How long did it take you to lose 50 pounds? I'm new here.

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tgabmac
tgabmac Posts: 46 Member
I am a 5'4 female pursuing around 50 pounds. How long did it take you to lose the weight? What were your biggest challenges? Where there things that you would change about it? Any advice? I'm new here!

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  • IndiaGuerita1983
    IndiaGuerita1983 Posts: 98 Member
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    I started mfp after I'd already lost 20ish pounds. I'm 5'3 and my original weight loss goal was to lose 120 pounds. I decided to count calories and focus on portion control. my biggest challenge was incorporating veggies and fruits into my life. I tend to be a carb and sugar lover...but if you stay within your portion of carbs and sugar you're constantly hungry and grumpy. Once I figured out I would be much more satisfied (and healthy) with veggies and fruits it got way easier.

    It took me about six months to lose 50 pounds. I was very obese and a heavy smoker, though.

    I think everyone loses at a different pace. My focus was not to lose weight in a certain amount of time. I focused on truly changing my relationship with food...for life.

    Good luck!!

    -India
    .
  • tgabmac
    tgabmac Posts: 46 Member
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    I started mfp after I'd already lost 20ish pounds. I'm 5'3 and my original weight loss goal was to lose 120 pounds. I decided to count calories and focus on portion control. my biggest challenge was incorporating veggies and fruits into my life. I tend to be a carb and sugar lover...but if you stay within your portion of carbs and sugar you're constantly hungry and grumpy. Once I figured out I would be much more satisfied (and healthy) with veggies and fruits it got way easier.

    It took me about six months to lose 50 pounds. I was very obese and a heavy smoker, though.

    I think everyone loses at a different pace. My focus was not to lose weight in a certain amount of time. I focused on truly changing my relationship with food...for life.

    Good luck!!

    -India
    .
    Thank you very much! I am really trying to learn thee relationship I have with food and especially with my different moods and how things effect me. I LOVE carbs too! I'm crazy or them. I think the hardest part so far is gradually replacing some of them such as my Olive Garden and bread sticks. Thanks again for the motivation!
  • IndiaGuerita1983
    IndiaGuerita1983 Posts: 98 Member
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    Things I would change: not be so hard on myself when I go off track and fall back into my old eating habits. We all make mistakes.
    Dust yourself off if you have a bad day and start again.

    Advice: portion control (measure your servings and pay attention to labels). Don't choose a "lose weight fast" diet. The weight always comes back if you don't change your lifestyle forever.

    Learn the different types of food pushers. They mean well but they will sabotage your every step of you listen to them.
  • IndiaGuerita1983
    IndiaGuerita1983 Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    I started mfp after I'd already lost 20ish pounds. I'm 5'3 and my original weight loss goal was to lose 120 pounds. I decided to count calories and focus on portion control. my biggest challenge was incorporating veggies and fruits into my life. I tend to be a carb and sugar lover...but if you stay within your portion of carbs and sugar you're constantly hungry and grumpy. Once I figured out I would be much more satisfied (and healthy) with veggies and fruits it got way easier.

    It took me about six months to lose 50 pounds. I was very obese and a heavy smoker, though.

    I think everyone loses at a different pace. My focus was not to lose weight in a certain amount of time. I focused on truly changing my relationship with food...for life.

    Good luck!!

    -India
    .
    Thank you very much! I am really trying to learn thee relationship I have with food and especially with my different moods and how things effect me. I LOVE carbs too! I'm crazy or them. I think the hardest part so far is gradually replacing some of them such as my Olive Garden and bread sticks. Thanks again for the motivation!


    Anytime!!!! feel free to add me if you want. I push myself hard and I'll help cheer you on along the way!!
  • csk0018
    csk0018 Posts: 219 Member
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    It took me 6 months to lose 50 -- about a 1 pound loss per week. Once I got into the routine of logging all of my food and having a set exercise routine -- it's been a breeze. My biggest challenge was just learning to control my portions -- once you start logging everything and start following your set amount of calories, you learn to chose which foods are worth your calories and which foods aren't. And yes, sometimes -- that cookie is worth it. :bigsmile:
  • CarMid9
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    Good luck to you! :smile: I am the same height and have the same amount of weight to lose.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    I lost my first 50 in about 4 months, but I was more than twice that overweight.

