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Just a quick question

ed10els
ed10els Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!
I'm Sam, a 21-year-old university student wanting to lose a little bit of weight.


Because of circumstances, I cannot exercise until October, and so until then I'll be living a sedentary lifestyle.

Height: 5'5
Current weight: 9st 8lbs (almost 61kg)
Goal weight: 8st 9lbs (55kg)
My BMR is just under 1800 calories.

So, all I really want to lose is just under one stone. My question is, will I be able to lose that stone by October on a 1200-1300 daily allowance or am I being too ambitious?

Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    so... 14 lbs in 10 weeks?

    Based on your current size, I'd say that it IS possible, but probably will be difficult to do in a healthy, sustainable manner. If you don't pay very close attention to your nutritional intake and with the fact that you can't exercise, I'd bet that you will lose a large amount of muscle mass trying to lose weight that quickly and you won't be that happy with your look in the end anyways.

    Why not just do something reasonable, don't set a time limit, and don't set a numeric goal. Start taking pictures in the mirror and once you are happy, you met your goal - no matter how long it takes.

    The idea of trying to rush the weightloss between now and some magical date in October just because you procrastinated too long is really a pretty silly mindset...
  • remieres93
    remieres93 Posts: 45
    This is hard for me to convert, as I live in the US.

    BUT, if you use the MFP tracker, enter in your information, and how many lbs per week you want to lose it'll tell you how much you need to eat per day. (no fitness included, because if you exercise it asks you to eat those calories back.) I don't know how much one stone is (I guess if I wasn't lazy I could be googling all of this.), but from now to october you could safely lose anywhere from 15-30 lbs. If you do the math of how much weight you'd need to lose by october, and then figure out how many lbs per week you then need to lose, you could put on your MPF tracker you want to lose said lbs per week, with a sedentary activity level, and it'll calculate what you need to eat. as you get smaller and update your weight you will have to eat even less.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Losing weight will be slow as you only have a small amount to lose. Eating 1200 calories not only will you likely be hungry but you will be more likely to regain the weight. Follow the link below which will give you great advice and set your goals in MFP to lose .5 pound a week because you are within normal BMI range as I said it will be slow.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    This is hard for me to convert, as I live in the US.

    BUT, if you use the MFP tracker, enter in your information, and how many lbs per week you want to lose it'll tell you how much you need to eat per day. (no fitness included, because if you exercise it asks you to eat those calories back.) I don't know how much one stone is (I guess if I wasn't lazy I could be googling all of this.), but from now to october you could safely lose anywhere from 15-30 lbs. If you do the math of how much weight you'd need to lose by october, and then figure out how many lbs per week you then need to lose, you could put on your MPF tracker you want to lose said lbs per week, with a sedentary activity level, and it'll calculate what you need to eat. as you get smaller and update your weight you will have to eat even less.

    a stone is 14lbs..google it.

    To the OP...yes you can but should you? probably not...why not aim for half a stone...unless you actually have more to lose than just a stone?

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    This is hard for me to convert, as I live in the US.

    She is 5'5" tall and about 134 lbs trying to get to 120 lbs.

    In my opinion, the weight isn't the problem. Its probably the muscle tone/mass.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    So you are 5'5" 134 and want to lose 14 lbs?

    You are already within a normal weight range. Why the rush to lose the weight?

    I know you say you have no way to exercise, but what I'd recommend in your position is eating maintenance while lifting weights. It will be slow, but you will be very happy with how you look, eventually.
  • remieres93
    remieres93 Posts: 45
    I don't know how much one stone is (I guess if I wasn't lazy I could be googling all of this.),

    a stone is 14lbs..google it.


    my original quote says all
  • ed10els
    ed10els Posts: 5
    so... 14 lbs in 10 weeks?

    Based on your current size, I'd say that it IS possible, but probably will be difficult to do in a healthy, sustainable manner. If you don't pay very close attention to your nutritional intake and with the fact that you can't exercise, I'd bet that you will lose a large amount of muscle mass trying to lose weight that quickly and you won't be that happy with your look in the end anyways.

