Realistic Weight Loss Goals

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timandbeckivillard
timandbeckivillard Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it even possible and healthy to lose 40 pounds in 3 months? I'm just curious if it can be done, and if it can be done, will it stay off if a healthy lifestyle is maintained? I have seen a lot that healthy weight loss is 4-8 pounds a month, which seems so low to me. I feel like I could do a lot more than that. What do you all think about this? And what are some of your weight loss stories?

I know that there are cases where weight is lost faster and easier when you have more to lose. I mean, I have seen the show my 600 pound life where the doctor puts them on a diet to lose like 60 pounds in a month...before surgery. Now granted I'm not 600 pounds, just using that as an example of the more you have to lose the easier it is to lose. To give a perspective, I am 221 pounds...I am starting a very strict diet mainly of protein and veggies, and I am working out 6 days a week.
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Replies

  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
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    The more you restrict your diet the more likely you are relapse and gain back any weight you might lose.
  • timandbeckivillard
    timandbeckivillard Posts: 24
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    I am not necessarily restricting my diet, I am just making a more daily effort to eat healthy. Which I didn't do before. I ate rice pasta bread, all the time, with no limits.
  • FitForLife2015
    FitForLife2015 Posts: 20 Member
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    2lbs a week is healthy and you are less likely to relapse. Losing weight too rapidly can also lead to too much saggy skin, and that's a whole other problem.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    This is interesting
    https://www.fitwatch.com/calculator/weight-loss-target-date
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    Is it even possible and healthy to lose 40 pounds in 3 months? I'm just curious if it can be done, and if it can be done, will it stay off if a healthy lifestyle is maintained? I have seen a lot that healthy weight loss is 4-8 pounds a month, which seems so low to me. I feel like I could do a lot more than that. What do you all think about this? And what are some of your weight loss stories?

    I know that there are cases where weight is lost faster and easier when you have more to lose. I mean, I have seen the show my 600 pound life where the doctor puts them on a diet to lose like 60 pounds in a month...before surgery. Now granted I'm not 600 pounds, just using that as an example of the more you have to lose the easier it is to lose. To give a perspective, I am 221 pounds...I am starting a very strict diet mainly of protein and veggies, and I am working out 6 days a week.


    Sometimes I feel like I could fly.


    ... but I can't.

  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
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    AmberSue09 wrote: »
    The more you restrict your diet the more likely you are relapse and gain back any weight you might lose.

    Right here.

    Is it possible and realistic to lose 40 pounds in 3 months? Yeah, maybe, depending on the person and how much they have to lose.

    My suggestion is to set realistic, sustainable goals using a plan you can maintain for the rest of your life because once you lose the weight, you need to maintain it. Keep in mind also that that the closer you get to goal, the slower the weight loss will become.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    FitForLife2015 wrote: »
    2lbs a week is healthy and you are less likely to relapse. Losing weight too rapidly can also lead to too much saggy skin, and that's a whole other problem.

    Healthy for those with more than 75 pounds to lose..........
  • raisealittlehell
    raisealittlehell Posts: 341 Member
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    2 lbs week is a healthy recommendation. So 2 lbs a week x 4 weeks= 8 lbs a month x 3 months = 24 lbs. So is 40 lbs realistic, not really.

    Here is your other problem, seeing this as a diet. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, this is an entire lifestyle change. Not only what you eat, but your portion sizes, etc. The problem with going on strict diets and restricting food, means you are more likely to binge, go of track, etc. I understand people want to eat healthy, wholesome foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, etc) but not allowing yourself to indulge once in awhile can set you up for disaster. The reason fad diets don't work is because as soon as you go off them you gain all the weight back.

    Full proof way to lose weight- Eat at a caloric deficit, hit your macros, eat what you like (as it fits into your calories/macros for the day) exercise, and drink water.

    If you get into the mindset that this is your lifestyle now, you are more likely to be successful in losing the weight and maintaining it.

