are my goals realistic?

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amy_marlene
amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
in Food and Nutrition
my start ( and highest ) weight is 73 kilos ( 161 lbs ) .i want to lose at least 14 kilos in the next 4 months. according to MFP i'll be losing 1 kilo per week. is this realistic? my daily intakes are beetwen 650 - 850 cal and i try to exercise at least 5 times a week. my friend have lost 17 kilos in 5 months in the same way and didn't gain nothing.
should i set smaller goals or this is just fine and achievable ?

Replies

  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 566 Member
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    Please eat.

    More.

    At least double what you're eating, and probably then some. You gotta eat more to lose more! 650 - 850 calories/day is absolutely nowhere NEAR enough to provide your body with all the nutrients, vitamins, proteins, carbs, and fats that you need in order to maintain a healthy body, let alone try to lose weight healthfully and maintain it.
  • stephm112
    stephm112 Posts: 297 Member
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    Why cant you pace yourself and aim to lose 1lb a week which is healthy and realistic. 650-850 calories is really low I wouldn't eat so little if I were you you'll burn out and it's not a healthy way of doing it especially if you're going to be working out 5 times a week
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
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    Be prepared for a torrent of eat more posts. Those calories in are low, general medical advice (in the UK) is that a sub 1000 calorie diet should only be sustained for a maximum of 12 weeks, under close medical supervision and only suitable for those with a BMI over 30. Also the NHS do not support sub 1000 calorie diets.

    As you are not that high a weight I would look at your BMR, then add in your standard activity level, set your calorie target to 500 below this, and set an exercise goal of 3500 calories per week (500 per day). If you are struggling to get that much exercise to start with swap 100/200 calories per day over. This is general but a sensible way of losing 1KG (2LB) per week
  • brentsblog
    brentsblog Posts: 60 Member
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    Enjoy putting the weight back on in 12 months and adding some additional as well that's what will happen if you eat that amount of calories.

    You can't sustain a lifestyle of that amount of calories its really pointless you even attempt.

    Try look at a lifestyle change it may mean eating more and losing 14 kilos in 6 months instead of 4 but its something you will be able sustain over the years and most likely will not gain weight back.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    It's pretty simple. If you want to lose weight, follow what the tool on here tells you. Put in your current weight, how much you want to lose per week, and then just eat the calories it tells you. It is totally idiot proof. Faffing around starving yourself and worrying is pointless. Just eat the amount MFP sets you. Don't be tempted to cheat, in either direction, you will only be cheating yourself. It's not difficult.
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
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    guys i know i'm not eating enough calories but here's a thing. i know lots of people who have lost 30 kilos or even more by eating this little and they haven't gained anything. and also i just can't be motivated if i don't see any changes. that's the biggest problem. if i don't see scale is moving every week i'll quit. because that's how i am. i'll try to eat 800 - 900 cal per day but not more. also i can't eat more because i feel so much guilt then and it's just driving me crazy.
    thank you for your answers :)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    guys i know i'm not eating enough calories but here's a thing. i know lots of people who have lost 30 kilos or even more by eating this little and they haven't gained anything. and also i just can't be motivated if i don't see any changes. that's the biggest problem. if i don't see scale is moving every week i'll quit. because that's how i am. i'll try to eat 800 - 900 cal per day but not more. also i can't eat more because i feel so much guilt then and it's just driving me crazy.
    thank you for your answers :)

    If you want to lose weight you just have to NOT be like that. Sorry. You won't see weight loss every week. Sometimes you plateau. I wouldn't even bother weighing yourself every week. Just follow what you are told to eat, and weigh in once a month.

    I know people love to overcomplicate this weight loss thing with measuring everything and worrying about the tiny details, but that is all pointless. In fact, the people who obsess more over the details seem to be the ones who lose the least weight, or keep regaining it. Guilt with regards to food is utterly baffling and pointless. It achieves nothing.

    It is very very simple, just eat the calories allotted to you, and the weight will come off.
  • oliviaseward
    oliviaseward Posts: 66 Member
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    i started at 166 in mfp 8 weeks ago and ive lost a steady 2 pounds a week (16 pounds) down to 149 now and im eating atleast 1200 calories a day and exercising atleast 6 days a week. you can do it you just have to eat better, workout right and stick to it. goodluck!
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
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    More like you'll lose that in a year lols. Unless your some super athlete who cuts weight for a sport
    then you cannot do it. because at 800 calories a day is starving yourself
  • btdublin
    btdublin Posts: 250 Member
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    You can do it. I have lost 9kg since 1st Jane. ave 1kg a week. eating 1200 minimum. Don't eat less. Do some more exercise rather than eat less. Simples
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
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    that's awesome :)) thank you :))
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
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    by the time i finish typing this there will probably be ten posts telling you to eat more that 800cals but i'll write anyway... :)


    i lost 22lb in about 4 months last year (from 161lb @ 5'3") and i'm slowly whittling away the next 10lb but i've increased my planned cals and am concentrating on exercise so that is taking much longer (about 6lb in 2 months) and that is expected.

    so, totally possible & reasonable but be aware that if 59kg/130lb is slender for your height (which it will be unless you are under about 5'), it's going to be very hard to lose the last couple of kg so don't beat your self up about it. you might manage it quicker then me 'cause i'm a fair bit older than you :)

    BUT - your cal goal sounds very very low. i did the above on 1220cal base and ate ever scrap of exercise calories i could earn (i like food:) so my average was actually more like 1450 and i was still losing happily & don't feel like i was depriving myself. & eating like that feels normal now so although i'm eating more, it's not too much more/going back to my old ways and i'm still losing slowly.

