Losing 30 pounds in 3 months?

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Replies

  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    Hoyasfan459 wrote: »
    Know your body and speak with your doctor regularly. Everyone is different and there is no steadfast rule that applies to everyone. At the beginning of March, I weighed 355. My doctor said that my A1C was high and suggested putting me on diabetes medication and I suggested that we wait three months to see what I can do own my own through diet and exercise. I now weigh 298. I have averaged about 5 lbs a week and feel fine.

    I would recommend that since you speak with your doctor regularly, you check with him about your rate (hopefully you already have). At 355 when you started, 5 pounds per week could be fine, especially since early loss is probably more fluid. I'm not going to tell you that your rate is bad or unhealthy, only that it might be. And your doctor may have a very good reason for allowing you to be so aggressive. The caution I would recommend is that you probably don't want to just "know your body" because the potential side effects of an overly aggressive loss rate (not saying that yours is) won't show themselves until later.

    So be careful with that.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    moonstroller wrote: »
    tomteboda wrote: »
    moonstroller wrote: »
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    DamieBird wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    If you want to lose a lot of muscle, sure

    ^^^^^
    What Malibu said. 210 to 180 isn't a (relatively) lot to lose. 10lbs/month is dangerously aggressive weight loss that will likely bounce right back after the 3 months are over, and then you'll be back to trying all over again. It'd be easier and take less time if you lost at a more reasonable rate (1% of body weight-ish) to start with.

    Agreed-and just so we're clear, in case you're thinking you're cool with the muscle loss, please be aware that your heart is a muscle.

    Are you actually saying that the human body will consume its own heart to keep the body fat?

    Actually, yes, it will. But not "to keep body fat." It is a matter of being unable to synthesize protein to repair tissue fast enough under high caloric stress situations.

    Nope, you're wrong. The body will not destroy vital organ tissue first. Obese people on a highly restricted diet saw less than 25% loss of muscle, none in vital organs, and people who performed resistance training saw no muscle loss at all. Instead of the body destroying vital tissue to rebuild muscles being worked, it will simply delay or slow the repair of those worked muscle groups so that recovery takes longer.

    What she said. ^
    The heart is a muscular organ. Anorexics, who experience long term, severe calorie and protein restriction can eventually experience heart failure, but consuming 1200 calories for a few months, especially if it's protein rich, nutritious food, is not a problem. And certainly not anything to instill fear of your body consuming the heart for energy. Lol
  • Muana1005
    Muana1005 Posts: 172 Member
    You'll end up saggy with loose skin if you lose weight that fast. It needs to be relatively slow and must include weightbearing exercise otherwise you'll just end up looking worse (lots of loose excess skin is a far worse look than firmly overweight).
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    Muana1005 wrote: »
    You'll end up saggy with loose skin if you lose weight that fast. It needs to be relatively slow and must include weightbearing exercise otherwise you'll just end up looking worse (lots of loose excess skin is a far worse look than firmly overweight).

    Please explain how losing weight slowly will make someone's skin more elastic. Or provide a medically proven link.
    Skin elasticity is genetic, and is not determined by how quickly or slowly someone loses. This is a myth.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited May 2017
    gabriellejayde wrote: »
    Muana1005 wrote: »
    You'll end up saggy with loose skin if you lose weight that fast. It needs to be relatively slow and must include weightbearing exercise otherwise you'll just end up looking worse (lots of loose excess skin is a far worse look than firmly overweight).

    Please explain how losing weight slowly will make someone's skin more elastic. Or provide a medically proven link.
    Skin elasticity is genetic, and is not determined by how quickly or slowly someone loses. This is a myth.

    You've countered an assertion and asked for explanation, while making an assertion yourself - without explanation (by calling it a myth).

    For the benefit of readers like me, who are not sure about either claim, maybe you can offer why it's a myth...

    I would also ask the same question you asked of @Muana1005.
  • JZygmunt72
    JZygmunt72 Posts: 262 Member
    edited May 2017
    I am a 5'5 20 year old female. I started at 211 pounds, as per 2 days ago, I was 184, my weight loss started pretty much Feb 21 and 3 months later ive built muscle and lost 27 lbs . it is possible. I will say I have been gyming for 3 hours a day as much as i can and my job is pretty active. my heart has been getting more strong, as ive been tracking it with my fitbit this whole journey, things like my resting heart rate , would be 65-70 and now its 58- 61. when running, my heart was pounding at my high weigh, my heart was pounding at 188-190 and now its 179 when i run at max peak
  • moonstroller
    moonstroller Posts: 210 Member
    Silentpadna wrote: »
    gabriellejayde wrote: »
    Muana1005 wrote: »
    You'll end up saggy with loose skin if you lose weight that fast. It needs to be relatively slow and must include weightbearing exercise otherwise you'll just end up looking worse (lots of loose excess skin is a far worse look than firmly overweight).

    Please explain how losing weight slowly will make someone's skin more elastic. Or provide a medically proven link.
    Skin elasticity is genetic, and is not determined by how quickly or slowly someone loses. This is a myth.

    You've countered an assertion and asked for explanation, while making an assertion yourself - without explanation (by calling it a myth).

    For the benefit of readers like me, who are not sure about either claim, maybe you can offer why it's a myth...

    I would also ask the same question you asked of @Muana1005.

    Saggy skin can be caused by rapid weight loss because skin cannot respond and tighten as quickly as the fat is being lost, however skin can recover over time, but it can take up to two years. It's not that losing weight slowly gives the skin more elasticity, it merely gives skin time to adjust to a smaller amount of body to cover. Even losing weight slowly won't necessarily prevent saggy skin if the amount of fat being lost is large.

