Lose 20 lbs by Sept 2016

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Replies

  • saransaran
    saransaran Posts: 30 Member
    "Be stubborn about your goals, but flexible with your methods"

    Julia -

    I love the quote and I think it is excellent advice. I am down one pound this week so I am a happy camper.

    I have given up watching shows like the biggest loser and extreme weight loss. Reality TV is not reality. The contestants may lose weight at that pace for a limited time and in a special environment but many have reported regaining the weight when they return home. In the end we each need to find our own way.
  • reospw
    reospw Posts: 7 Member
    What a super challenge, sensible amount of weight to lose and achievable. At the moment I am vegan in the week and vegetarian at the weekend so I am focussing on using vegetables more and filling myself with the good stuff. I'm finding that it is working for me at the moment as it has stopped my sugar cravings and also very simple to say no to cakes brought into work due to how I am eating at the moment. Let's do this!
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    saransaran wrote: »

    I have given up watching shows like the biggest loser and extreme weight loss. Reality TV is not reality. The contestants may lose weight at that pace for a limited time and in a special environment but many have reported regaining the weight when they return home. In the end we each need to find our own way.

    Just this week was a news piece about that very thing... Biggest Loser follow-ups. Turns out all that extremeness only botched up their metabolisms and they were victim to uncontrollable gain-back. There simply are no quick fixes... but there ARE proper fixes. This group is on the right, proper path, woo hoo!!!
  • Jamidi
    Jamidi Posts: 233 Member
    I lost a pound - YAY!! I had plateaued for about two weeks. Started lifting weights so maybe that was the difference. I'm not up to anything heavy weight but I LOVE strength training.
  • ewunia99
    ewunia99 Posts: 121 Member
    Hey all... I'm checking in. Heading into the weekend, I'm feeling pretty frustrated. I have been sticking to my calorie goal (not perfectly but generally pretty well).. I'm feeling frustrated because basically it has been four weeks and I haven't seen a change on the scale. I'm really at the start of my loss goal, so it is frustrating to see such a lack of change. I'm wondering about maybe trying to do high fat low carb for a week or two to see if it causes any changes in my body. I just really, really want to see a change and I'm bummed that for all this hard work, nothing is happening!

  • typeitdaily
    typeitdaily Posts: 3,322 Member
    SW: 254.2 - never again!
    CW: 251
    GW: 140
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    @ewunia99, I can feel your frustration all over your post today. :-(
    I made several changes at once a few weeks ago, so I can't say if any one change is working, or if it's a combination of them all. BUT... something that is new for me, and I'm convinced it's helping, is water. Water, water, water. I'll down 8 - 10 cups per day.
    Please consider trying something like this first before trying less-than-balanced meal plans. High fat, low carbs or high protein low fat type plans WILL nudge your weight loss... but they're really tough to sustain over the long run, y'know?
    I don't mean to lecture, I hope I'm not coming off like that. Our health journeys are our own unique experiences, there's no one single approach. I just urge you to try to keep yours, well, healthy!
  • ewunia99
    ewunia99 Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks for the post, @julia123xyzabc definitely appreciate the concern and advice :) water is one thing I get a lot of... I drink at least 90 oz every day. I think a big part of my not losing is I have a chained-to-the-desk type job, and also I do have hypothyroidism, even tho I'm taking meds to regulate it. I agree it might not be sustainable long term... I'm just not quite sure what else to do... But I guess I could try 2x work out every day? I don't think that's sustainable either really ... What a conundrum!
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    Ewunia, I totally understand. A little progress can be sooooooo motivating... and a long plateau can be soooo deflating. Damn that thyroid and that friggin' desk job!! ;-) Stay the course, girl, you can do it!!!
    (90 oz water per day? Holy ... uh ... mackerel!)
  • ewunia99
    ewunia99 Posts: 121 Member
    Haha, yea I love water and I pretty much only drink water and no other beverages... In one way the desk job helps! I just keep a big pitcher next to me and drink all day long :) thanks for your encouragement :)
  • sanamm22
    sanamm22 Posts: 35 Member
    Thz wk almost no weight lose :(
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    SW = 172.75 lb.
    CW = 170.75
    GW = 150.0

