How long did it take?

galabrielle98
galabrielle98 Posts: 507 Member
edited December 1 in Success Stories
I have been on mfp for a year now and have successfully lost 30lbs, going from 174 to 144. I felt confident with my progress until I saw some people who weighed the same as me and lost twice as much in year. Even one of my friends only recently started and she already lost as much as me.
My question is: how long did it take you? I'm just trying to see what is a common pattern and if I should consider a change of pace. I'm 5'3 and not on a special diet with 6 days of exercise a week. I've heard that paleo diets and vegan diets seem to work but I'm hesitant to try them. :wink: :smile:
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Replies

  • Cindy01Louisiana
    Cindy01Louisiana Posts: 302 Member
    I agree! I think 30 pounds in a year is fantastic! Way to go!!
  • sdbernier
    sdbernier Posts: 36 Member
    I am 5'1 and I have lost 13 pounds since January 17th. I get discouraged when I see people who have lost more than me in the same amount of time, but then I realize that we are all different. I recently took measurements and noticed that I lost 3.5 inches in my waist so that made me feel much better for the relatively small loss.
  • tdeaux
    tdeaux Posts: 36 Member
    I highly recommend taking measurements and progress photos. The number on the scale doesn't reflect the changes in your body (and mind!) overall. You might be shocked to see the difference. 30 lbs is some wonderful progress!
  • samgamgee
    samgamgee Posts: 398 Member
    31 lbs in 14 months (well, maintaining over December), from 160 to 129. I'm 5'3" too :) slow and steady can be a bit exasperating sometimes but it all adds up! I've got 9 lbs left to go and it'll probably take me another 4 months.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You need to understand that people who have a lot more to lose can and will lose at a faster rate...the leaner you are, the slower it should go. Also keep in mind that fast weight loss also leads to loss of more muscle mass...so these folks don't quite end up with the bodies they envisioned because they've lost so much muscle.

    It took me about 9 months to lose about 40 Lbs.
  • celadontea
    celadontea Posts: 335 Member
    It seems like what you are doing is working wonderfully to you. The grass may seem green but vegan vs paleo are likely both drastic changes from your lifestyle (that's working great for steady weight loss), and the thing is they are almost opposite from each other when it comes to macro nutrients (high carb vs high protein). If one of them appeals to you, I would do research. The internet isn't the best place for research and you are going to find many testimonials in favor of any lifestyle or diet fad on the first searches.
  • Simplifi
    Simplifi Posts: 128 Member
    edited May 2016
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Keep in mind, the heavier you are the quicker weight comes off. When you don't have much to lose, things slow down and if you try to push it to see the scale move faster you risk losing lbm (muscle/organs/ect) as well as fat.

    It's taken me 4 years to get to where I am now.
    2012: Started at 260 lbs made it down to 200 lbs in less than 6 months...maintained until holidays...gained 20 back
    2013: started using MFP in March....made it down to 170 lbs by September...found out I was pregnant in September
    2014: gained 40 lbs during pregnancy, pregnancy ended at the end of May...was around 160 lbs on Dec 31st
    2015: went from 160 to 123 lbs
    2016: got down to a trend of 121.7 lbs and switched to recomposition at the end of April


    Everyone has different obstacles/starting points/etc. Do what's best for you and don't feel bad if your not losing as fast as someone else.

    Great work...
  • ericatoday
    ericatoday Posts: 454 Member
    Everyones body is different. Its taken me 7 months to lose 31lbs i went from 175 to 144. Im 10lbs away from my goal and i probably wont be there for awhile. Its not about a change of diets unless you want to change your lifestyle. Obviously keep doing the calorie cut for mfp and dont eat back all those exercise calories. But just keep at it it will slowly go down. The healthier you are the harder it is to lose. I lost my first 20lbs in december so its been 5 months with only 10lbs down. Keep at it girl you got this.
  • lovecraftiana
    lovecraftiana Posts: 16 Member
    From my own experience - my weight loss slows down when I drink more coffee, eat bread,plenty of sweets and walk little. Going on walk and keeping coffee intake reasonable really helped me to see scales moving. I was 143.3lb in December,2015, now 124.8lb, I am 5.6 tall. I think observing own body really helps. Good luck and keep doing great work!
  • ralostaz2000
    ralostaz2000 Posts: 135 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Keep in mind, the heavier you are the quicker weight comes off. When you don't have much to lose, things slow down and if you try to push it to see the scale move faster you risk losing lbm (muscle/organs/ect) as well as fat.

    It's taken me 4 years to get to where I am now.
    2012: Started at 260 lbs made it down to 200 lbs in less than 6 months...maintained until holidays...gained 20 back
    2013: started using MFP in March....made it down to 170 lbs by September...found out I was pregnant in September
    2014: gained 40 lbs during pregnancy, pregnancy ended at the end of May...was around 160 lbs on Dec 31st
    2015: went from 160 to 123 lbs
    2016: got down to a trend of 121.7 lbs and switched to recomposition at the end of April


    Everyone has different obstacles/starting points/etc. Do what's best for you and don't feel bad if your not losing as fast as someone else.
    you are a fighter for not giving up ur goal...121 lbs is a fantastic weight to acheive...how long did it take u to lose pregnancy weight?

