How long do you think it will take to lose 50lbs?

neugebauer52 · July 2019

Let MFP do the calculations.

AnnPT77 · July 2019

I lost about 50 pounds in around 6 months, starting from around your size, OP (I was 5'5" (165cm), 183 pounds to start) but 59 years old at the time. I didn't materially change my exercise level (which was, and continued to be, 6 days of vigorous exercise most weeks, something I'd been doing for over a decade while obese: exercise isn't magical for weight loss, pro or con).

I admit, I accidentally lost a little too fast for a while there (MFP underestimated my calorie needs, which is rare, but can happen): Don't lose too fast; it's a Bad Plan. And there's no prize for ultra-fast lost: Best to keep it achievable, sustainable, as pleasant as one can make it, IMO.

I stuck to my calorie goal most of the time, went over it by choice for rare special occasions (no way I'm gonna not indulge on my birthday or Christmas!), and continued eating the foods I like (which I admit were the same pretty-healthy foods I'd used in bigger portions to get obese in the first place). Most of the time, while losing, I was eating 150g-ish of carbs daily, and it's been more like 200g-ish in the 3 years of maintenance since.

It all depends how bad you want it.

I kinda didn't want it bad . . . I wanted it good. I'm hedonistic that way.

But yeah, calorie level is the key determinant of weight.

healingnurtrer · July 2019

I previously lost 50 lbs in 9 months on a keto diet. (edit to add: no exercise) (with a month break in the middle.). I did gain back all of the weight though...

slbbw · July 2019

Well I am your height and started my current weight loss journey in January at 185. I am 143 now and planning on staying here for a bit. 129 would not be healthy for me at all, might not even be attainable without significant muscle loss. I could do 139 but I need a break. It took me about 5 months to lose 42lbs. I started with an aggressive deficit for 8 weeks and then intentionally reduced my deficit in stages. I focused very intently on my own personal food triggers and on increasing my number of workouts a week as fitness was a high priority for me. Once I got into my healthy BMI range below 150 my focus switched from weight loss specifically to how am I going to maintain this long term and I have been figuring that out for about 2 months.

So a few questions for you. Why do you want to lose 50lbs? what made you come up with that number? Why do you want to do this quickly? I assume you also want to sustain this new weight long term? What are your plans for that. Start considering them now.

jenn990205 · July 2019

I lost 35 pounds in just under a year with no exercise, just watching my calories. I have 5 kids (ages 20-11), 2 dogs, a husband, a full time job, and a house to take care of. Going to the gym for 1-2 hours a day is just not a realistic thing for me to do. It took me a little longer, but I was ok with that. I started in July of 2018 at 178 pounds and am now at 143. I have another 8 pounds to go, so if it takes me another 3-4 months I completely content with that.

lg013 · July 2019

Best frame of mind to have when making a lifestyle change. When asking how long it will take to lose x pounds the answer is always:

As long as it takes or until I feel great about my progress.

Don’t put a time cap on your goals. Focus on improving your lifestyle as a goal.

lynn_glenmont · July 2019

The problem with telling people that it depends how badly they want it is that it encourages them to do unhealthy things to lose x amount of weight in x amount of time, if they happen to want it enough. And if they don't succeed in meeting what was an unreasonable goal to begin with, it makes them feel like they failed because they were weak or didn't want it enough. It's like telling them if they want it bad enough, they can jump off a building and fly.

MikePTY · July 2019

nighthawk584 wrote: »

MikePTY wrote: »

nighthawk584 wrote: »

Diet is #1 with exercise #2 most important (at least for me)....I have lost 57 lbs since April of this year. I have been very strict with diet, NO CHEAT MEALS and clean, lean & green eating , low carbs (100 g or less). Calories are cut in 1/2 of what I used to eat daily....I exercise at least 6 times a week with lots of cardio. It all depends how bad you want it.

This is "a" way to do it, not "the" way to do it. There are plenty of other ways to lose weight. What did you start at and where are you now? 57 pounds in less than 4 months is very fast. And for someone of her weight, too fast. If you have a lot to lose, that may be more feasible, but I would not recommend it for her. Nor do you need to eat "clean" "low carb" or "no cheat meals" or anything else.