    Word of caution to anyone looking to drop such a large amount of weight very quickly: losing weight is one of the best ways to lower your cholesterol.

    Gallstones are most commonly caused by too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts in your bile (where it goes to be dissolved and excreted), and thus gallstones form.

    I ended up with hundreds of small cholesterol gallstones and in agony for months before being able to have surgery to remove my gallbladder.

    Seriously. Stick to 1lb/week as much as you can.
  • Bobbiezilla
    Bobbiezilla Posts: 157 Member
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    I agree with India and the other posters.....except that I thought I was a carb addict until I started MFP and realized I was just a second helping of everything addict :)
    I joined in July and have lost 40 lbs in the last six months, more importantly I have noticed a huge improvement in my favourite sport! It's like I'm -40 lbs faster on the court (I play badminton).
    My biggest "aha" moments have been to look at the weekly trend of staying under or at my calorie goals and making a fitness plan that works for me; which is not really a plan, just making sure I'm doing some form of exercise everyday, be it playing badminton, swimming laps while the kids are in their lessons, going for a hike/walk/run, body weight or dumbell exercises, yoga/stretching. I like to mix it up.
    I totally weigh everything when I can too, once you get comfortable using a food scale it becomes second nature, it's just how I cook now. It's so easy to make errors without measuring, no apple or chunk of cheese or plate of pasta is the same, sometimes it could be over or under the number of calories logged, then what's the point!?
    I totally agree not to sweat the over calorie days.....as long as you get back up and have mostly good days; the holidays, birthday cake, and dinner out once in a while is nothing compared to the big picture of more consistent healthy choices!

    Welcome to MFP! :)
  • kjbarone
    kjbarone Posts: 12 Member
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    It took me 9 months to lose 50 pounds. I've just passed the 1 year mark and I'm now down a total of 63 pounds. I thought it would be a lot harder to accomplish because I had struggled without success to lose weight for most of my adult life. I truly think the daily tracking of what I eat has made the biggest difference. It's made me more accountable and it helps me to make better choices. Good luck to you!
  • tgabmac
    tgabmac Posts: 46 Member
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    Thanks for all your comments!!! It was really nice to hear all your opinions, suggestions, and encouragement! Feel free to add me.
  • Sunshine2plus2
    Sunshine2plus2 Posts: 1,492 Member
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    About 5-6 months!
  • bitsinator
    bitsinator Posts: 30 Member
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    I'm 5'4" also and needed to lose 50 ... it took about 8-9 months, and it was especially slow in the beginning, so don't get discouraged! I was going to turn 40 in 9 months, and that turned out to be great "it's now or never" motivation.

    I exercise 4-5 days per week and maintain a steady 1500 calories (that's 1500 net -- I eat back anything I burn each day, so exercise days mean I get to eat a little more :smile:) My exercise is mainly running about 15 miles per week, with some Jillian Michaels videos thrown into the mix for body conditioning.

    I didn't follow a diet or omit any particular foods, I just was (and still am) very meticulous about counting every calorie to make sure I net 1500, and sticking to an exercise plan. I seem to have plateaued now at about 5-7 lbs from my goal weight, which seems common for many folks. I can live with that ... at this point, I'd much rather get rid of all this loose skin! :tongue:
  • melissayoungblood
    melissayoungblood Posts: 38 Member
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    Same here. Gall bladder removed for same reason.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
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    About 11 months.
  • Maxibris
    Maxibris Posts: 61 Member
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    It's taken me a year to lose just 20. I wish I had been as awesome as a lot of people on here to lose faster, but I am very proud of myself for what I HAVE accomplished.

    What I'm trying to say is progress is progress! so even if it takes you a little longer, don't get down on yourself. just keep truckin'
  • TayzerFun
    TayzerFun Posts: 45 Member
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    Right now I'm at 45lbs lost and I'm 5'3. (I started tracking later on in my journey with MFP) In total it's been 9 months, but the bulk of the weight has come off since July. My biggest challenge has been the working out. I totally hate sweating!! lol. But the trick is to find something fun and to switch it up often. Find what feels good to you! It's hard at first but if you keep it up and smile through it, you'll do great!
  • nicolen160
    nicolen160 Posts: 197 Member
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    It took me about 4 months to lose 50lbs.
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