To lose 50 lbs in 5 months

Your timeline should be "as long as it takes to get fit in a healthy and non-damaging way."

This. Yes.

Healthy, sustainable weight loss (where you're still getting all the nutrients your body needs, and you're only losing fat instead of muscle) will only be around 1-2 lb per week. So even if you lose 2 lb a week, to lose 50 lb would take you until mid-July, that's more like 6 months. Everyone's body is different, of course, but your goal should be to get there in a healthy way, otherwise you'll be miserable, damage your health, and just turn around & gain it all back.

There's nothing wrong with setting a goal, as well as mini-goals, to help make sure you stay on track. I have 130 lb to lose, and I'm almost to 60, 70 to go. It has been very helpful for me to set a series of goals & document / celebrate when I reach each one. But they should be realistic goals, and I'm not sure 10 lb a month is realistic. I'm averaging more like 6 lb a month, but my doctor assures me that it's all fat & water weight, I'm not losing muscle, and my hair & nails & skin are healthier than they've ever been, so I know I'm losing in a good way. Listen to your body's signals, and do what's right for your body.

Good luck to you!

I'm sure the majority of people on this site who are here to lose weight wish it could happen RIGHT NOW.
But to come to a place like this and say "I might even try something a bit crazy if that is what it takes. :-) " is probably not going to get you the answers you are looking for.

I wish I could be more supportive, but I'm afraid your RIGHTNOW attitude will set you up for failure. Use MFP as it's designed, stay strong and it will happen. It may not happen on your timeline, but you'll get there.

This!!

I do not think this is a healthy or realistic plan.

I should add that I eat between 1400-1800 calories a day. Depending on how much I work out and what my body feels like it needs. I do not go hungry, I usually eat 4-6 times a day and I always try to keep my snacks really healthy (although this week not so much...) . Everyone is going to be different. Some things work great for some people and not others. I've done a 500 calorie, phendemetrizine, low carb hi protein diet and I thought it was amazing.... I lost 30lbs, and man I thought I looked awesome. Well I just did a photo comparison and I am smaller now than I was 6 months ago, and I am 30lbs heavier but much more fit than I have ever been! After my 3 months on the fad diet (doctor supervised I might add) my hair was brittle, finger nails brittle, and my hair was falling out like crazy! Thats when I decided it was time for me to lose weight the healthy way. I've worked with a nutritionist minimally just to make sure I am getting everything I need and also a trainer when I first started (I only see her 1 time a month because I live in a different state). I try to do different exercise classes, change my workouts, and learn everything I can about eating properly long term. Eating enough is so important!!!

Yes I totally want to lose 50lbs by May but as long as my body is becoming stronger and more fit I am completely okay with not meeting that particular goal on time. But by May I will at least LOOK like I have lost 50

I'd love to lose 10 pounds a month. I'd also like to stay healthy, which is why my goal is only 6-8 pounds a month.

This is not " the biggest loser ". This is LIFE, and you only get one. Exercising like a mad person, and eating only 1200 calories may land you dizzy, driving on the freeway.

Aim for making the absolute healthiest choices you possibly can. Lots of fruit, tons of veggies. No white sugar, no flour. Drink crazy amounts of water ( I personally drink 3 liters a day. Half the time when i think " i'm hungry "... I'm only thirsy ). Eat a LOT of fiber.

You MAY find that you have huge losses the first week -a friend of mine lost 10 pounds the first week of healthy eating - she lost all the excess water weight, the fiber gave her a good old fashion clean out... and after that she lost 2 pounds a week.

You're weight loss is a journey, you have to give your body time. If you continue like this, you're only setting yourself up to fail. With the calorie deficit you're creating, your body will probably go into starvation mode and retain any and all weight it can.
Not to mention-what are you planning on doing after the 5 months? Are you going to be on this type of diet for the rest of your life? You lose in an unhealthy way and then go back to a regular diet, you'll gain everything back. You have to keep in mind that you're not just losing weight, you're changing to a healthy lifestyle. Repeat- lifestyle! Make it a lifestyle you can actually live with!

That being said, your body is your body, everyone's will be different. But make sure you're listening to it.

WOW. Nice to meet you. The 1st MFP moderator I see any of the posts I've read up to know. Rara avis.

MyFitnessPal strongly recommends that users follow the calorie guidelines automatically assigned by the site, unless they are under the direct supervision of a doctor.

As has been pointed out by numerous posters, what you are attempting is likely to be counter productive in the long term and I would strongly urge you to reconsider your goals.

CatCrazy
MyFitnessPal Forum Moderator

Wow, I got more replies than expected. I am doing this under the supervision of a clinical dietician and I am with 'crazy' I do not mean drastic, desperate or rash.
I agree that it is easier to lose faster if the weight is higher and then the wt loss slows down.
I have a wide range of opinions here. Whatever I do is a lifestyle not a fad diet or burst of over reaching ambition.
I have given my body the time to adjust and have not lost anything in a hurry.
I am concerned about the damage caused by exhaustion and low cal intake. I hope to never do that to myself...
Thanks again.

The thing to remember is that a lifestyle is for LIFE. It's for the days you're super sick and need to cut the workout. It's for years and years from now. It's a 'for good' sort of level. Do you want to be flat-out running for two or three hours a day, every day for the rest of your life? What if you get honestly busy? What if someone at work brings in the most delicious cookies ever?

It is very clear that you are really focused and dedicated, that's amazingly good - but weight loss is not about forcing your body it's about working with it. You will lose weight more effectively by eating enough calories to fuel your body. If you've done the super low thing for a whole, eating enough to fuel you may look like a 'backslide' for a little - but it will come back off, and better now than later.

Take away your 1060 for exercise and you are giving yourself the same number of calories for everything else your body needs through the day as you would have received in a concentration camp like Auschwitz. It is not enough. Honestly? If that is what your nutritionist/dietician told you to eat, if I were you I would fire them, and report them to whatever licensing agency they are certified through. That is FAR from healthy!!

As of January 24 I will have been living a new lifestyle for five months. I am down 47lbs as of last Monday, so by my five month mark I expect to be at 49lbs. Depending on how much you have to lose, it is possible to safely lose 50lbs in 5 months. However, you say that you are willing to do anything. You need to have the right mindset. I realized that I'm worth so much more than I gave myself credit for and I deserved to be healthy and happy with my body. I eat 1200 calories a day except for one day a week where I go over and have one meal where I eat the food I'm craving. I exercise 3-4 times a week. I have found journaling my food and exercise on MFP has been a wonderful tool as well as all the friends who are here to motivate you. I know that how I'm losing this weight is healthy. I can live the rest of my life eating and exercising this way. It's not a fad diet. If you do whatever it takes to lose the 50lbs in that time and you do it in an unhealthy way, you are just going to gain it back. Please, please do it the healthy way. If you don't lose the weight as fast, don't obsess over it. You can do this!

THIS is inspiring!