Hi Mike, I never said it was the ONLY way, but it is all about how bad a person wants it. I was 280 in april...I'm 223 now and goal is 195 and then I will reevaluate. Who knows, it may take me the rest of the year to lose the rest but I am not quitting MY METHOD. To each their own. You do you.

Nobody is telling you to quit your method. I think the conditions that you put on yourself would be burdensome for a lot of people, but if you don't find them burdensome for you, then that's fine.

But your situation is very different than her situation, and suggesting that she can lose weight fast "if she wants it bad enough" is not correct or a healthy mindset. I don't know your height, but starting at 280, you likely started from a spot of a very high obesity on the BMI. That means you had a lot more fat to lose. 57 pounds in 4 months is still fast, but it's a lot easier for your body to do when you have more to lose. It is not nearly the same to go from 280 to 223 as it is to go from 179 to 129. She is aiming to hit the middle of normal BMI, which is very lean for most people. She cannot and should not try to lose it in anywhere close to 4 months. So certainly different strokes for different folks, but for the OP, your insinuation that rapid weight loss is possible through hard work is not applicable.

ssurvivor · July 2019

NovusDies wrote: »

ssurvivor wrote: »

Based on your age, height and weight, your BMR (the number of calories you need to maintain your weight if you were in bed all day) is 1589 cal. And if you're sedentary, your TDEE (daily caloric requirement) is 1907 cal.

(source: https://idealprotein.com/bmr-calculator-2/ )

Now, one pound of body fat contains between 3436 and 3752 calories depending on the individual.

(source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calories-in-a-pound-of-fat#section2)

To lose one pound per week (one year to your goal), you need a calorie deficit of at least 600 calories per day (general convention says 500 per day, but that is based on a 3500 calorie estimation - what if you're closer to 3752?)

Now, you can lose weight, but, without exercise, you may lose things you don't want (like muscle mass), and it's very difficult to consume 1300 calories and still be healthy (not impossible, but a lot of work). And you definitely want to be as healthy as possible during your journey. Otherwise, you may end up gaining everything back + some (if you make it to the end)

No one is arguing that exercise is good for fitness and it increases your CO. That is not what the OP asked though and since the OP didn't mention being bedridden that might your BMR argument straw manish. For all anyone knows the OP has a very active job/life and has plenty of calorie burn.

You said it wasn't feasible. It is. That doesn't make it ideal.

(1) What part of "you can lose weight..." or "not impossible but a lot of work" means "not feasible?"

(2) If my post were based on her BMR, I would have discussed consuming 989 calories instead of 1300.

(3) As a general rule, it's a good idea to actually read a comment before trying to refute it.

cheryldumais · July 2019

The majority of weight loss is done in the kitchen. The numbr of calories you eat determines how much weight you will lose. While I was losing weight the only exercise I did was walking. I threatened to lift weights and still haven't gotten around to it other than the sporadic effort here and there, lol.

I would guess that at least 90 percent of us started our journey with a certain time frame in mind. Some may have fulfilled it and some won't have. I lost about 90 lbs on mfp in 2 years. I lost 18 prior to that for a total loss of 108 pounds. I have maintained so far in a ten pound range for 2 years. I never expected it to take me 2 years to reach goal but it was so worth it! One of the things we forget is how much better we will feel as we get lighter. Not just physically but emotionally as well. Losing weight didn't fix all my issues but it helped and even before I lost those last 20 pounds (which took a year) I felt so much better about who I was. I looked so much better.

Try not to focus on the amount of time it takes but rather focus on doing something you can live with the rest of your life. This is how you lose weight permanently. If at some point you have more time and energy to add in some strength training that would be a plus to maintain muscle mass. But it is entirely possible to lose weight just by cutting calories. Good luck.

BattyKnitter · July 2019

With exercise it took me a little over a year to get from 191 to 140. I could have done it without exercise but I am very short and appreciate the extra calories I get to eat from exercise.

How long do you think it will take to lose 50lbs?

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