40lbs in 7 months?

I don't think it is unrealistic, if you are willing to work for it and do it properly. I've lost 33 pounds in 6 months and am now 1 lb from my goal weight (well, it was 1 lb, I revised it recently down 6 lbs but may move it back up). I set my MFP goals to lose .5 lbs per week but didn't eat back most of my exercise calories, and maintained a 1.5 lb loss per week for the first 5 months. I did work out at least 5 days a week, fairly strenuously, and have included some weight training since the beginning. I don't log things like housework or anything that I did before, while I was overweight.

I would recommend using a food scale, and reading the sticky posts at the top of the various forums, starting with

A guide to get you started on your path to Sexypants

Logging accuracy, consistency, and you're probably eating more than you think.

So you want a nice stomach

Good luck!

This content has been removed.

My goal was 40 pounds & I did it in 8 and a half months I probably could have done it in 8 months but hit Christmas at 7 and a half months so it took me a couple of extra weeks

For your age, this goal is not healthy and eating only 1200 calories is not health. You need to take slower steps and not set up random deadlines. You have your entire life ahead of you to look good and be healthy. Plus from your picture, I seriously doubt you have 40 lbs to lose.

It took me 6 months to lose 15kg when I started out, which took me down to a BMI of 28 or so. At this point I took up running quite seriously. I then got down another 5kg by the summer, around 4 months later, so you can see it was slowing.

Since then I have stayed around 80kg or so, and used MFP in spells, but not bothered during summer, holidays etc. This last autumn I decided I'd have a real crack at getting down below 75kg which would take me to normal BMI. I found that the right macros made a big difference and I'm almost there, but it's taken me a few MFP spells to nail this formula. I guess what I am saying is as you get to target weight your macros probably become more important.

Oh, and I have found whenever I reduced my calorie intake too much the whole thing became a pain and I didnt really lose any extra weight anyway. So I am now of the opinion a modest deficit with good macros is the best way.

Shaystays wrote: »

Would losing 40lbs in 7-8 months be an unrealistic goal? I'll be going on a cruise with my family in around 7-8 months, and my total weight loss goal is to be 40lbs down from what I'm at now. Is losing that in 7-8 months time doable to you? My daily calorie intake is usually 1200-1400 and I try and exercise for at LEAST 30 min per day (walking and jogging) around 5-6 times per week.
Realistic or no?

Could you do it? Yes you can!

That being said I would recommend that you need a more serious workout program. If you do that you will need to raise your calories.

There is more to "looking good in a swim suit" than weight loss. It is about "muscle sculpting" as well and genetics.

Read "Strong Lifts, Strong Woman". It is a good read and cuts to the bottom line with the science of "looking good and weight loss".

This content has been removed.

MrM27 wrote: »

Shaystays wrote: »

I weigh 176 lbs right now. I started out at 204 lbs. My doctor told me to be a healthy weight I need to be anywhere from 130lbs-145lbs and NO MORE than 150lbs. My goal is around 130-140 lbs. So I'm literally following my doctors orders. So 30-40lbs to lose. I'm not really stuck at an exact number because I don't know what I'll look like 40 lbs down. But that's just a rough estimate of how much more I need to lose.

I was just asking how realistic or unrealistic that was, so I don't get my hopes up. My reason is in 7-8 months me and my entire family are going on a Cruise, a family vacation. I wanted to be happy in a swimsuit, and not be running from the camera the entire time. May be a silly reason to you guys, but it's a goal for me.

I could see you hitting close to 1 lb per week until then if you put in the work. 30 lbs is possible imo. 40 might not be so easy but it's not impossible. If you are looking to do this for a cruise then at least make changes that you can live with forever so you don't potentially end up hitting your goal, going on your cruise then reverting back to old way and having this same dilemma again next year.

Get control of you calories. Go start weight training if you haven't already as it will aid with muscle retention and achieving a better body composition when it comes time to put on a bathing suit.

Don't set such a large single goal. Make smaller goals. 5 lbs at a time or 10. Then as you progress you can reevaluate what your end goal might end up being.

I agree with this here. I think setting more short term goals leads you on the path to success with weight loss. You really have no idea if you will lose 40 lbs in 7 to 8 months because there may be some weeks you just do not lose weight.

It is totally doable, but not a for sure bet. Good luck!

This content has been removed.