It is a marathon, not a sprint. 52 lbs in 120 days

deimosphoebos
deimosphoebos Posts: 117 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
General Stats : 33 y.o. male (almost 34), 181cm (5’11” and a bit)

Start Data (27 Nov 17) : 250 lbs, 47.5’’ waist, 43’’ hips, 35% body fat
Current Data (23 Mar 18): 198.4 lbs, 38.5” waist, 39’’ hips, 22% body fat
Goal Data (By 27 Nov 18): 169lbs ish, ?? waist, ?? hips, 10% body fat

120 days of logging is what has allowed me to lose over 50 lbs and drop to a weight that I have not been since high school. You guys are the best and I am here to help anyone who needs some advice on how to replicate what I have done. MyFitnessPal works. The community, the app, the forums and the support have been incredible. This journey is achievable, and you all can do it. For those of you who are having trouble, feel free to add me as a friend or look through my public diary to see what I am eating.

Remember, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it one meal, one physical training session, one craving, one day at a time. You can all do it and reach your goals, you are the unstoppable force that will move mountains.

Replies

  • Tracey628
    Tracey628 Posts: 20 Member
    Congratulations , and thanks for sharing . I need to remember this as i get discouraged easily when i have a bad weight loss week .
  • deimosphoebos
    deimosphoebos Posts: 117 Member
    Tracey628 wrote: »
    Congratulations , and thanks for sharing . I need to remember this as i get discouraged easily when i have a bad weight loss week .

    I weigh myself every day (not everyone recommends this). This allows me to see the regular fluctuations up and down. On average though, the loss has been ~ 2lbs per week.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Good job!

    I'd reassess your goal though, it's going to be extremely hard to maintain 1 lb a week loss to reach your goal weight without losing too much muscle mass.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    So while I recognize that there is some water weight, how many calories are you eating? Because that is averaging about to be about 16lbs a month (grant it, the first 10 or so lbs was water weight). Also, I am not sure how you measured body fat, but your current plan shows a loss of 8 lbs of lean body mass (of which can be water).


    LBM= 250*(1-.35)=162.5
    LBS= 198.4*(1-.22)=154.7

    Are you incorporating weight training? How much protein are you consuming?
  • deimosphoebos
    deimosphoebos Posts: 117 Member
    My calorie intake initially was 2000 cals from nov-dec, then 1770 from dec-jan, 1500 for 2 weeks in jan, and has been 2300-2400 on avg from feb to now.

    I've averaged between 2-3lbs a week ish since my start.

    The body fat measurements were with a caliper.

    Initially workouts were really slow but have gradually increased to my present training plan.
    I do 3 sessions of StrongLifts 5x5 per week, followed by a HIIT session or a relaxation cardio session after the lifts. On my off days, I try to walk, swim or be active for at least 60 minutes.

    My protein goal is ~180g / day, but I am not always hitting it.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited March 2018
    General Stats : 33 y.o. male (almost 34), 181cm (5’11” and a bit)

    Goal Data (By 27 Nov 18): 169lbs ish, ?? waist, ?? hips, 10% body fat
    Based on your measurements, I'd estimate your goal waist size to be in the 31" - 32" range at 10% body fat, give or take.

    Great work. Keep it up.

    edit: Kudos for being smart about it by focusing on strength training instead of just doing cardio or playing with pink dumbbells.
    My recommendation would have been to start that "day one" but better late than never.
    That is the biggest "secret" of losing fat efficiently - and keeping it off.

    Without strength training, up to 1/2 of the "weight" you lose could be muscle instead of fat.
    Less muscle means your BMR will be lower and make it even easier to gain fat than before.
  • deimosphoebos
    deimosphoebos Posts: 117 Member
    It has been about a month now, that I have been eating more. I mostly keep under my daily calorie goal, but do not beat myself up too much if I do not make it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    OK. Yea, it seems more reasonable now. How has progress been with StrongLifts?
  • deimosphoebos
    deimosphoebos Posts: 117 Member

    psuLemon wrote: »
    OK. Yea, it seems more reasonable now. How has progress been with StrongLifts?

    About 3 weeks into StrongLifts, but I love it. The simplicity and the progression are really cool. I'll let you know in 2 months.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited March 2018

    You are pretty much bang on 3lbs a week though, that sounds more like a sprint than a marathon
    ....

    My thoughts exactly. I have lost only 17 lbs in the same amount of time as he has lost 52 lbs and I started at 199lbs being a 5'4" female...

    When you are very overweight or obese then it is simple to lose 2 or 3 pounds a week for a while (4 months is the start of the marathon) if you are doing things correctly.
    Specifically, strength training and eating properly.
    The rate of fat loss will slow more and more when you have less and less to lose.

    Most people do NOT eat (or log) properly, they just think/claim they do.

    As for training, what he is doing now is free.
    It just takes more effort than most people are willing to put in:
    https://www.stronglifts.com/5x5/
  • z3dreamer
    z3dreamer Posts: 26 Member
    In many respects we are twins. I started logging on November 28, 2017. I weighed 253.2. I am 6 feet tall. I have been trying to keep at or around 2,000 calories per day. My main exercise has been stair machines and rowers. I use them intensely, so they are not totally cardio. I add weight training but have to be careful with my 60 year old joints. I am at 225.4. So over the same time that you have lost 52, I have lost 28 pounds. My current goal is 217. Back in late 2010, I was at 317 so this would make 100 pounds. I would occasionally reach a plateau so I would stop logging.
  • ap1972
    ap1972 Posts: 214 Member
    cqbkaju wrote: »

    You are pretty much bang on 3lbs a week though, that sounds more like a sprint than a marathon
    ....

    My thoughts exactly. I have lost only 17 lbs in the same amount of time as he has lost 52 lbs and I started at 199lbs being a 5'4" female...

    When you are very overweight or obese then it is simple to lose 2 or 3 pounds a week for a while (4 months is the start of the marathon) if you are doing things correctly.
    Specifically, strength training and eating properly.
    The rate of fat loss will slow more and more when you have less and less to lose.

    Most people do NOT eat (or log) properly, they just think/claim they do.

    As for training, what he is doing now is free.
    It just takes more effort than most people are willing to put in:
    https://www.stronglifts.com/5x5/

    Not suggesting anything different........but there is nothing in OP's story that shows he is maintaining/can continue a marathon pace
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    Best for continuing to eat healthy and exercising :smiley:
This discussion has been closed.