    Why not just do something reasonable, don't set a time limit, and don't set a numeric goal. Start taking pictures in the mirror and once you are happy, you met your goal - no matter how long it takes.

    The idea of trying to rush the weightloss between now and some magical date in October just because you procrastinated too long is really a pretty silly mindset...

    Ok, thank you for your opinion and advice.
    Although, I haven't actually procrastinated. The decision to lose some weight is a recent one. I'm not taking the numbers and dates in my goal seriously, I was only asking how likely it was I'd achieve it.
    To the OP...yes you can but should you? probably not...why not aim for half a stone...unless you actually have more to lose than just a stone?

    A stone is the higher end of my expectations. I'd be more than happy with half a stone. I've put on a little visible weight and I feel uncomfortable with it. I didn't know how much I weighed before, but I just want to lose a little bit until I'm back where I feel comfortable.
  • ed10els
    ed10els Posts: 5
    Losing weight will be slow as you only have a small amount to lose. Eating 1200 calories not only will you likely be hungry but you will be more likely to regain the weight. Follow the link below which will give you great advice and set your goals in MFP to lose .5 pound a week because you are within normal BMI range as I said it will be slow.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594

    And that thread looks great, thank you.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member

    Ok, thank you for your opinion and advice.
    Although, I haven't actually procrastinated. The decision to lose some weight is a recent one. I'm not taking the numbers and dates in my goal seriously, I was only asking how likely it was I'd achieve it.


    My apologies, then. So if the numbers/dates you mentioned really don't matter - they were just a starting point - I would seriously consider my original recommendation. "do something reasonable, don't set a time limit, and don't set a numeric goal. Start taking pictures in the mirror and once you are happy, you met your goal - no matter how long it takes."

    that, and I still think (just a hunch) that you have a muscle mass problem, not a weight problem. Start doing strength exercises even if they are simply bodyweight exercises.
  • ed10els
    ed10els Posts: 5
    So you are 5'5" 134 and want to lose 14 lbs?

    You are already within a normal weight range. Why the rush to lose the weight?

    I know you say you have no way to exercise, but what I'd recommend in your position is eating maintenance while lifting weights. It will be slow, but you will be very happy with how you look, eventually.

    Because I feel extremely uncomfortable with the weight I've put on due to not being able to exercise.
    And I'd like to lift some weights, but I'm due to have surgery which will mean I won't be able to lift anything for a good while...
  • ed10els
    ed10els Posts: 5

    Ok, thank you for your opinion and advice.
    Although, I haven't actually procrastinated. The decision to lose some weight is a recent one. I'm not taking the numbers and dates in my goal seriously, I was only asking how likely it was I'd achieve it.


    My apologies, then. So if the numbers/dates you mentioned really don't matter - they were just a starting point - I would seriously consider my original recommendation. "do something reasonable, don't set a time limit, and don't set a numeric goal. Start taking pictures in the mirror and once you are happy, you met your goal - no matter how long it takes."

    that, and I still think (just a hunch) that you have a muscle mass problem, not a weight problem. Start doing strength exercises even if they are simply bodyweight exercises.

    I'll try what you recommended then. Thank you :D
    And you might be right about the muscle mass. I used to run and swim but I can't at the moment and that hasn't helped how I feel with all this.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    So you are 5'5" 134 and want to lose 14 lbs?

    You are already within a normal weight range. Why the rush to lose the weight?

    I know you say you have no way to exercise, but what I'd recommend in your position is eating maintenance while lifting weights. It will be slow, but you will be very happy with how you look, eventually.

    Because I feel extremely uncomfortable with the weight I've put on due to not being able to exercise.
    And I'd like to lift some weights, but I'm due to have surgery which will mean I won't be able to lift anything for a good while...

    You can diet between now and your surgery, but post surgery remember that you need certain amount of calories to heal. For the first few weeks after surgery, I would eat at maintenance or maybe 100-200 calories below it. I would not try to lose much weight during that time as it will likely be mostly muscle.

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