Is it safe to lose 18 pounds in 19 days?

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haleyray72
haleyray72 Posts: 5 Member
edited April 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I am 5,8" and weigh 238 pounds. I'm trying to lose 18 pounds by April 30th. Is it safe to do this/even possible?How should I go about doing it. On average I eat about 1350 cals a day, and walk about 4,500 steps. Thank you :)

EDIT: Clearly this isn't happening. Kind of wishful thinking. Advice on weightloss would be appreciated though. Starting weight was 262; at 238 now. 100+ pounds is so intimidating.

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  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
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    No. It's not a good idea.

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    It's not a good idea. I'm not sure if it's even possible. Maybe you could drop 10lbs if you are just starting and drop a lot of water weight at first, but otherwise, no. Don't even try.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    YOLO
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    haleyray72 wrote: »
    Hi! I am 5,8" and weight 238 pounds. I'm trying to lose 18 pounds by April 30th. Is it safe to do this/even possible? How should I go about doing it. On average I eat about 1350 cals a day, and walk about 4,500 steps. Thank you :)

    It is possible, it's also very unhealthy.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    Not only is it not safe, I highly doubt it's possible. 2lb/week MAX and usually that's for people with 100+ lbs to lose. If your goal weight is 140ish, 2lbs a week would be safe until you have 75 pounds left, then ease off and do 1.5lbs/week.

    Eating 1350 and walking 4,500 steps a day WILL not make you lose 18lbs in 19 days.
  • haleyray72
    haleyray72 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm getting so frustrated! I've lost 23 pounds since late February. But it's been slow the last couple of weeks. I feel like if I work out combined with my healthy eating (dairy is open btw) I should be able to lose a lot more just as quickly since I'm technically still obese (BMI).
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
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    Your tdee is probably around 2,500 cals a day. I'll use 2,800 and assume your "highly active" though If you ate nothing then your total over the 19 days would be a 53,200 cal deficit. That is about 15 pounds of weight loss.

    That being said, i wouldn't recommend not eating anything PLUS exercising more to drop 18 pounds
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited April 2016
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    haleyray72 wrote: »
    I'm getting so frustrated! I've lost 23 pounds since late February. But it's been slow the last couple of weeks. I feel like if I work out combined with my healthy eating (dairy is open btw) I should be able to lose a lot more just as quickly since I'm technically still obese (BMI).

    You've lost 23lbs in around 6-8 weeks? That's waaaay over 2lbs per week, and 2lbs per week is the healthy rate of loss.

    Definitely nothing to be disappointed by.

    Question: Did it take you a month to gain that weight? Also, how are you measuring your caloric intake?

    I was close to 300lbs when I started a couple of years ago. 175lbs now. It's not a race. Change your outlook and you'll relax.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
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    So, you're complaining about 3-4 pounds a week?!
  • BeYouTiful94
    BeYouTiful94 Posts: 289 Member
    edited April 2016
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    A pound a day?? Unless you were planning on having some limbs amputated, I don't think that it's even possible at all, and certainly it's not safe. If you were just starting, you could maybe lose 10 pounds in one week from water weight, and then an additional 2 pounds over the next almost 2 weeks. But that's if you were just starting, and completely hypothetical. Also, weight lost fast comes back faster, and it brings friends.

    Edit because I saw your post after I'd posted mine and the page reloaded: 23 pounds since late February is great! I wish lol. I'm nearing 20 pounds since mid January. Weight loss is frustrating to some people because they feel like they gained overnight so they should lose overnight ... But they didn't, and they won't. Don't try to rush. It won't last. You're doing just fine :)
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
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    Slower and safer is best. A safe but aggressive amount is 2lbs/week.
  • haleyray72
    haleyray72 Posts: 5 Member
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    cerise_noir wrote: »
    haleyray72 wrote: »
    I'm getting so frustrated! I've lost 23 pounds since late February. But it's been slow the last couple of weeks. I feel like if I work out combined with my healthy eating (dairy is open btw) I should be able to lose a lot more just as quickly since I'm technically still obese (BMI).

    You've lost 23lbs in around 6-8 weeks? That's waaaay over 2lbs per week, and 2lbs per week is the healthy rate of loss.

    Definitely nothing to be disappointed by.

    Question: Did it take you a month to gain that weight? Also, how are you measuring your caloric intake?

    I was close to 300lbs when I started a couple of years ago. 175lbs now. It's not a race. Change your outlook and you'll relax.

    Yeah I definitely need to relax! Of course it took more than a month to gain the weight :) I'm measuring mostly by scanning bar codes of the frozen "Health" meals I eat, and weighing ingredients when I cook. I'm pretty intense about adding every little calorie
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    Your diary is not open.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
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    What's the point? Why 18 pounds? Why by that date?

    You can't lose that much by the end of the month without several pounds being water weight (unless you cut off a foot or something). The weight would come back one you started eating and drinking again.
  • haleyray72
    haleyray72 Posts: 5 Member
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    Sorry! Didn't realize it was on friends only. Now it's public :)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Is there going to be an event on April 30th that requires a weigh in that you have to be 18 lbs lighter for?

    I think you should probably reevaluate your goals and expectations. Also, understand that weight loss isn't linear and the fact that weight loss WILL slow as you lose weight and get closer to goal.
  • ScoobaChick
    ScoobaChick Posts: 184 Member
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    Unless you are willing to chop off a limb or part of it I don't think it is possible. Even if it were mathematically possible you would be in so much pain you would end up in the hospital in any case.

    You have made great progress. Yes we all want to see results quickly to reward all our efforts but you didn't put on this weight all at once and so it won't come off all at once.

    Keep your eyes on the prize and keep doing what you are doing. Like we always say it's a marathon not a sprint!
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
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    The best way to get there at a steady rate is to follow the plan. I see a lot of incomplete entries unless you are really just eating a funnel cake and a blizzard. Pre-logging your foods may be a better way to plan for the next day and focus on filling but healthier foods.

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