Any suggestions? How do I lose 2 pounds per week?

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Just found MyFitnessPal, and I think it's a wonderful! My diet clinic doctor recommended it. would love to start making friends here. Please add me if you like.

My son's wedding is at the end of May. I now weigh under 150. My goal is 130 for the wedding. I am 5'1". When I started out in February, I weighed 162. Now I am under 150. So I have want to lose 20 pounds in the next 10 weeks.

The problem is, I have slowed down to 1/2 pound a week. I have never tracked calories before, but this site makes it so easy, I love it. Since I was already writing everything I eat down, it was pretty easy to figure out portions and enter it. I do cardio or intervals five days a week for an hour.

Please don't judge me here. If you are against diet aids, please move on and don't comment. I started on Phentermine in February. I have had good results with it in the past. After awhile the effects wear off a bit. I have been on it for 6 weeks. it is slowing down now. The first 4 weeks I lost 10 pounds. It has taken me 2 weeks to lose 2 more pounds. Phentermine is a diet aid, not a magic button. I have seen people on this site being very against diet aids. And if you are against them, I don't need to hear about it. Whatever works for you is great, and what works for me is my way.

If you have any ideas for to step up weight loss, I would really appreciate your feedback.
Thanks so much

June

corgarian · March 2014

real quick, 2 lbs a week is not obtainable in any healthy way for someone your size. thats for people who are very overweight.

jodynichelson · March 2014

Good luck with your aggressive weight loss goal! You can do it!

I know that it works best if you can break that plateau. There are lots of ways to do that. But, you have to make a shift. (i.e.: more exercise, less exercise (then more again after 4-6 days), more protein, lower sugars, break the phentermine for a few weeks and then try it again in 2-3 weeks). I know that amino acids (if you aren't taking them already) can improve your weight loss. I have bought a number of them at GNC. Also, I had fabulous results with Formyou3 protein supplements. I lost 5 lbs per week with it keeping calories under 1200 calories per day. Formyou3 diet counselor also warned me to stay away from celery, carrots, all carbs and watermelon.

I personally find that the best way to lose weight has been to increase cardio. I try to squeeze in that 8-15 minute power workout in the am ( I work out in the pm). Or, vice versa. I always found that jogging/running is the absolute best way to shake off those lbs. I love aerobics, Zumba and all that other stuff, but its running that works best (even if you start at a slow jogging pace for 10 minutes (1x-2x per day), you will see nearly immediate results.)

Don't try to change your food AND your exercise at the same time. To break a plateau, do one change for a few weeks. Then, go back. Keep your metabolism guessing so it doesn't have time to get used to the same old/same old.

You can trick your metabolism with any of the above.

Good luck!

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Maybe 2 pounds a week is too much to expect. My doctor said I could do it, but I had my doubts too. I normally averaged 1/2 pound a week loss when I have lost weight before.

Your suggestions are very helpful, thanks!

I was also thinking it will be good to step up the cardio. I have never tried protein supplements. They help with weight loss? I probably do get a lot of sugar from the fruits I eat. Chocolate too, but I only have one or two squares a day.

The supplements my nutritionist/M.D. has me taking are Chromate, Potassium, Vitamin D, Calcium with Magnesium powder. HTP-5. I don't take anything else. Are the Chromate and HTP-5 worth bothering with?

bradXdale · March 2014

Maybe 2 pounds a week is too much to expect. My doctor said I could do it, but I had my doubts too. I normally averaged 1/2 pound a week loss when I have lost weight before.

Your suggestions are very helpful, thanks!

I was also thinking it will be good to step up the cardio. I have never tried protein supplements. They help with weight loss? I probably do get a lot of sugar from the fruits I eat. Chocolate too, but I only have one or two squares a day.

The supplements my nutritionist/M.D. has me taking are Chromate, Potassium, Vitamin D, Calcium with Magnesium powder. HTP-5. I don't take anything else. Are the Chromate and HTP-5 worth bothering with?

Protein supplements do not really help you lose weight. They do help by getting protein to your muscles fast after a training session. They are help you meet your protein number goals. Say you have 30g of protein you need to get for the reset of the day and you only have around 200 calories you can have a protein shake with milk and you'll hit those numbers.

You should be doing a mix of intense cardio & resistance (weight) training. Just note if you start an intense program you will need to eat a little bit more and you should not expect scale weight loss but you should notice that you will lose inches. This is because when you lift heavy weights & workout at an intense pace your body will hold on to a bit of water & glycogen to help repair muscles, this will show as a weight gain on the scale.