    Good luck.
  • janiceclark08
    janiceclark08 Posts: 1,341 Member
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    I think we are use to these weightloss shows where they lose 12 lbs the first week and thats not realistic. I think 40lbs sounds like alot for 3 months, but its 3 pounds a week. They say the slower you lose the better for your body. I think you should just start counting calories and see where that leads, set up for 2lbs a week and go from there. As long as your losing weight and doing it healthy, don't worry how fast. Its a lifestyle change, so dont cut foods you love completely out and set yourself up for failure. Good luck!
  • FitForLife2015
    FitForLife2015 Posts: 20 Member
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    I have 65lbs to lose, and my doctor said 1-2lbs is healthy. No more than that. That's what I was meaning. More than 2lbs a week isn't very realistic long term.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Possible to lose more than 10 pounds a month? Yes.
    Healthy or sustainable? Probably not for most people. You might be pretty miserable and go crazy and then gain it back just as fast when you can no longer keep it up.
  • timandbeckivillard
    timandbeckivillard Posts: 24
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    raisealittlehell wrote: »
    2 lbs week is a healthy recommendation. So 2 lbs a week x 4 weeks= 8 lbs a month x 3 months = 24 lbs. So is 40 lbs realistic, not really.

    Here is your other problem, seeing this as a diet. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, this is an entire lifestyle change. Not only what you eat, but your portion sizes, etc. The problem with going on strict diets and restricting food, means you are more likely to binge, go of track, etc. I understand people want to eat healthy, wholesome foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, etc) but not allowing yourself to indulge once in awhile can set you up for disaster. The reason fad diets don't work is because as soon as you go off them you gain all the weight back.

    Full proof way to lose weight- Eat at a caloric deficit, hit your macros, eat what you like (as it fits into your calories/macros for the day) exercise, and drink water.

    If you get into the mindset that this is your lifestyle now, you are more likely to be successful in losing the weight and maintaining it.

    Good luck.

    I am somewhat new to all of this...what does caloric deficit mean? Is that just how many calories I should have a day? And what are macros?
  • janiceclark08
    janiceclark08 Posts: 1,341 Member
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    Have you set up your calories to eat per day
  • raisealittlehell
    raisealittlehell Posts: 341 Member
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    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    raisealittlehell wrote: »
    2 lbs week is a healthy recommendation. So 2 lbs a week x 4 weeks= 8 lbs a month x 3 months = 24 lbs. So is 40 lbs realistic, not really.

    Here is your other problem, seeing this as a diet. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, this is an entire lifestyle change. Not only what you eat, but your portion sizes, etc. The problem with going on strict diets and restricting food, means you are more likely to binge, go of track, etc. I understand people want to eat healthy, wholesome foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, etc) but not allowing yourself to indulge once in awhile can set you up for disaster. The reason fad diets don't work is because as soon as you go off them you gain all the weight back.

    Full proof way to lose weight- Eat at a caloric deficit, hit your macros, eat what you like (as it fits into your calories/macros for the day) exercise, and drink water.

    If you get into the mindset that this is your lifestyle now, you are more likely to be successful in losing the weight and maintaining it.

    Good luck.

    I am somewhat new to all of this...what does caloric deficit mean? Is that just how many calories I should have a day? And what are macros?

    Caloric Deficit- eating less calories than you need to maintain your current weight.

    This website when you setup your profile will ask you how many lbs per week you want to lose, and what your current activity level is (sedentary i.e. you have a desk job, lightly active, etc) and it gives you a number of calories you are allowed to eat for the day in order to lose the lbs per week you set.

    Macros refer to macro nutrients- basically breaks down to how many Carbs, Fats, Protein you should have on a given day. I believe MFP's standard is 40/30/30 (40 grams of carbs, 30 of fat/30 of protein). Your goal would be to eat your meals within those guidelines.