    Loss this week = 0.75 lb. Going in the right direction. Slow and steady wins the race. Every ounce counts. ~sigh~
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    sanamm22 wrote: »
    Thz wk almost no weight lose :(

    It's the "almost" that makes the difference, Sanamm. You weigh less this week than last week; good job!!!!
  • ljdw99
    ljdw99 Posts: 360 Member
    I'd like to join the group I think the goal is a good one that's achievable!
    I'm 5'11"
    SW as of 5/1 230.5
    CW 228
    GW 9/1 210.5
    Ultimate Goal 175

    GLo North Shore Ma.
  • serafina57
    serafina57 Posts: 37 Member
    Feeling discouraged. I haven't even lost an ounce yet since I started this challenge. I'm tracking everything, imcreasing exercise and nothing!! :/
  • ljdw99
    ljdw99 Posts: 360 Member
    Wow I would too! I'm reading that drinking 8 glasses of water a day is supposed to help with weight loss. Are you using a scale to weigh all food so you're not eating more than you think? Are you tracking sodium...that was huge for me. I had no idea of how much is in some foods until I joined MFP! Also my husband & I eat out a lot & boy have I learned about hidden calories that I was eating with no thought. Lastly are eating too few calories? Believe it or not you need to eat to lose...for me l lose more on 1200-1300 cal than on 1000 because my body doesn't go into starvation mode. Also my rule for me is I dont drink my calories...even healthy smoothies...maybe after I get to my goal but I have more control chewing. Also working on not being obsessed with the scale only getting weighed once a week. I'm in another forum where some weigh only monthly & some who just go by how clothes are fitting...don't think that method would work for me.
    Hang in there!

    GLo
  • Nixonlove
    Nixonlove Posts: 4 Member
    I'm in! Need to lose 36lbs!!!
  • medicablasto
    medicablasto Posts: 37 Member
    SW: 156
    GW: 146

    01/05/2016 = 156
    09/05/2016= 156.8

    +/- weigh= +0.8 lb

    Apparenly I did awful this week... Gain some weigh but I feel so much better. I´ve been doing some weigh lifting so I hope is the muscle there and no fat gaining :/
  • ewunia99
    ewunia99 Posts: 121 Member
    serafina57 wrote: »
    Feeling discouraged. I haven't even lost an ounce yet since I started this challenge. I'm tracking everything, imcreasing exercise and nothing!! :/

    @serafina57 I totally get it!! I'm also not losing, which stinks! As someone said to me... we just gotta keep at it. Every healthy thing we are doing is going to make a better, healthier body... I know, I know, people say the same to me. It stinks that the number on the scale isn't budging, but I guess we have to have faith that if we keep it up, eventually the number on the scale will move!

    In my case, I have lost and gained and lost and gained the same 20lbs... each time it gets harder. I am trying to do things a little bit differently lately,,, trying to eat a little more and trying to get more weight training in overall.