    good luck but please read lots of the posts around here about eating more to lose weight (& don't feel like people are beating you up, they are just trying to help). there is lots of really good info/proven science around here but some people can be ... a little rude... about it :/
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
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    For every person you know who have lost x or so kgs doing it this way and not gained any weight there is just as many who have put every single kg back on and then some. Just pointing out the chances of you suceeding with this method.
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
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    by the time i finish typing this there will probably be ten posts telling you to eat more that 800cals but i'll write anyway... :)


    i lost 22lb in about 4 months last year (from 161lb @ 5'3") and i'm slowly whittling away the next 10lb but i've increased my planned cals and am concentrating on exercise so that is taking much longer (about 6lb in 2 months) and that is expected.

    so, totally possible & reasonable but be aware that if 59kg/130lb is slender for your height (which it will be unless you are under about 5'), it's going to be very hard to lose the last couple of kg so don't beat your self up about it. you might manage it quicker then me 'cause i'm a fair bit older than you :)

    BUT - your cal goal sounds very very low. i did the above on 1220cal base and ate ever scrap of exercise calories i could earn (i like food:) so my average was actually more like 1450 and i was still losing happily & don't feel like i was depriving myself. & eating like that feels normal now so although i'm eating more, it's not too much more/going back to my old ways and i'm still losing slowly.

    good luck but please read lots of the posts around here about eating more to lose weight (& don't feel like people are beating you up, they are just trying to help). there is lots of really good info/proven science around here but some people can be ... a little rude... about it :/

    thank you,this is a really nice answer ! :)) and congrats on your weight loss :))
    i'll try to eat more. it's going to be hard but i promise i'll try :)
  • Fatmanoncampus90
    Fatmanoncampus90 Posts: 2
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    Amy this is a support community, but that does not mean that we can stray from honesty. I (we) feel that you are going about achieving your goal in the wrong way. Not only will you cause your body to store the very fat you are trying to get rid of, but you may fall victim to malnourishment. You need to allow your body the opportunity to process a normal amount of calories each day or anything you eat will be held and stored in your fat reserves. But the real problem which needs to be addressed is not your caloric intake, but the condition of your mind. I really think you should speak to a counselor or a psycologist to help you deal with your guilt. This path of healthy living is full of disappointments, and I fear your inability to deal with disappointments could easily allow you to justify more dangerous behaviors/illnesses like bulimia or anorexia. PLEASE TAKE THESE RESPONSES SERIOUSLY. The way you are trying to lose weight is wrong, unhealthy, and dangerous. You will burn yourself out. Please be careful.
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    I know there will be lot's of posts telling you why you should eat more but I thought I would post from a more personal point of view.

    Years back, about 7 years ago I lost weight without exercise and also cutting calories to the level you are, I lost the weight and kept it for a couple of years, by the end of it I had no energy to do anything.

    As soon as I started eating just a little bit more, 1000-1200 cals a day I started to gain weight which is frustrating, I ended up eating around 1400 a day to 1600 and I gained loads of weight.

    To be thin and healthy for the long run I would suggest trying to stick to what MFP says for a 1lb a week loss and exercise. This might seem like a slow way but it's best for long term weight loss especially for a female. It might seem frustrating especially when exercising, I found that at first I was losing very little but then I started to see great results. Even now it's been hard for me to adjust to eating more calories for weight loss but now it's work I couldn't be happier. Good Luck.
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
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    I know there will be lot's of posts telling you why you should eat more but I thought I would post from a more personal point of view.

    Years back, about 7 years ago I lost weight without exercise and also cutting calories to the level you are, I lost the weight and kept it for a couple of years, by the end of it I had no energy to do anything.

    As soon as I started eating just a little bit more, 1000-1200 cals a day I started to gain weight which is frustrating, I ended up eating around 1400 a day to 1600 and I gained loads of weight.

    To be thin and healthy for the long run I would suggest trying to stick to what MFP says for a 1lb a week loss and exercise. This might seem like a slow way but it's best for long term weight loss especially for a female. It might seem frustrating especially when exercising, I found that at first I was losing very little but then I started to see great results. Even now it's been hard for me to adjust to eating more calories for weight loss but now it's work I couldn't be happier. Good Luck.

    thank you so much !! :))
  • peachied
    peachied Posts: 117 Member
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    Amy this is a support community, but that does not mean that we can stray from honesty. I (we) feel that you are going about achieving your goal in the wrong way. Not only will you cause your body to store the very fat you are trying to get rid of, but you may fall victim to malnourishment. You need to allow your body the opportunity to process a normal amount of calories each day or anything you eat will be held and stored in your fat reserves. But the real problem which needs to be addressed is not your caloric intake, but the condition of your mind. I really think you should speak to a counselor or a psycologist to help you deal with your guilt. This path of healthy living is full of disappointments, and I fear your inability to deal with disappointments could easily allow you to justify more dangerous behaviors/illnesses like bulimia or anorexia. PLEASE TAKE THESE RESPONSES SERIOUSLY. The way you are trying to lose weight is wrong, unhealthy, and dangerous. You will burn yourself out. Please be careful.

    Well said.

    OP - The goals you have set are achievable but they also seem to be dangerous and detrimental in the long run.

    My hope is that you will consider your options and lose the weight slower. I know it seems like a long time before the results start to show but that's just how it is supposed to be. That's how it should be if you want to be healthy and strong. Please consider eating 1200 cal or more a day and losing 1/2 to 1 kg a week.

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