Why the big list of supplements?

I just take a Fish Oil, a stim-free fat burner, a multi vitamin and my protein powder after workouts.

Also I suggest you read & abide by some of the key points made in this article:

http://www.muscleforlife.com/the-quickest-way-to-lose-weight/

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Brad - I don't know why all the supplements. It's just what my nutritionist gave me. I've been doing an interval training DVD. I like it! Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone.

What's the fat burner? Does it do anything?

chocolateandbutterscotch · March 2014

1200 calories a day, exercise, don't eat back your exercise calories, low carb and lots and lots of water.

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Thanks! I never tracked calories before. I just wrote down what I ate with no quantities. I think you are right about the calories. It's helping. I didn't realize I was eating that many calories before.

Naybelline · March 2014

Go gluten and wheat free and diary free, also cut out sugar. weight will drop off.

Mindfreak1999 · March 2014

This is easy to do. Cut out eating between meals, cut out junk foods (take always, crisps, chocolate etc) exercise regularly. I bought a mountain bike and although it was hard work have so far lost over 90lbs.
Always willing to help, anybody can add me, good luck

geebusuk · March 2014

To lose 2lb a week your "calories in" needs to be 1000 calories less than your "calories out" on average, every day.
If you do some exercise, including weights (starting strength, etc) ideally, you've got a better chance generally - it means you can eat more and will hopefully lose less muscle, leading to more of the look you want.

HOWEVER, the closer you get to goal weight, the more of an issue a big deficit becomes. You may be likely to lose more muscle as you've got less fat. I still am on 2lb a week or there abouts and can't have more than 20lb to lose now. It's noticable that I'm losing a bit of strength (though partly through doing loads of cardio.)

Contrary to what the above has said, I'd suggest that how much you eat is much more important than restricting one particular food type.
Restricting food tyres is good if you have an intolerance to them, otherwise not needed.

CharlotteAnneUK · March 2014

follow the system. Put in your details correctly, put that you want to loose 2lbs per week and stick to the calorie deficit that MFP provides. Add in your exercise and you should be fine.

The biggest thing people forget is to include the calories of EVERYTHING. The spread on your bread counts, the cup of tea, the latte. I fond that I was drinking most of my calories originally so I sorted out how much tea and coffee I was drinking by switching it with water.

As an aside.... This year I have cut out potato from my main meals and swapped toast for breakfast with Porridge, I have already lost more this year than last and I have not been all that worried about loosing weight, just living healthy. I zero my numbers at the begining of each year.

EdTheGinge · March 2014

Are you even exercising, I don't see any mention of it or am I being blind ? Basically work your butt off and you might get there, it can be done but why did you leave it until the last minute to lose it ?

Just keep trucking

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Thanks you guys. This is all so helpful! I do exercise. Mostly Zumba and my stationary bike, and exercise DVDs. Maybe I need to step it up! I question the calories it says here we burn on exercise. Last night I did an hour on the bike and the readout said 200 calories, and here it said 400 or 500 calories for moderate effort, which it was.

So 1000 calories;... that's actually helpful to know. But I don't totally understand it. I don't really restrict any one type of food, although I do stay away from grains, except oatmeal which I love for breakfast. I'm lucky I don't like bread. Cake, cookies, that's another story

rileysowner · March 2014

Thanks you guys. This is all so helpful! I do exercise. Mostly Zumba and my stationary bike, and exercise DVDs. Maybe I need to step it up! I question the calories it says here we burn on exercise. Last night I did an hour on the bike and the readout said 200 calories, and here it said 400 or 500 calories for moderate effort, which it was.

So 1000 calories;... that's actually helpful to know. But I don't totally understand it. I don't really restrict any one type of food, although I do stay away from grains, except oatmeal which I love for breakfast. I'm lucky I don't like bread. Cake, cookies, that's another story

To be clear, they are not saying eat 1000 calories, but that you need to have a calorie deficit of 1000 calories a day to lose 2 pounds per week. A pound of fat is 3500 calories, making 2 pound 7000. That means you need to over a week eat 7000 less calories than your body burns, so 1000 calories a day.

What you body burns is made up of several parts.

1) BMR -- Basal Metabolic Rate: These are the calories you burn simply to say alive. They keep your brain functioning, you heart beating, your lungs breathing. These would be the number of calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day and didn't move at all.

2) NEAT -- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenisi: These are the calories you burn going about your daily activity. Getting out of bed, brushing teeth, walking around the house, going to work, and the like.

