47.2 lbs in 175 days - is this doable?

I agree 25 lbs is about right. I’d also encourage you to start strength training 2-3 times per week and eat plenty of protein.

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary!

It's very doable if you're lucky enough to be a relatively tall male and have plenty of wiggle room in your calories. I'm 6'1" and was able to lose ~2 pounds a week on 1700 calories (which is pretty generous all things considered). The end result was about 50 pounds in 6 months.

One good note - you'll likely lose 10-15 pounds in your first month of calorie restriction because of water weight. The weight loss will slow to a more normal rate in month 2 and forward but consider the month 1 result a bonus that will put you over the top goal-wise!

That said, if you don't have a ton of calories to work with and a 1000 per day deficit is pushing it, you'll still be able to lose a very fair amount in 6 months. Heck, even if you can lose 25-30 pounds I think you'll find that you'll still be really happy. One reason that many of us drastically slow our weight loss for the last 10 pounds is that it just doesn't matter. The bulk of the work is done and those last few pounds barely make a difference in how we look or feel.

It'll be simple enough to lose 2 a week at first but then the deficit you need is going to start competing with your body's lowered requirements. The numbers are also going to be a jagged line of annoyance, not a smooth line of satisfaction, just FYI.

My advice whether you take it or not....

Aim for 1.5lbs per week which would see you lose approx. 37.5 lbs by NYE. It might be 30. Who knows? Do everything you can to read up and understand CICO and how MFP works. Your partner will still love you I'm sure regardless. Then splurge over NYE and then enjoy a happy 2019 at your new weight and reassess your goals then.

Good luck.

Yes, it's possible. Excuse me for this overly long post -- this is the first time I think I've ever written on the discussion boards, but your post popped up on my screen and I thought, "well. I believe I do have something positive to contribute to this topic!"

I lost 70 pounds in about that amount of time in 2016 (June to beginning of December. starting around your weight, too!) It's possible but difficult and would require a ton of dedication on your part.

I took the first 6 weeks to quickly get into a workout regime. A couple of weeks into that first month, I cut out all grains/cheese/refined sugars/ processed foods. I drank a ton of water every day. I cut out almost all alcohol, except for a glass of wine a couple of times a month. After the first 6 weeks of workouts, I was in the gym or on the track most days of the week. I took a weekly rest day, but found myself doing active recovery, such as short hikes or long yoga classes. I started walking everywhere I could. After 3 months or so, I started to add running and other more strenuous cardio into the mix. After 4 months I trained for my first 5k. Then I set my sights on a 10k, 15k and half marathon. I threw in the occasional second workout -- weights first thing in the morning, cardio after work. I switched it up regularly - TRX suspension exercises, kettlebells... I tried every exercise to see what felt good and yielded improvements. I got medical checkups before starting and checking in every quarter. When I was injured, I switched exercises (When I had hip bursitis from over use, I backed off on running for a month and switched to the elliptical and rowing machines.) I took time off from exercise if I was sick, but always stuck to my nutrition goals.

I used myfitnesspal to figure out my caloric intake goals. Then I tracked every single calorie I put into my mouth.I never starved myself or ate under 1,000 calories, but I did keep my daily intake low depending upon my exercise level. I ate a ton of vegetables and protein, trying to make all my meals colorful. Since I cooked most of my meals, I had to enter a ton of recipes into myfitnesspal for accuracy. I eventually bought a food scale to gauge proper portions more accurately. If I slipped and had a slice of pizza or a piece of cake, the scale would pop back up so I was motivated not to cheat. I implemented intermittent fasting (16/8) when I could tolerate it, doing some of my exercise in a fasted state in the mornings. I weighed myself everyday, trying to gauge what mix of carbs/fat/protein my body desired for optimal energy while sustaining weight loss. I tried carb cycling and other trends to see if they would help. In the 5th and 6th month, my metabolism was so fired up and I was carrying enough muscle to occasionally indulge -- but I still weighed myself at least twice a week.I read ALOT about nutrition. In fact, I subscribed to a ton of health and fitness newsletters and magazines to surround myself with information and images that supported my journey.

Of course, I had plateaus and stalls which droves me crazypants. But I just gritted my teeth and tried to be patient. The scale and my measurements eventually started to fall again.

Weight loss and fitness became my constant companion. It was first or second in my mind at almost all times. I prioritized it in big and subtle ways. For example, I sought out and fostered relationships with my friends with healthy lifestyles, and I minimized contact with people who weren't supportive (or thought that I was nuts... up until the point they saw the weight flying off me. hehehehe.) My bff was so impressed by my dedication that she joined me and lost a ton of weight on her own journey. My life changed because I put myself first.


I'm (over)sharing to show one pathway that worked for me -- it's not a blueprint for everyone. I've learned that if you want atypical results, you have to be willing to do what others cannot or will not do. I think the most important thing to do is to commit to some nutrition and exercise plan and just go for it. If you lost half of your total goal in 6 months, you will feel SO good and SO motivated to continue your journey. It's your personal path to walk.

It's absolutely possible for you to do this on a keto diet. Visit this website, which is totally legitimate, see testimonials of those who switched to this way of eating, and look at Dr Berg's videos to learn the science of losing weight quickly and safely. https://www.drberg.com/

That said, I lost 20 lb between January and now, and that could have been as much as 50 lb if I stuck strictly to it. But I am a rebel and a cheater, and don't count calories or weigh my foods. I'm also very lazy and the most exercise I get is from walking to and from my train. So while I could be doing way better, I'm still happy wiht the results so far and am encouraged to continue for the rest of my life.

You totally can do this and I wish you the very best in your marriage and congratulations!

deepwoodslady wrote: »

I lost 47.5 pounds in 6 months (180 days) doing a low carb keto diet. I fell off the diet very very frequently in May and June because of vacations, events and visiting family but went back on track by the 4th week of June. Yes, it is possible. Just keep walking or moving. Watch your carbs or your calories (your choice). Don't just keep the end goal in mind. Remember why you started. You got this!

There's nothing inherent about keto that results in a greater rate of loss (except in the beginning, when you drop a large amount of water weight due to your body's loss of glycogen stores, and that incidentally comes back when you re-introduce carbs). It's still about the calories. Some people find it does help them curb hunger & cravings. The only problem is, if you use it as a short-term way of eating to lose weight, you won't be very well-equipped to maintain the loss because you won't have had the practice & experience incorporating the foods you would normally eat into your diet in the proper portions.

try2again wrote: »

OP, 70 lbs in 6 months was extremely aggressive unless this poster started at 300 lbs (which I doubt, based on her pic) and if she was anywhere near 1000 calories while pursuing such a grueling exercise routine, that was just foolish.

I weighed 210 lbs when I started, and finished at 140 lbs. I averaged anywhere from 1300-2200 calories per day.
Why the underlying assumption about my caloric intake? And why call this "foolish"? I really don't understand the negative judgement. My experience was a positive though rigorous one, and I decided to share it.

It feels like you are trying to minimize or negate my experience by describing it as harmful or "grueling", which is a false characterization and, quite frankly, not conducive to the positive and supportive environment I'd think would necessary in these discussion boards.

In other words, where's the love man?