70lbs, 6 months - possible?

kitkatkickit
kitkatkickit Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to lose 70lb in 6 months - is this realistic?

I'm 220lbs, 5'5, 21 years old. I weighed myself a few months ago and I was 245lbs, and throughout the past three weeks I've completely changed my diet and joined the gym (which I haven't been to that much), so I've lost a bit just from this.

How can I do this? My diet is somewhat like this:

Breakfast: muesli/oatmeal/granola with plain greek yoghurt or fruit.
Lunch: chicken or fish with vegetables and/or salad. Sometimes pasta with tuna. Sometimes chicken and vegetable fajitas.
Dinner: crackers, or cereal/muesli again, or fruit, yoghurt, nuts, or sometimes a sandwich - generally a mix of this.

It's around 1000 cals in total, I aim for 1200 but I don't want to eat if I'm not particularly hungry.

I drink like 6 glasses of water a day and until recently I was having two coffees a day as as well. I don't get hungry throughout the day, and I haven't experienced any of the shrinking stomach pains that people talk about on here. I have a sort of active job; a lot of walking throughout the day and lots of climbing stairs.

I have an eliptica in my house and weights. Plus my gym membership (no swimming pool though). What exercise should I be doing? What is best for fat loss - I've read a lot on here that cardio doesn't help fatloss, but I figured if I was sweating I'd be losing weight.

Any advice would be great!

Replies

  • init2fitit
    init2fitit Posts: 168 Member
    I don't think it's possible. That would end up at about 3 lbs a week, no?
    Also, you're going to need to eat more than 1200. Either eat some more calorie-dense food, or quantity
    I hate to say it but neither you nor I packed on extra weight by eating little bits of food.

    Also, dinner ain't crackers!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
    Diet is fat loss. The issue that everyone runs into is that weight loss slows down as you get to a healthier weight. Also, with your current plan, you are going to increase muscle loss. 1200 calories just isn't going to give you enough fuel to maintain your lean body mass. If you are going to workout 6 hours a week, i would suggest around 1800 calories total. This is going to still give you a good amount of weight loss and give you a better chance at sustaining your muscle. Also, I would suggest macros around 40% carbs 30% protein and fats.
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    It's doable. Not easy, but doable.
  • rconroy99
    rconroy99 Posts: 1
    I am down 33lbs since May 5 - so I say anything is possible! Just remember not to starve yourself by eating too few calories. Things like homemade pita chips, are great to munch and you can make them any flavor you want.... I buy a whole wheat pita bread cut it up and use a spray to allow your favorite herbs to stick! Bake and eat!

    Also remember exercise is key - anything that gets you moving!

    HERE'S to your MOTIVATION!
  • RAEQ127
    RAEQ127 Posts: 106 Member
    Anything is possible, but realistically I think that may set you up for failure. It has taken me 7 months to lose nearly 30 lbs. At first MFP said I would lose 2lbs a week, well that has never happened and frankly I bust my butt. But in all honesty, while it may be disappointing I am not losing it faster, I am 27 lbs lighter and in another 7 months if it comes off at the same speed I'll be that much closer to my goal and maybe in the next few year or two I can hit my goal. That is my reality anyhow...
  • autbrat
    autbrat Posts: 7 Member
    It is doable. But I would focus more on inches lost and muscle gained, not so much on the pounds....:-) Good luck!
  • Sobeone
    Sobeone Posts: 72
    Why? Are you going to die in 6months if you don't? You didn't gain the weight in 6 months. You are setting yourself up to fail. Youre 21 years old and you are giving yourself 6 months good luck!
  • zensugi
    zensugi Posts: 76
    While in the realm of the possible I don't think it is desirable; as Sobeone pointed out before you are setting yourself to failure. It makes a lot more sense to change habits, establish a good foundation and gentle go for, say, 1-1.5lbs a week. Surely it will take you over a year to lose 70lbs but you are much more likely to stick to your new plan. Plan for success.
  • kitkatkickit
    kitkatkickit Posts: 3 Member
    Okay, let's make it 8 months.
    The number on the scales doesn't matter so much, I want to lose inches (a lot of them) and be at a healthy weight.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
    That's going to be hard, but do-able if you can sustain it. When you hit a plateau, try to work out twice a day...Cardio in the morning and weight training in the evening. Spread the calories out all day long....snacks are your friend. Eat GOBS of lettuce and green stuff...zucchini, cucumber, spinach, etc...it has the lowest calories per ounce than other foods. Please be sure to get enough protein...you will feel better and stay full longer if you get the protein in you...chicken and egg whites and other lean meats.

    Good luck and log every day!!
  • init2fitit
    init2fitit Posts: 168 Member
    What's the time limit for?
    By setting arbitrary goals, you set yourself up for failure.
    Just take it as you go.
  • ChrisM32205
    ChrisM32205 Posts: 218 Member
    8 months is better. Make sure you expand your diet beyond what you mentioned in your original post. You are going to get tired of the same foods day after day.
  • delyn356
    delyn356 Posts: 145 Member
    You need to eat more. For someone your weight, you can be eating a lot more than 1000-1200 calories. I'm shorter and weigh less than you, but I'm eating more and losing weight.

    If you don't eat more, you probably won't be able sustain your weight loss.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    The problem is you're going to slow down your metabolism so much that maintaining that weight is going to be really hard, by only eating 1200. I started lower than you (213) and I lost 60 lbs in 8 months, and I almost never ate under 1500 - and I'm 14 years older too.
  • kitkatkickit
    kitkatkickit Posts: 3 Member
    Okay so by eating 1500 a day - is THAT doable? How often and for how long do I need to do some serious-sweaty exercise?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Kit,

    Have you set your goals via My Fitness Pal? That's the first thing you need to do because then you will learn your BMR based on your height, weight, size, and how much you want to lose.

    Also, there's an old saying: "expectations are just premeditated resentments". If you expect to lose that much weight in such a short time and you don't do it, you are setting yourself up for failure. However, if you take it one day at a time and work to eat healthy and exercise every day and eat less calories than what you burn, you will succeed at a rate where you won't fail.

    The goal is to change bad eating and exercise habits that may have taken a lifetime to create, therefore changing our heating/exercise habits will not happen overnight. You also can't lose weight overnight either.

    I would say if you have 70 lbs to lose, you might want to your goal for nine months, maybe even a year.. That way, when you do lose it, it will most likely stay off.

    Good luck!
  • nadroj1120
    nadroj1120 Posts: 2
    Its possible, I lost a ton of weight and it started by using this 5 day raw alkaline cleanse:
    http://8b594bw-h8wxdtbp9wgwctcx40.hop.clickbank.net/
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    weightloss tends to slow down as you are getting closer to your goal, just sayin'
  • psychofairy25
    psychofairy25 Posts: 128 Member
    While i agree it is "possible" to lose that much i would not advise it because of how harsh that will be on your system. ( much more likely to come back quick)
    on the amount of calories per day I can offer my experience. I chase after a 2 yr old all day so i stay fairly active ( he's very curious) but before my fitness pal I was surviving(staying tooo fat) on roughly 500 calories a day of food and roughly 2-2.5 liters of soda ( very high calorie and sugar count) when i switched to water and gave up soda my body just wasnt hungry for more than 700 or so calories, I started walking for 2 miles every other day ( had to work up to it) and my body slowly started accepting more food. Im still to low for what I burn but am working on it still and I have been here for 4 months. inches fall with both cardio and strength. cardio drops fat and helps blood pressure and strength maintains muscle mass ( keep your shape)
    all in all good luck on your journey to a healthy you

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