Is a 10 lb/month weight loss goal realistic and safe?

no

At your weight you should lose between one pound and 1/2 pound a week.

Go slower and you won't crash and burn.

10 pounds a month is definitely not safe. You'd have to create too big a deficit numerically which is not good for one's health. Two pounds a week is generally considered the max per week.


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


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

At your weight probably not. A genuinely obese person can sometimes get away with very little lean loss if they create their deficit through activity rather than a starvation diet. I started at 338lbs And lost 3lb per week average for about 12/month while actually making small gains in lean mass (Otherwise known as noob gains).

But you are not yet at that level so you have to be a bit more careful. The goals you suggest will likely have severe health consequences.

Maybe.

I say this because you may initially lose 2-3 pounds water weight, and probably could be active enough to create enough deficit for 1.5 pounds per week. But if you're the sort of person who would be heartbroken to set a goal and fall short then set a more realistic goal such as 5-6 pounds in a month.

I weighed 125 last year, and have ballooned up to 147.

20 pounds isn't exactly "ballooning".
If you're under 5'5", 147 is in the "overweight" BMI range.
If you're over 5'8", 125 is in the "underweight" BMI range.
Anywhere in between, both of those are in the healthy weight range, so don't worry too much about it.
http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf

I haven't ate properly and have not exercised.

If you haven't eaten properly & have not been exercising, why don't you try getting those under control before you consider something drastic & stupid like trying to lose 1/7 of your body weight in 2 months?

"Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake."
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html

Would it be safe for me to amp up cardio/workouts and change my calorie intake drastically until I get back down to my original weight?

No.
You don't have much to lose, so aim for 1/2 pound per week, which would be reducing your calorie intake by 250 cal per day.
(Perhaps as much as 1 lb per week, which would be 500 cal per day, but don't go below 1200 cal).
Ignore "net" calories, ignore exercise calories (except for once in a while if you're very hungry, then eat back 1/3 to 1/2 of them).

To lose weight, either take your healthy goal weight & multiply by 10 to get calories,
or take your current weight, multiply by 10, then subtract 250.
To maintain weight, multiply it by 15 to get calories.
Don't go below 1200 per day (total; ignore net).

Also, is it okay to do a bit of cardio each day? I've started slow with 2 minutes running / 2 minutes walking for 30 minutes.

Yes. In fact, it's recommended by the CDC.

"...evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.
To maintain your weight: work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week."
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html

no, like everyone else has said, 1 lb to 1/2 lb per week is safe and sustainable. you don't want to be miserable. I was also close to 140 when I first started. it took me about 5 months to get back in the 120s.

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I weighed 125 last year, and have ballooned up to 147. I haven't ate properly and have not exercised. Would it be safe for me to amp up cardio/workouts and change my calorie intake drastically until I get back down to my original weight?

Also, is it okay to do a bit of cardio each day? I've started slow with 2 minutes running/2 minutes walking for 30 minutes.

You gained less than half a pound each week over the course of a year. Hardly 'ballooning'.

See a personal trainer. Cardio isn't necessary every day.

No not at your weight. I'd say yes if you weighed 200+. You're safe with 3-4 pounds a month.