Lose 20 lbs by May?

mialosingit
mialosingit Posts: 3 Member
edited November 24 in Motivation and Support
Hey all, so I've been on MyFitnessPal for a while, but i left for couple of months and now I've been back. I'm 5'2 and currently am at 178 and I really want to lose around 20 lbs by May. I know I shouldn't be rushing it or anything, but I do want to have lost quite a bit by the time summer rolls around. I'm always starting and then stopping and I just wanna be able to finally stick to this. If I don't lose this weight I can be on the road to more serious issues. I want to know what are some things I can do to keep myself on track and not be taken over by temptation. I also have a huge sweet tooth and want to know what I can do to control that. I want this to be a lifestyle and not just a diet. Any suggestions/advice etc would really help! Thanks.


Also, I am currently eating 1200 calories. Based on my height and weight is that too little or just fine for me?

Replies

  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    What did MFP say when you said you wanted to lose 2 lbs/week? I have a feeling that it's going to be mighty low, below 1,200, which MFP rules are against.

    Assuming you're female and ~25 years old, your current TDEE is ~1,800. To lose 20 lbs by May, you need to lose 2 lbs/week, which is a 1,000 calorie deficit every day. That puts you at ~800 calories/day which is dangerous and not sustainable.

    Modify your goal to be reasonable [Depending on how much you have to lose]
    More than 75 lbs. 2 lbs./week
    40-75 lbs. 1.5 lbs./week
    10-40 lbs. 1 lb./week
    Less than 10 lbs. 0.5 lb./week

  • remoore23
    remoore23 Posts: 63 Member
    One thing I might suggest you try to lessen cravings for sugar is to eat more protein and fewer carbs, especially simple carbs like sugar or processed grains. I believe the idea behind this is that when you eat sugar, it causes a big spike in blood sugar, and a corresponding spike in insulin, which helps you process the sugar. When the sugar is gone, you experience a big, quick drop in blood sugar which causes fatigue and more hunger... leading you to eat something else that is sugary and causing the cycle to begin again. When you eat complex carbs, such as whole wheat flour or brown rice, it is absorbed into your bloodstream more gradually, which causes a more gradual build up of blood sugar and insulin and helps to prevent blood sugar crashes and the hunger brought on by them.

    I agree with aeloine. It will be healthier and more effective in the long term to try to lose more steadily and gradually. I've always gone through phases where I felt really motivated to lose weight and I wanted to do it quickly, so I would try to diet for a couple of days or a week, but then I would be so hungry that I would just eat a ton of food and feel like I had failed. Now I'm trying to just slowly and quietly lose one pound per week... If I do that for thirty-five weeks, I will reach my goal weight. Sometimes I think our culture teaches us to put so much energy into hating our bodies that we feel like we MUST lose weight fast or we are somehow failures and we don't spend time just trying to accept ourselves where we are.
  • mialosingit
    mialosingit Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks!
  • mialosingit
    mialosingit Posts: 3 Member
    remoore23 wrote: »
    One thing I might suggest you try to lessen cravings for sugar is to eat more protein and fewer carbs, especially simple carbs like sugar or processed grains. I believe the idea behind this is that when you eat sugar, it causes a big spike in blood sugar, and a corresponding spike in insulin, which helps you process the sugar. When the sugar is gone, you experience a big, quick drop in blood sugar which causes fatigue and more hunger... leading you to eat something else that is sugary and causing the cycle to begin again. When you eat complex carbs, such as whole wheat flour or brown rice, it is absorbed into your bloodstream more gradually, which causes a more gradual build up of blood sugar and insulin and helps to prevent blood sugar crashes and the hunger brought on by them.

    I agree with aeloine. It will be healthier and more effective in the long term to try to lose more steadily and gradually. I've always gone through phases where I felt really motivated to lose weight and I wanted to do it quickly, so I would try to diet for a couple of days or a week, but then I would be so hungry that I would just eat a ton of food and feel like I had failed. Now I'm trying to just slowly and quietly lose one pound per week... If I do that for thirty-five weeks, I will reach my goal weight. Sometimes I think our culture teaches us to put so much energy into hating our bodies that we feel like we MUST lose weight fast or we are somehow failures and we don't spend time just trying to accept ourselves where we are.

    Wow thank you for this! This makes complete sense, I do tend to eat more carbs than protein and now it really makes sense why im always craving more sugar. And you're totally right about that; I will just enjoy the process and take it slow. Thank you!
  • tmstriano6158
    tmstriano6158 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi
    I have been on and of this app for a while
  • DivaDreamer77
    DivaDreamer77 Posts: 76 Member
    I'm 4'10" female, 25 years old. I eat 1000-1450 calories daily and am averaging a loss of .5-1.25 pounds a week. So far I've lost 11 pounds since late November. I don't workout really, at most 5-10 minutes a day. I've just been mindful eating and eating cleaner (foods in there purest form) the best I can. Working for me.
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