Is it healthy to...

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stylerayers
stylerayers Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it healthy to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks? I know the general thing is losing 2 lbs per week... but I would like to weigh 140 by the time my vacation starts in 4 weeks and I'm at 150 now. If I still eat 1200 cals a day but just up the calories I burn by a couple hundred, is it possible for me to lose the 10 pounds in 4 weeks-and still be healthy? Any advice would help!

My BMR is 1450, and I'm 5'4" and 16 years old by the way. Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
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    I lost 70lbs in 7 months doing 2 spin classes a week (280 - 210) with no dieting, so that amount is essentially doable, but be prepared to work your butt off (literally) and eat cleanly since you have little to lose. This intense cardio can also cause you to lose muscle, so you should up your protein and do some strength training as well.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    You want to eat back the calories you earn when you exercise, because MFP already gave you a deficit when you chose lose a pound or what ever a week. But yea, it's ok to lose the 10 in a month!
  • daveelamp
    daveelamp Posts: 43
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    1lb of fat is 3500 kcals of stored body fat. So to lose 1lb a week you would have to be 500kcals under every day. So your looking at roughly 1250 kcals under a day to lose the weight your talking about... which is alot, this could be done though if you exercise well and get the right food on board. Also look into taking some vitamin tablets, so you are getting them in your diet. A multi vitamin would be sufficient.

    Good luck :)
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
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    You opened a can of worms there with some of the fitness nuts on here. I hear it's normally NOT good to lose that much but since your doing it for only 4 weeks I really don't see what it would hurt if you just exercise more and not cut down your eating any.
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
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    You should know, the less you have to lose, the harder it is. If you weighed 200 lbs., it would be easy to lose 10 lbs. in a month. But at 150? I don't think that's realistic at all. It takes much longer and is much harder to do it if you want to do the healthy way and keep it off.
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    it's possible especially if you are just starting out, and if you have a lot to lose, but if you are trying to loose the last 15 or 10 pounds, it probably will not happen. I would not aim to loose an excessive amount of weight in a short period of time, but those 10 pounds will come off if it's ready to come off. Just don't do anything extreme. It sounds like you have a good plan, but remember 1200 a day if you goal-- your goa is not to eat 600 calories!! haha I see people do that all the time, and that is EXTREME dieting. If you wanna keep that weight off for good, then you will be better off eating 1200 a day.

    Just as a happy note-- I went from 145 to 140 in a week from using this site, but after that my weight loss SLOWED down to like nothing, so what I say now is my body is gonna do what it wants when it wants, I can only fuel it the correct way! With time, you will reach your goal! =]
    good luck to you!
  • abalicious
    abalicious Posts: 361 Member
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    I lost 8 lbs in less than 4 weeks and it was relatively easy. I was eating super clean and healthy and ate back like half of my exercise calories. but you should add some strength training into your routine so that you can build muscle while losing inches.
  • LH2011
    LH2011 Posts: 176 Member
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    I want to lose 14lbs and I only have 1lb to go its taken me 6.5 weeks being mega strict/clean on food always just under 1200 per day and walking between 40-60 mins every day to lose 13lb. First 3 weeks lost the most and its slowed down alot since then. So in theory you should be able to get to 10lb or very close good luck.
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
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    10lbs in 4 weeks is totally doable and I don't think that 2.5lbs a week is unhealthy. I have been averaging about 15lbs a month. I exercise 45min-2hours a day, I eat back about 1/2 of my exercise calories. I eat high protein and low(ish) carbs and also keep my sodium under 1500mg a day. I stick with eating clean most of the time. I have also found that when I eat more carbs I don't lose as quickly. Good luck.
  • stariera
    stariera Posts: 224
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    A big thing I learned hun and recently is make sure you eat your alloted calories or else you will shove your body into starvation mode which will keep you from losing, didn't do it intentionally by any means but never been a huge breakfast fan LOL... upped my calories intake in the mornings which makes me have my calories for the day and lost 3 pounds in the last week. Eat your calories... try to make sure your carbs are complex carbs not simple ones. Eat enough protein even if you have to supplement with a shake and definitely take a multivitamin. Drink plenty of water and you should be able to do it in that time in a healthy fashion.
  • truchamp06
    truchamp06 Posts: 78 Member
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    Ive read a lot of the responses. If you have a desire to loose 2 pounds a week which is health goal, then 10 pounds a month is fine. Its actually healthy. This is my goal through help with my doctor and personal trainer. However each person is different.
  • primaverapvr
    primaverapvr Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm sorry I have to say this..... You are only 16!!! your basic calorie needs are much higher then a non growing 5'4" woman. so your basic caloric needs are more around 2000 a day because you are still growing!!!! You can look it up here http://theteenmachine.webs.com/calories.htm it's also has other great info for growing bodies that want to healthy.

    I have no problem with you losing 10 lbs. and like everyone here 2 pounds is a nice HEALTHY average. I totally understand wanting to look your best for summer vacation but do it intelligently ;-)

    Good Luck and have fun on your vacation.
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
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    You should know, the less you have to lose, the harder it is. If you weighed 200 lbs., it would be easy to lose 10 lbs. in a month. But at 150? I don't think that's realistic at all. It takes much longer and is much harder to do it if you want to do the healthy way and keep it off.

    I agree. I think, for the vast majority of people, this would be unhealthy, and unsafe. How tall are you? If you are very short, ie, under 5'2, it might just be okay.

    Bear in mind that the 1200 figure refers to net calories, not just calories eaten.

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