3) EA -- Exercise Activity: The calories you burn in actual exercise.

All combined these make up your TDEE. While that number varies from person to person, to get a good idea on what yours might be you can try http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Looking at the number that gives you it would be taking 1000 off that per day.

However, if that number goes below your BMR, it is generally not a good idea to eat so little. It will result in a lot of muscle loss instead of fat loss leaving you more likely to put the weight back on.

Generally if you eat above your BMR but below your TDEE you will lose weight. Based on your current weight and your goal, 2 pounds per week is likely too aggressive a goal as your body can only burn off so many calories of fat a day, and the less fat you have the less total it can burn off in a day.

bellevie86 · March 2014

1200 calories a day, exercise, don't eat back your exercise calories, low carb and lots and lots of water.

Don't think some of this advice is very good. If you are going to eat 1200 and exercise, then eat back exercise cals. 1200 is a BARE MINIMUM. I can assure you if you do burn 500 cals from Zumba and don't eat back then you will net 700 cals, you will not have enough energy to keep up your program and feel like total crap, because that is not enough fuel.

You are only 150 some pounds, 20 in 10 weeks will most likely not happen. But I think that you can at least lose 10.

omgcherrybomb · March 2014

Go on the Atkins diet for a few weeks, you will lose more than 2lbs a week. Its a hard diet, but it does work and produces fast results.

whatthedeuce23 · March 2014

Your body will tend to lose 10% of your body weight a week - hence why it's slowed down as you got smaller

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

Thanks, now I understand. I get a printout each month. The last mont's one said my BMR is 1279 calories. My calorie deficit has been about 500 calories a day. So that's probably more like a pound a week. I try to stay under 1200 but usually it is more like 1300 or 1400, then I get credit for exercise.

I really appreciate all your comments. This is really helpful. It sounds like I am more on track to lose one pound a week. Which will be fine too.

Thanks you guys. This is all so helpful! I do exercise. Mostly Zumba and my stationary bike, and exercise DVDs. Maybe I need to step it up! I question the calories it says here we burn on exercise. Last night I did an hour on the bike and the readout said 200 calories, and here it said 400 or 500 calories for moderate effort, which it was.

So 1000 calories;... that's actually helpful to know. But I don't totally understand it. I don't really restrict any one type of food, although I do stay away from grains, except oatmeal which I love for breakfast. I'm lucky I don't like bread. Cake, cookies, that's another story

To be clear, they are not saying eat 1000 calories, but that you need to have a calorie deficit of 1000 calories a day to lose 2 pounds per week. A pound of fat is 3500 calories, making 2 pound 7000. That means you need to over a week eat 7000 less calories than your body burns, so 1000 calories a day.

What you body burns is made up of several parts.

1) BMR -- Basal Metabolic Rate: These are the calories you burn simply to say alive. They keep your brain functioning, you heart beating, your lungs breathing. These would be the number of calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day and didn't move at all.

2) NEAT -- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenisi: These are the calories you burn going about your daily activity. Getting out of bed, brushing teeth, walking around the house, going to work, and the like.

3) EA -- Exercise Activity: The calories you burn in actual exercise.

All combined these make up your TDEE. While that number varies from person to person, to get a good idea on what yours might be you can try http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Looking at the number that gives you it would be taking 1000 off that per day.

However, if that number goes below your BMR, it is generally not a good idea to eat so little. It will result in a lot of muscle loss instead of fat loss leaving you more likely to put the weight back on.

Generally if you eat above your BMR but below your TDEE you will lose weight. Based on your current weight and your goal, 2 pounds per week is likely too aggressive a goal as your body can only burn off so many calories of fat a day, and the less fat you have the less total it can burn off in a day.

Junebuggyzy · March 2014

I know 2 pounds a week is unreasonable, but this chart says I am pretty much on track to do it.

http://s155.photobucket.com/user/mac_girl2062/media/ScreenShot2014-03-22at113547AM_zpsead717e5.png.html]

Now I have 10 weeks to lose 17 pounds

Snapshotgirl · March 2014

Actually, two pounds a week is doable. However, you are going to have to be incredibly disciplined and it's hard to maintain that discipline over the long haul, you may gain it back. A suggestion: increase your exercise, include more aggressive exercise like Pilates, running or aerobics. You won't lose as fast, but you will find your fat turning into muscle, which is heavier, but much leaner. In other words, you will be slimmer but your weight won't go down quite so much. Hope that helps. Good luck and keep us posted!

Any suggestions? How do I lose 2 pounds per week?

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