Why I'm here. (Warning it gets a Little sad)

maybe1pe wrote: »

everher wrote: »

cqbkaju wrote: »

2 lbs a week is unrealistic and unhealthy in the long-term.
You need to be training properly and hope for about 1 pound a week.
Any more than that and you will be setting yourself up for disappointment.
You might lose 1.5 or 2 pounds a week and first but that will soon end.

You need to focus on weight training instead of cardio if you want to lose "weight" and hope to keep it off.
In reality you should be thinking in terms of losing fat and adding muscle instead.
That means your weight might not change sometimes but your waist size might.

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is how many calories you burn just by being alive.
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is how many calories you burn with exercise and the like.

Weight lifting will also help to prevent osteoporosis and increase bone density which is a frequent problem with women.
Don't worry about getting "bulky". It will not (can not) happen.
The more muscle you have the higher your BMR, so it is easier to keep the weigh off.
Cardio might burn muscle which can make it harder to keep weight off.

Make sure you are getting at least 80 grams of protein per dayin your diet.
You probably aren't getting much more than 1/2 of that.
About 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight would be better once you start training properly.

Cardio should be after weight training or on days that you do not lift, for now.

This site explains what you need to do and have access to: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Start by reading to educate yourself.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

For what it is worth, the book Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body will teach you more about effective training, nutrition and diet than many people here even pretend to know.

You can do it if you want to bad enough.
Crying and feeling sorry for yourself is in the past.
Start imaging yourself 2 or 3 years from now and keep working towards that goal.
It is all about discipline and dedication. No one can do this for you.
You have to want it bad enough to make sacrifices every day.

Log your food more accurately and open up your food diary if you want help.

I wouldn't worry about any of this OP. With so much to lose, you should be able to safely lose 2 lbs a week for the foreseeable future. Exercise isn't something I would worry myself about either or protein consumption, not at this point.

I would just make small changes and eventually all those small changes will add up.

I agree. I lost 50-60 lbs (100% through diet and tracking calories) before I even started working on my exercise or protein intake. I think down the road it's something to consider but just starting out. Just focus on making the small changes and tracking calories

cqbkaju wrote: »

maybe1pe wrote: »

I agree. I lost 50-60 lbs (100% through diet and tracking calories) before I even started working on my exercise or protein intake. I think down the road it's something to consider but just starting out. Just focus on making the small changes and tracking calories

I didn't say she would not lose weight doing that. I said she shouldn't do that if she wants to keep the weight off.
Health and fitness is more than just your "weight".

To keep the weight off, prevent muscle loss due to diet (not to mention sarcopenia) and help prevent osteoporosis she needs to be weight training.
This is especially true since she has given herself a "deadline".
A consistent weight training routine will make her look "smaller", even if her "weight" does not manage to move as much.

Small changes only "add up" if there are enough of them and they are mostly good ones.
I used to be a personal trainer back in the day and I still coach 3 days per week.
Feel free to take my advice and experience or leave it, as you wish.