Can I lose 50 pounds in 5 months

mmiller3568
mmiller3568 Posts: 19 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I am 5’1 220 pounds. Is it possible for me to lose 50 pounds in 5 months?

Replies

  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Did you gain a quarter of your bodyweight in five months? As said above, possible, yes, healthy no, and you will probably gain it back with interest in a very short time....
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Maybe in theory, but it's neither healthy nor practically possible. Does this mean that you don't want to lose weight at all, or is it just an opening question? We can help you lose weight if you want that.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    Generally, it is not recommended to lose that quickly without medical supervision. You should not lose more than 8lbs / month - and I think that decreases once you have less than 50lbs to lose.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    That's pretty aggressive. Why the rush?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2018
    There is a whole host of reasons why you should not entertain the idea of losing this much in such a short period of time.

    Rethink, be realistic with your goal, but moreover make it sustainable so you do this healthy and stay healthy.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited January 2018
    Possible, I guess theoretically. But not likely or advisable. You might be able to lose 2 lbs per week in the very beginning, but you would want to slow down to 1.5 lbs per week after you get below 200, and probably more like 1 lb per week more often than not. As a shorter woman, your calories are going to be on the lower side anyway, and to lose at such an aggressive pace you would need to undereat and probably over exercise.

    I would say losing 20-30 lbs would be more realistic, and that range would assume everything going right. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to get your calories straight and for your body to start to cooperate. In general, it's best to not put a time frame on weight loss, as you don't have complete control over the number on the scale. But if you set your goal to lose 1 or 1.5 lbs per week, log accurately and consistently, and focus on strength training, you will look noticably better in 5 months, regardless of the number on the scale. I hope you choose to approach this in a healthy manner. Good luck!
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    Theoretically you could but your chance of long term success with keeping the weight off is pretty close to 0. It is much healthier and sustainable to use a slow and steady to reach the goal approach. Be the tortoise rather than the hare.
  • crazykatlady820
    crazykatlady820 Posts: 301 Member
    The time is going to pass anyway, so do it the right way even if it takes longer.
  • 0831227
    0831227 Posts: 84 Member
    Just like everyone said it is possible indeed, but I think you will be so fed up with it after 5 months of basically torturing yourself to lose so much so quickly that you'll probably snap and give up or hate it forever. :neutral: Maybe try to take it slower but see it more as a long-term journey that will eventually take you down 100 pounds in two years instead.
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 661 Member
    It also depends on your goal weight. If your end goal is 170 then you want to ease into the end of it so your body and mind get used to eating those maintenance calories.

    I prefer to not give a time frame. If you want to lose 50 pounds then take it slow, steady, and comfortable. If it takes you 7, 8, or even 12 months, then that's just more time you have to save up your money for new clothes.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    Theoretically you could but your chance of long term success with keeping the weight off is pretty close to 0. It is much healthier and sustainable to use a slow and steady to reach the goal approach. Be the tortoise rather than the hare.

    agreed.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    There is a whole host of reasons why you should not entertain the idea of losing this much in such a short period of time.

    Rethink, be realistic with your goal, but moreover make it sustainable so you do this healthy and stay healthy.

    +1 Aggressive weight loss tends to lead to losing more muscle than necessary and setting yourself up for regain if you don't know how to handle maintenance. I lost 46lbs in four and a half months but I had highly active lifestyle most of my life so I knew how to maintain afterwards and what my lifestyle post-diet would be like and was able to maintain over 90% of my muscle during the diet through a heavy lifting program. My view is if you have to ask about this type of weight loss rate then you shouldn't be attempting it because you don't understand the requirements to maintain.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited January 2018
    This content has been removed.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Aiming for 25lbs (5lbs per month) would be much more doable. Then you'll be pleasantly surprised if you do end up losing more. :)
  • stergios87
    stergios87 Posts: 3 Member
    If you want it. You can do it. Is it the healthiest thing to do? No. But sure is healthier than being 220lb and there are choices to take care of the sideaffects (muscle loss, mood swings, lack of energy etc) Short term dieting is likely to cause you to overeat as you reach your goal but as a long time dieter I can assure you. Change your eating habits for a whole year and it will get on your nerves too as well.
    If there is a purpose behind this, and it is important for you yes, you can endure the hunger and the moodswings and the energy levels. If its just because you are in a haste then its really not worth it.
  • Fitnessmom82
    Fitnessmom82 Posts: 376 Member
    I was able to do it, but I had a lot to lose. I followed a strict diet plan and worked out 6 days a week. I'm still losing now but it's slowing as I reach a healthy weight. I know a lot of people say it's hard and not sustainable but I did not find that to be the case. I enjoy my new active lifestyle and healthy eating choices. It may be different for you. It was of course hard at first, to break the old bad habits. Just stay in a calorie deficit, strength train to preserve muscle and see where you are in a few months! I did not set out to lose that much that fast, it just happened as I was plugging away at my routine.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited January 2018
    There is an issue though in not taking into consideration OPs stats.

    She is only 5'1". We don't know her age or activity level, but if we assume lightly active, her TDEE is @ 2200 calories.

    That means in order to keep her at 1200 cals, she can do a 1,000 cal deficit. Which is 2 lbs per week. As she gets smaller, that deficit will shrink, so her weight loss will slow down. So if she eats the minimum recommended amount of calories, she vould maybe lose @ 30 lbs in 5 months.

    In order to lose more than that, she would have to be incredibly active while still eating the bare minimum of calories, or she would need to undereat. Both would risk muscle loss and malnourishment.

    So yes, some people have lost 50 lbs in 5 months (because they were taller/larger to begin with), and yes, it is technically possible for OP to do it. But because she is a short female, it is not possible for her to do it without accepting 5 months of misery and possible risks in the process.
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