Starting an 8 week challenge. Possible to loose 16 pounds?

bwest2541
bwest2541 Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hello everyone!! My name is Becca and I'm trying to loose 16 pounds in 8 weeks. I am a stay at home mom, and at this point don't work out at all, and I eat horribly. Recently I have been feeling like total crap and I know it has a lot to do with how I eat and lack of motion. So when I joined this 8 week challenge with friends I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to jump on it. I am a petite girl, 5'2, currently weigh 130.5 (before I had kids and was more active I weighed 112 lbs) so I think around 115 would still be healthy for me. I have never dieted before in my life, and need help! Is loosing 2 pounds a week possible for 8 weeks!? Thank you all so much!! ❤️❤️

Replies

  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
    I don't think you have enough weight to lose to lose 2lbs/week for 8 weeks straight. If you do, you'll probably have to drastically cut calories and will be losing a good amount of muscle, too.
  • tryin2die2self
    tryin2die2self Posts: 207 Member
    Is it possible, yes. However most people find the last 10 to 20 lbs the hardest to lose. If you are already that close to your target weight it might be a little unrealistic to lose 2 lbs a week. Under 20 lbs it seems the 0.5 lbs per week would be considered really good. If you did something to limit carb intake and purged your system, you could see a 5 to 10 lbs loss in the first week or two (getting rid of waste & water). After it just shedding the fat is going to be difficult. Good luck to you!!
  • jpena412
    jpena412 Posts: 42 Member
    I'm pretty similar to your measurements, 5'2, 136 lbs. I've been counting calories and working out 5 days a week. It's a good week when I lose a full lb, but on average lost .5 - .8 lbs in a week. Maybe try to do 1 lb a week for 16 weeks so you don't get discouraged off the bat and fall off the plan you've set for yourself?
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,155 Member
    It is possible, but with only about 16 pounds to lose it isn't a very healthy plan. Two pounds a week is really only a good goal for someone who is obese. You would be better setting your goal at .5 pounds per week and I don't think you should lose more than 1 per week if you are trying to be healthy and not just looking at the numbers.
  • sumertiwari
    sumertiwari Posts: 3 Member
    It is very much possible and in fact I have done this very recently. I have lost 20 lbs in 50 days. Yes, it will be difficult but it would not be unhealthy. It is completely healthy.
    Here's what I did- Get an activity tracker (preferably with Heart Rate Monitor), get a small food scale, install MyFitnessPal on the phone.

    Now, let myfitnesspal tell you how many calories you need in a day. For example it said 1600. Jog, run, do steps or go to the gym and spend extra 1000 calories in a day. That would make your requirement 1600+1000= 2600 kcalories.
    Now, eat only 1600. This way you are 1000 kCalories deficit everyday. 1000kC everyday for 8 weeks means = 8 * 7 * 1000 = 56000 kC.
    3500 kC generally makes one pound body weight. in 8 weeks you can easily lose 56000/3500 = 16 lbs weight.

    You won't see much change in the body weight for the first 7-10 days. That is the time your body is trying to figure out what is going on. Once it will realize what's going on, it will be fine and start losing weight.

    The hard part in this process is to log the food religiously and not eat anything that you are not logging. Also staying under a given goal would be hard. But, it works.
    Try some protein shakes that have less carbs and more protein. Tofu, chicken breast, eggs make good food. No soda, no beer and no cookies.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    sumertiwari wrote: »
    It is very much possible and in fact I have done this very recently. I have lost 20 lbs in 50 days. Yes, it will be difficult but it would not be unhealthy. It is completely healthy.
    Here's what I did- Get an activity tracker (preferably with Heart Rate Monitor), get a small food scale, install MyFitnessPal on the phone.

    Now, let myfitnesspal tell you how many calories you need in a day. For example it said 1600. Jog, run, do steps or go to the gym and spend extra 1000 calories in a day. That would make your requirement 1600+1000= 2600 kcalories.
    Now, eat only 1600. This way you are 1000 kCalories deficit everyday. 1000kC everyday for 8 weeks means = 8 * 7 * 1000 = 56000 kC.
    3500 kC generally makes one pound body weight. in 8 weeks you can easily lose 56000/3500 = 16 lbs weight.

    You won't see much change in the body weight for the first 7-10 days. That is the time your body is trying to figure out what is going on. Once it will realize what's going on, it will be fine and start losing weight.

    The hard part in this process is to log the food religiously and not eat anything that you are not logging. Also staying under a given goal would be hard. But, it works.
    Try some protein shakes that have less carbs and more protein. Tofu, chicken breast, eggs make good food. No soda, no beer and no cookies.

    The calories MFP gives you already have the deficit taken out, so you were in a deficit of 1000 calories on top of what you set. And at the OP's size, losing 16 pounds in 8 weeks means there will likely be quite a bit of muscle loss. 4-8 pounds in that time is much healthier.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    I lost 20 lbs in just under eight weeks but didn't meant to. I measured and weighed my foods. I ate mostly one ingredient foods (fish, chicken, veggies, fruits, nuts, oils) and walked every other day.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited March 2016
    You're light already as such so 2lbs a week is too aggressive. ...better to lose slower - aim for 1/2 to 1lb max per week so you keep more muscle mass.

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