Want to lose 30 lbs by end of Feb
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natashab61
Posts: 103 Member
Hi all,
I currently weigh 200 lbs and am 5 ft 4.75 in. Since December I have lost about 10 lbs but my progress seems slow. I first decided to try the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting. They helped but I am a sicker for sugar and carbs and not a big fan of fat. So I decided to switch into a calorie deficient diet. I aim to eat about 800 calories but usually am over it some days into the 1200 calories. I know in weight loss we have to be patient but when I don't see a change in my weight on the scale for 2 days in a row I feel discouraged. Do you guys think I am on the right path?
I currently weigh 200 lbs and am 5 ft 4.75 in. Since December I have lost about 10 lbs but my progress seems slow. I first decided to try the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting. They helped but I am a sicker for sugar and carbs and not a big fan of fat. So I decided to switch into a calorie deficient diet. I aim to eat about 800 calories but usually am over it some days into the 1200 calories. I know in weight loss we have to be patient but when I don't see a change in my weight on the scale for 2 days in a row I feel discouraged. Do you guys think I am on the right path?
2
Replies
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Ironically, you really aren't eating enough. 1200 calories should be the MINIMUM to consume. Any less and your body won't have energy for basic function. Have you put your stats into this site to see what the calorie guidelines are? What do you do for exercise? Working out regularly will really help. Walking is a great place to start if you aren't doing anything currently. 30 pounds n=might be a little aggressive. I wouldn't recommend setting a goal that you might not be able to hit. Two pounds a week is a high-end recommendation. Best of luck.8
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No. Your diet plan is stupid and unhealthy.
Eat sensibly in a moderate deficit and be patient.1 -
No - you are not on the right path. 1. 30 pounds in that short a time frame is unrealistic. 2. 800 calories is definitely not enough; 1200 might not even be enough, given your current weight.10
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If you want to lose 30 pounds by the end of february, you should've started half a year ago. That's in 50 days, you won't be able to lose that fast in any healthy fashion.
800 calories is also way too low to fill your nutritional needs. Up your calories to something sensible, use a calculator to give you an idea of how many calories you need. At 200 pounds you could probably go for 1.5 - 2 pounds per week (instead of the pound every other day that you are aiming at).17 -
Expecting to see a weight loss every single day is incredibly unrealistic. YOu're going to get frustrated and wind up giving up.
Home scales are not capable of measuring the kind of fractions of a pound that you might lose in a day.
In addition, weight loss is not linear. It doesn't just tick down, down, down a few ounces at a time - it drops, goes up a bit, drops a bit more, goes up more than it dropped, goes down a bunch.... IT DOESN"T JUST DRAIN OUT OF YOU LIKE SAND FROM AN HOURGLASS.16 -
10lb since the start of December is not slow, it is the upper end of reasonable, even without the complication of Christmas.11
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Sorry I am new to this so in follow up why is going below 1200 calories considered unhealthy/bad?1
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http://www.bmrcalculator.org/
BMR is the amount of calories a person burns just living. For me it's about 1330. Just to live and breath. So anything less, especially drastically less doesn't give your body the energy it needs. Unless directed by a doctor, the best recommendation I have it to let this site direct you on a calorie goal.4 -
natashab61 wrote: »Sorry I am new to this so in follow up why is going below 1200 calories considered unhealthy/bad?
Your body needs certain minimums of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. The less calories you take in the harder it's going to be to meet those amounts. Too big of a deficit also increases the danger of lean mass loss which can become loss of organ tissue if you're going really low.6 -
Is it better to be consistent with the calories you eat each day or a moderate fluctuation ok?0
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I'd recommend staying fairly consistent. If you workout particularly hard in a day, you might want to add an extra snack, but overall MFP gives reasonable targets and if you're consistent with exercise and creating that calorie deficit, you should see results.2
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Anything that low calorie for an extended period really should be done at the direction of a physician. I think that particular diet is usually used for folks with diabetes.1
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800 is waaaaay to low. Please find a nutritionist in your area to talk to. They can help you set up a realistic goal and food plan.0
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natashab61 wrote: »Is it better to be consistent with the calories you eat each day or a moderate fluctuation ok?
Moderate fluctuations are fine. Many people look at the average over a week rather than strictly by day.6 -
Stella3838 wrote: »I'd recommend staying fairly consistent. If you workout particularly hard in a day, you might want to add an extra snack, but overall MFP gives reasonable targets and if you're consistent with exercise and creating that calorie deficit, you should see results.
With that said, some fluctuation is okay. Don't get discouraged if you go a little (or a lot) over one day, or if you're a little under one day.
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Stop with the fad diets - eat properly - vegetables, fruits, whole grains and YES your body "needs" carbs. Realistic loss is 1 lb per week. Speak to a nutritionist.. there are no magic pills, or potions... stop killing yourself.0
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Nope. Unsafe. Unsustainable. Is there anything anyone can say to make you rethink this?2
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Hello!
I think it's good to remember that we were probably all in the place that OP is at some point: impatient, discouraged, seeing so many people with results around us that we want. I think we can encourage and correct someone with empathy and gentleness, instead of calling something stupid when they truly might be ignorant (or maybe not). We don't intrinsically have all the right answers or do the right things.
OP - something that I struggled with (and still find myself doing) is comparing my success to others and trying to rush the process. What you're doing now is trying to speed yourself to 30 lbs weight loss, but it's not really laying a good groundwork for long-term success. It can even damage your body by not giving it enough nutrients, or your mental health by creating a need to survive on as little as possible.
What you need to be doing now is understand that you didn't put on 30 lbs in a month, or two months. The weight you put on was done over time, so it will take time to take it off. Time will continue no matter what you do, so why not set yourself up for lifetime success by eating at a deficit you can sustain and even enjoy? If you're wanting to go low-low cal, then 1200 a day would be sufficient. HOWEVER - this doesn't work for everyone and it doesn't mean you're failing if you need to adjust to 1300/1400, etc. I personally try to stick to 1500 a day, though I am 5'8.
Check out reddit's r/1200isplenty or r/loseit for some kind, helpful information from a very knowledgeable and supportive community.13 -
natashab61 wrote: »Sorry I am new to this so in follow up why is going below 1200 calories considered unhealthy/bad?
Nutritional minimums. You have macros - protein, fat, and carbs & micronutrients - vitamins and minerals. Very low calorie diets (are not for everyone) and should be medically supervised. A Dr. would prescribe special shakes, and supplements to get your daily requirements in.0
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