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Everyone is different, with different starting points & goals, different abilities, and different levels of willingness about how restrictive calorie-wise they want to be. You are successful, so just keep it going. It's obviously working for you.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    My vote -- keep doing what you're doing. 30 pounds is awesome and I'm sure you've learned some great habits along the way.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    ralostaz2000 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    Keep in mind, the heavier you are the quicker weight comes off. When you don't have much to lose, things slow down and if you try to push it to see the scale move faster you risk losing lbm (muscle/organs/ect) as well as fat.

    It's taken me 4 years to get to where I am now.
    2012: Started at 260 lbs made it down to 200 lbs in less than 6 months...maintained until holidays...gained 20 back
    2013: started using MFP in March....made it down to 170 lbs by September...found out I was pregnant in September
    2014: gained 40 lbs during pregnancy, pregnancy ended at the end of May...was around 160 lbs on Dec 31st
    2015: went from 160 to 123 lbs
    2016: got down to a trend of 121.7 lbs and switched to recomposition at the end of April


    Everyone has different obstacles/starting points/etc. Do what's best for you and don't feel bad if your not losing as fast as someone else.
    you are a fighter for not giving up ur goal...121 lbs is a fantastic weight to acheive...how long did it take u to lose pregnancy weight?

    I typically tell people 6 to 7 months...but I just looked back through my weight logs and it was 5 months 22 days from the day I had my son (c-section) to the day my trend weight was back to my pre-pregnancy weight (scale weight hit a bit earlier than that).
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    If what you're doing now is sustainable then keep at it. You don't need a fad diet. You're doing very well!!
  • Mersie1
    Mersie1 Posts: 329 Member
    Truly don't compare. Compare yourself only to the ones who have maintained over many years. I was one that people would compare themselves to. I got to a weight, look that everyone said they wanted. I can tell I have "gotten" to that place many many many times. Get where I'm going w this? Even if I "maintained" it for a year- two years- maybe 5 years. I hope to have decades and decades ahead of me. The process of up and down is so damaging emotionally and physically where you are right now is great. Where you want to get to may be great, but you may really not want someone else's way of getting there!!! Keep feeling good!!!
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    Lost 5 pounds a month for about the first 6 months and then lost the next 15 over the next 6 months and then it took about 8 months to lose the last 10. The less you have to lose, the slower it goes, but that's okay.
  • gianna42
    gianna42 Posts: 5,991 Member
    I can't answer your question because I just rejoined here, but I think that you're doing a terrific job!
    Unless you want to eat paleo or vegan forever (and some do), I wouldn't switch just to lose at a faster rate. There's no race or competition, and if you can steadily average over 0.5 pounds a week for a year, I would continue doing what seems to be working for you. Keep it up!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
    I could have written this post! Ha! OP, I feel the same. I am proud of my progress so far, but 9 weeks in I am only 9 lbs down. I had a friend just lose 21 lbs in 28 days. I got so discouraged because I have been fighting so hard and it just wants to stick. But I will not give up! And I won't starve myself because I am breastfeeding as well so if iterates a little while, then so be it.
    5'8"
    SW 170
    CW 160.8
    GW 144
  • ParkingPeddler
    ParkingPeddler Posts: 71 Member
    I think it ends about a minute after my last breath on this earth. Genetics, and a proclivity for binge eating will require my persistence.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    It took me a year to lose 20 lbs. I was breastfeeding and didn't want to lose too quickly because toxins are stored in fat cells and can go into your milk. I ate about 2,000 calories with exercise. Now that my son is basically weaned I'm eating about 1200-1400 calories and losing much faster. I won't be eating this low for long as I want to get back to lifting, but I gained a bit when I was trying to heal my gut so I want to lose a bit quickly.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    ParkingPeddler wrote: »
    I think it ends about a minute after my last breath on this earth. Genetics, and a proclivity for binge eating will require my persistence.

    Yeah, that's what I would say, too. I can tell from how I eat on the few special occasions where I don't plan my meals that planning my meals cannot be anything other than a lifelong need.

    Reaching my goal isn't the end, it's the beginning of the next phase.
  • AliceAxe
    AliceAxe Posts: 172 Member
    dont feel too bad, count your blessing, it sounds like you are doing ok, even if it is slow which is frustrating.

    Ive been trying to lose weight for well over a year and only lost about 10 lbs . I cut calories and increase exersise adn it will go down a few pounds then right back up. over and over. Im eating less and hopefully healthier, and killing myself exersizing to my limits, it seems like for nothing if I am almost the smae weight as when I started and was scarfing down whatever I wnate dnad being sedintary. . I certianly dont look or feel any better thats for sure. infact Im sore all the time hungry all the time and exausted. very frustrating. not sure when I am going to see a turning point and dont know why I havent given up yet. guess I just want it that bad.
  • becalee26
    becalee26 Posts: 185 Member
    Sometimes slower is better. You might be able to keep off and your friends won't. I am hoping for a 30 lb loss for my one year in July.
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
    I've been working at it for about 3 years. I'm 58 years old, 5'6" with a starting weight of 250+. My current weight is 158ish. I'm struggling to lose another 5 or so. I'll get there, I'm in no rush.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    5'5"....started at 236. It took me 16months to lose ~75#.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    OP I have similar stats. Started here at 5'4" and 163 and I think it took me about 10 months to lose about 30 lbs. It's different when you have more to lose. There's usually a big water weight drop and you can sustain a 2lb per week loss for a longer period of time.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    what you are doing is working for you. Keep at it. Don't compare yourself to others. Celebrate your success. 30 lbs in a year is great progress.
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