over 8-9 months and ended up with 10+ lbs more muscle mass and looked a million times better, as well as saved myself over a year of work building that muscle back up.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I'd say that it's not possible. Certainly not in a healthy way, and probably not without sacrificing a lot of lean body mass (the stuff that actually makes you look good).

    To lose one pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat. Let's assume for a second that you can burn 100% fat with no lean body mass loss (highly unlikely). Over the next 3 months you'd need to burn 140,000 calories more than you consume. That would mean burning 1,555 more calories than you eat every single day. At your stature, that's probably more than you currently burn in an entire day.

    Put frankly, that is simply not going to happen. I'm a 5'10 male and it took me six months of disciplined eating and dedicated working out to shift 40 pounds.

    Instead, scale your goal back to something achievable - 10lb, maybe 15-20lb max. Learn good eating habits. Each week do 2 or 3 days of cardio and 2 or 3 days of resistance training. The weight will come off in a healthy, controlled manner, you'll not lose too much lean body mass, and even better - it will stay off for as long as you sustain your new way of living.

    I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear, and sadly you will probably continue looking until you find someone that will sell you something promising to reach your goal. I hope you choose the healthy option.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I did it. Just over 40 lbs in just over 3 months. IIRC I ate around 1200 calories a day and did cardio for about 8 hours a week, plus some meager strength training with bodyweight and 20-lb dumbbells.

    Stupidest thing I've ever done, and that's really saying something. I've done some dumb things before.

    If I had actually been smart, instead of an idiot, back then I would have lost weight much more slowly, done much less cardio, and a much more comprehensive strength program.

    I could have lost that weight over 8-9 months and ended up with 10+ lbs more muscle mass and looked a million times better, as well as saved myself over a year of work building that muscle back up.

    Listen to him, he's done some really dumb stuff. There was this one time.... oh, sorry Jon. Didn't see you were still standing there :laugh:
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    15 lbs is a much more reasonable goal. There's no reason to panic over your sister's wedding. Just eat at a reasonable deficit, exercise, and get a great dress. Be happy with whatever progress you're able to make by then. You're setting yourself up for another yo-yo diet by trying to do this as fast as possible. You want it to stick right? So learn to do it the right way, with patience.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Listen to him, he's done some really dumb stuff. There was this one time.... oh, sorry Jon. Didn't see you were still standing there :laugh:

    Hey man. That was just one time and only because you told me it wouldn't hurt. Never again!
  • leemay001
    leemay001 Posts: 13 Member
    40 pounds.. hmm, so roughly 18 kg. In approx 12 weeks? No way. 1kg (2.2 pounds) per week would be the maximum safe amount in my opinion. That's my ideal weight loss goal, but half of that is more reasonable. You want to get down to 100 lb (45 kg)? That's got to be well underweight, even for 5' 1" right? That gives you a BMI of 18.9 - ideally you shouldn't be below a BMI of 20. Aim to lose 20 lb and do full body workouts to tone at the same time. You will look more lean by building some extra core strength and you'll increase your BMR (not to be mistaken with BMI) at the same time.

    That's what I suggest anyway.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I sometimes wonder if the mods make these posts to weed out people promoting unhealthy activity.
  • exostan
    exostan Posts: 38
    I've never done it myself. But it seems like a hard thing to do, you'd have to exercise alot and eat very little every single day for a few months. o0' It certainly cannot be achieved simply by cutting out "junk food" and walking for an hour everyday.
  • minnesota_deere
    minnesota_deere Posts: 232 Member
    yes
  • titi4j
    titi4j Posts: 97 Member
    I lost 47 pounds in about 2 and a half months about a year ago. The way I did it was not planned. I was very sick and could only eat boiled, skinless chicken breast and steamed vegetables that had to be ones that were easily digested. It was awful. Even though I was very sick a part of my mind was happy about the loss. However, after surgery, I gained it all back plus 22 and then felt worse than I did to begin with. Take care of yourself. Just eat healthy, drink water and exercise. Don't risk your health by worrying about what people "might" say about you.
  • heltonkm
    heltonkm Posts: 1 Member
    It is possible but not healthy. When someone is very over weight, which you are not, the first pounds fall away rapidly. This can be problematic however, and create problems similar to those caused by anorexia. People don't think about that when someone is obese (again you are not) because the individual needed to loose a lot of weight to be healthy so no one questions rapid weight loss in these people. But, even when your body has an abundance of fat stores the body isn't getting the vitamins and nutrients it needs and you will gain it and more back. No diet or exercise program I have ever tried has encouraged such rapid weight loss. 2 pounds a week is all that is recommended if you want to be healthy and keep it off. Have fun at the wedding!
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    Is it possible? Yes. Is it necessarily healthy or lasting? No.

    I'm not saying you can't healthly lose that much wieght and keep it off, but normally when you're starting so close to your goal, it takes longer to work it off. But if you really put your mind to it and follow your plan to a T, it may be possible. Good luck!
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    I made the biggest mistake of going through a yo-yo diet so now I don't look as skinny as before.

    Anything that could drop 40 pounds in three months is also going to be a yo-yo diet. You know that doesn't work. Move onto the next reasonable approach - change eating habits, exercise more, be patient.
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
    It is possible I did it, but you are not likely going to get down to 104 unless you are 4 ft 5. In the process of exercising to get there you are going to build lean muscle mass, which tends to weigh more than fat. With that said, P90X, I lost 50 in 3 months doing that. But I had 50 to loss not sure you do.
  • delekium
    delekium Posts: 40 Member
    Yes.

    I lost about 60 pounds in 3 months once.

    Gained back all of it, and here I am. :) Wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
    What diet did you go through? I'm sorry about that. :(

    I just ate 1200-1500 calories a day and exercised an hour a day.

    The problem with quick loss is that your head doesn't have time to get in the right place. Up until the last pound, I was just focusing on the fact that I could go back to eating whatever I wanted when I reached my goal weight.

    Depriving yourself is not a good idea - very dangerous for your body and mind.

    agree same thing happened to me. i was on 1200 and went from 143 to 121 lbs. then holidays came and i ate normal...and everything came back within weeks :brokenheart: . so now i eat 1400 and eat back my exercise calories and intend to loose slow but permanently. I'm 5'2 btw.
    My advice is don't fixate on the idea of having the 'perfect weight' only, because the obsession is gonna take your focus away from other things you should enjoy while looking forward to this wedding. Try and replace the idea of 'need to loose weight or else (fear fear fear)' and focus on more positive goals (a dress that suits YOU perfectly no matter you size or other more important and positive thoughts):flowerforyou:
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Maybe....if you had at least another 100 pounds to lose. Also if you know yo-yoing didn't work for you in the past, why would you be trying to do it now?

    Eat at a small deficit, and lift heavy weights. That will do more for you in a couple of months than trying to kill yourself losing 40 pounds.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
    I have a lot to lose... With that being said I lost about 50 lbs. in just over 3 months. That is with a healthy diet and exercise 6 days a week. Someone smaller, it wouldn't be healthy. But because I wasn't healthy for so long, when I started healthy habits the weight just came off... I am sure in the future I will hit a brick wall but. I wouldn't suggest losing that kind of weight quickly for an average sized person.
  • krissy_krossy
    krissy_krossy Posts: 307 Member
    For you, you'd probably have to lose a limb. I've lost about 30 pounds in a little over 2 months, but I started out in the obese range. And the weight loss has slowed as I've lost more, so there's really very little chance that I can get to 40 lbs before the month is up.
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
    i lost 38 in 4 month but i was very heavy. your weight u wont lose that much that fast.

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