    That might be a little much if you are new to this- it all boils down to, the fact that in order to lose weight its calories in vs. calories out- if you eat less calories than you need to maintain your weight, you will lose weight. ( unless you have some medical issue where you have to stay away from certain foods, etc but that is really the 1% of people)



  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2015
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    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    raisealittlehell wrote: »
    2 lbs week is a healthy recommendation. So 2 lbs a week x 4 weeks= 8 lbs a month x 3 months = 24 lbs. So is 40 lbs realistic, not really.

    Here is your other problem, seeing this as a diet. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, this is an entire lifestyle change. Not only what you eat, but your portion sizes, etc. The problem with going on strict diets and restricting food, means you are more likely to binge, go of track, etc. I understand people want to eat healthy, wholesome foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, etc) but not allowing yourself to indulge once in awhile can set you up for disaster. The reason fad diets don't work is because as soon as you go off them you gain all the weight back.

    Full proof way to lose weight- Eat at a caloric deficit, hit your macros, eat what you like (as it fits into your calories/macros for the day) exercise, and drink water.

    If you get into the mindset that this is your lifestyle now, you are more likely to be successful in losing the weight and maintaining it.

    Good luck.

    I am somewhat new to all of this...what does caloric deficit mean? Is that just how many calories I should have a day? And what are macros?

    Caloric deficit means eat fewer calories than your body uses.

    Our bodies use calories 24/7. For basic bodily function (heart, lungs, kidneys) we even use calories while sleeping. If we slept 24 hours .....that number would be BMR (basal metabolic rate). Smaller people generally burn fewer calories in a day than larger people. The calories to maintain your existing weight is called TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Eat less than this number and you lose weight.

    Now - weight loss will not be linear because as you get smaller, your TDEE gets smaller also.

    Macros are protein, fat and carb percentages. These vary based upon medical issues and goals. Not a one size fits all. MFPs standard is not 40/30/30.

    All weight loss is not created equal. Advertising leads us to believe that all weight loss is just fat loss. Not true, we need to eat enough to support lean muscle. This is why you need to step-down your weekly goal as you get closer to it. As an example, someone within 10 pounds of goal should be looking at 1/2 pound a week....or expect to lose a fair amount of lean muscle.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    This should be a lifestyle change if you want to keep the weight from coming back. Working out is primarily for fitness. Workout the same amount you see doing for many years to come.
  • timandbeckivillard
    timandbeckivillard Posts: 24
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    This may sound like a really stupid question, but can working out too much make it harder to lose weight? I am at the gym 6 days a week, but there are also some things that I wanted to do at home also. With regards to working out, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    This may sound like a really stupid question, but can working out too much make it harder to lose weight? I am at the gym 6 days a week, but there are also some things that I wanted to do at home also. With regards to working out, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?

    MFP as designed gave you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. So when you log exercise...MFP will add those calories back. This keeps your original deficit.

    If you are working out for calorie burn and to increase the deficit....can that hinder weight loss? No, not "weight" loss....but you can hinder fat loss.

    This is why timetables are such a bad idea. Healthy weight loss spares lean muscle. Fast weight loss does not.
  • timandbeckivillard
    timandbeckivillard Posts: 24
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    TeaBea wrote: »
    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    If you are working out for calorie burn and to increase the deficit....can that hinder weight loss? No, not "weight" loss....but you can hinder fat loss.

    So I would lose more weight but it wouldn't be fat? What would it be then? I would be losing muscle?
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I've lost 43lbs in 11 weeks and have no ill side effects and I eat well. I am obese though. I eat an appropriate amount of protein, lift weights etc etc
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    TeaBea wrote: »
    timandbeckivillard wrote: »
    If you are working out for calorie burn and to increase the deficit....can that hinder weight loss? No, not "weight" loss....but you can hinder fat loss.

    So I would lose more weight but it wouldn't be fat? What would it be then? I would be losing muscle?

    Yes - I've already answered this....read above.....starts with "All weight loss is not created equal"

    Fast weight loss only makes the scale look good. Google skinnyfat. Tons of posts on that.

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