    Major factors regarding skin elasticity are genetics, age, diet, sun exposure, smoking, how far and for how long was the skin stretched. How much weight is being lost appears to be the #1 factor. Someone who is losing 50 pounds doesn't have to worry as much about saggy skin as someone losing 250 pounds. It doesn't matter how slowly you lose the weight, if you're going from 320 pounds to 160 pounds you're going to have a lot of excess skin remaining.

    If the amount of saggy skin is minimal it can be taken care of through weight training to build and tone the underlying muscles, or through a dermatologist. In extreme cases, like morbidly obese people who've had gastric bypass surgery, the excess skin needs to be surgically removed.
  • Cyndiaquino
    Cyndiaquino Posts: 72 Member
    I was 212 when I started, I lost 72lbs in 1 year, that averages to 6 lbs a month. I only aimed to lose 1lb per week. I didn't exercise. I think 10 lbs a month is too aggressive. You will put your body through starvation that maybe you can handle , but it might come back to bite you. Some people create bad habits or eating disorders. It's a very fine line. I wish you luck. Btw, I didn't read previous comments, if this was already stated, I'm sorry.
  • jilleebee77
    jilleebee77 Posts: 329 Member
    edited May 2017
    I am at my 3 month mark. I have lost 30lbs in the 3 months, I even had weeks where I gained! I am 5'2" and started at 246lb. I have my MFP set at losing 1.5 lb a week. I eat my 1410 calories I am allotted and sometimes more (some days 2100 calories). I have been doing cardio and toning the entire time and feel I am getting stronger. I understand the theory/science behind it all, the muscle loss stuff, however I am considered "morbidly obese" and work a sedentary desk job. I'm not here to argue science, statistics, or be subject to ridicule for doing so.

    My intentions on here are to become more healthy/fit and losing weight happens to be a plus side to that. I work out/exercise 4-5 days a week, 30 min minimum. I am not starving myself nor depriving myself by ANY means at all. I have enjoyed wine, chocolate, and what not during this 3 months. I have made MANY changes to my habits, and have learned a lot from this. I am far from perfect, but it is attainable. It is a learning process for the rest of your life. There will be ups and downs.

    I am happy with where I am at, and the direction I am heading. I am also proud of what I have accomplished. Set your goal and do the work. I agree, even if you fall short a little and need a little more time, you still may be VERY happy with the changes that have occurred in the process.
  • startylight88
    startylight88 Posts: 6 Member
    Has anyone tried topomax or phentermine for weight loss before ?
  • jilleebee77
    jilleebee77 Posts: 329 Member
    startylight88 wrote: »
    Has anyone tried topomax or phentermine for weight loss before ?

    the side effects alone would be the reason I would NOT take a medication I DO NOT need in order to lose weight. The list for both meds are LONG and ridiculous!

    There is no real "quick fix". You need to put in the work. Even if you were to get some type of weight loss surgery, you still need to put in the work both physically and mentally.

  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited May 2017
    You can safely and preserve most -if not all- of your muscle mass while properly dieting IF you are performing heavy weight training and are also getting enough protein in your diet. Heavy in this context is around 5RM.
    Since many people are adverse to weight training, don't eat enough protein, and would rather do cardio they often lose muscle mass while "dieting".

    The odds are you are currently getting less than 1/2 of the protein you would need for weight training (based on national averages) and that you don't even know any of the recommended barbell compound lifts.

    So if you dedicate your time to learning what you need to do and doing all of it, you might have time to come close to your goal but I don't know if you will make the number you are aiming for.
    It depends on how hard you work more than anything.

    That being said, you will likely be shocked and pleased with what you can do in 3 months (12 weeks) if you put in sufficient effort into an effective routine.

    No, lifting heavy weights will not make you "bulky". It will make you look thinner, leaner, stronger and sexier than ever.
    I'm a guy and most guys agree on many of the attributes they find truly sexy when it comes to a woman's physique.
    If you are in doubt, consider what the scantily-clad women in magazines like Maxim, Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, etc. look like and why they are airbrushed to look that way.
    I am not saying you need to aspire to that or base your body image on it, but that using the fear of getting "bulky" as an excuse to not lift weights is BS.

    @jilleebee77 is correct. People often want to take Rx because they are looking for shortcuts; they don't want to make the necessary lifestyle changes or do the necessary work.
    They risk serious, potentially deadly side-effects as a result.
  • GingersnapMI
    GingersnapMI Posts: 8 Member
    startylight88 wrote: »
    Has anyone tried topomax or phentermine for weight loss before ?

    You will find much animosity toward prescription weight loss drugs on these boards, but you must do what works for you. You and your doctor are well capable of making an informed decision. Be sure to discuss the possible side effects. ALL medications can have nasty side effects... sometimes it's a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils: a lifetime of obesity because you've been unable to make any significant progress without pharmaceutical help, or the possibility of some significant medication side effects.

    I am currently using phentermine. After much discussion with my doctor, we decided to give it a go. Luckily, I am a person that tolerates just about any medication well, I have no history of significant side effects from any med. My doctor is willing to prescribe it TEMPORARILY and I have to call him every month to report my weight and blood pressure. I found that taking it daily caused constipation and now dose myself as follows- day one: whole pill, days two and three: half pill... and repeat that pattern. This, combined with 1/2 scoop Miralax daily, is working well. (I tried Benefiber first but it didn't do a thing.) This pattern is curbing my hunger just enough to make it manageable. No problems with my blood pressure... in fact, it's gone DOWN recently and I've been able to successfully reduce my lisinopril from 20mg to 10mg. :smile: I've lost 41 pounds since December 2016.
  • xchocolategirl
    xchocolategirl Posts: 186 Member
    I don't understand why anyone would want to lose 10 pounds a month. Please follow the recommendation provided to you of 2 pounds instead. Good luck!!

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