    Just don't give up! :)
  • serafina57
    serafina57 Posts: 37 Member
    I have the same problem with carbs. I am a celiac so I don't eat much processed foods ever. I was told recently I have arteriosclerosis in my abdomen. They found it from a unrelated CT scan. So eating cholesterol right now seems like a bad idea. I'm eating 3 oz of chicken breast every dinner. Even with all the new science on inflammation (I eat a mostly anti-inflammatory diet) being the real culprit in heart disease, it still concerns me. Information overload!
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    Hi everybody. In an effort to stop self-sabotage, I am not going to weigh myself every day and I am upping my calories by 500 per day. 1200 is just too low for this old girl. I feel too much frustration with normal, daily weight fluctuations, even though I know they are normal, I still obsess and let a small uptick absolutely ruin my day.
    I jusy wanted to share 'cuz frankly I'm a little upset and discouraged and maybe fishing for some emotional support. Okay, not "maybe". Definitely.
  • ewunia99
    ewunia99 Posts: 121 Member
    @julia123xyzabc I definitely do not weigh myself every day, I really don't think that there is a point to it! soooo many factors go into daily weight fluctuations (salt, bathroom visits, TOM, water, etc) and it has nothing to do with the work you do to get healthier... it only makes you feel frustrated and demotivated.. just not worth it! I stick to weighing myself once or twice a week, tops. Always at the same time of day, without eating or drinking anything before, and no clothes (gotta get those extra ounces ;) doing it at the same time of day makes it seem more obvious if there is a change. About 1200 calories... I think many people would say that there are only a small percentage of people that do well with such a low goal. For most of us, it just isn't enough food. I don't know what your exercise schedule is like but if you are moving at all, I just don't feel like it would be enough food, so do not feel badly about eating more! Enjoy it :smile:

    I have some good news -- I myself upped up my calorie goal and this morning was the first week in FOUR WEEKS that I finally had a loss. So it seems to be doing better with me :blush: Hoping the bigger calorie goal works well for you :) keep it up!
  • joannemonette1
    joannemonette1 Posts: 99 Member
    edited May 2016
    I have a bad habit of weighing myself everyday - but it's at the same time, same environment, etc, to make sure it's not including other factors -- I do it just to see if/what/how the prior day's exercise workout and diet is going along. It's natural for it to go up and down, of course - I just don't want to miss anything when it goes down :smiley:

    It keeps me going when I see progress - and I'm so thankful for the tools that are available to help keep us on track, realistic, committed and focused. I love the community boards - good support system for each other.
  • joannemonette1
    joannemonette1 Posts: 99 Member
    192 -- SW (2/29/2016)
    167 -- CW
    129 -- GW (hopefully by Sept/Oct)
  • julia123xyzabc
    julia123xyzabc Posts: 23 Member
    Thank you @Ewunia99. Weekly weigh-in for me. Yup. I will enjoy the extra calories, no doubt! Congrats on the nudge off your plateau! How great is THAT?!!!!

    And @joannemonette1, I envy your ability to celebrate the dips in fluctuation and not obsess over the peaks. That is something for me to strive for. And looking at your SW, CW, GW, you are doing FANTASTICALLY!

    I talk a good talk about moderation and acceptance and patience... but sometimes I'm a little hard to take! :-)

    Have a good evening, ladies! Thank you for your support. Thanks EVERYBODY!
  • sanamm22
    sanamm22 Posts: 35 Member
    I have a bad habit of weighing myself everyday - but it's at the same time, same environment, etc, to make sure it's not including other factors -- I do it just to see if/what/how the prior day's exercise workout and diet is going along. It's natural for it to go up and down, of course - I just don't want to miss anything when it goes down :smiley:

    It keeps me going when I see progress - and I'm so thankful for the tools that are available to help keep us on track, realistic, committed and focused. I love the community boards - good support system for each other.

    Loll its my habit too.nd cant help that :)
    But I think thts gud
  • imaginaryjewel5
    imaginaryjewel5 Posts: 9 Member
    Hope i can join in!

    SW 172
    GW 150 by September (140 eventually)

    We got a puppy recently so I have been walking her twice a day. My goal is to go back to logging consistently, calorie goal 1600. I hope to also come up with exercise I enjoy and can keep up. I hate going to the gym (treadmill and elliptical meh) and want to look for something else to keep me active.
  • ljdw99
    ljdw99 Posts: 360 Member
    <3
  • Viggyfuss
    Viggyfuss Posts: 20 Member
    is it too late to join?
  • BritPort1
    BritPort1 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi, I'm in!
    I'm 44 and weigh 170lbs. This is the heaviest I've been and everything has started wobbling! I struggle with being greedy with both food and drink. I'd love to be able to lose 20lbs by September and think it's a reasonable and attainable goal. Let's do this!
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