30 pounds in 75 days.....discuss

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Dawn_is_getting_healthy
Dawn_is_getting_healthy Posts: 245
in Motivation and Support
I just negotiated with my husband that if I can lose 30 pounds by Sept 1, that I can go to a meet and greet with Barry Manilow. I know that sounds like punishment for some of you, but for me, it is the ultimate reward. I love, love, love Barry...I have seen him in concert 42 times, with 5 more on the calendar in 2012. I did a meet and greet with him in 2007 and it was great. Expensive, but great. But, I hadn't lost the weight, so my photo of the two of us together is just NOT what I would have wanted. I would love so much to get a do-over.

So, I crunched the numbers (if I would just crunch my abs more often!)....here are the important stats:

* My maintenence calories are 1970/day
* 30 pounds x 3500 calories/pound = 105,000 total calorie deficit needed in 75 days
* 105,000 divided by 75 days = 1400 calorie deficit per day
* 1970 calories minus 1400 calories = 570 net calories per day
* If I ate 1200 calories per day, I would need to create an additional 630 calorie deficit via exercise
* Walking on the treadmill 3mph everyday for 130 minutes would create a 637 calorie deficit.

Therefore, theoretically, if I could eat 1200 calories a day and get on the treadmill for 2 hours and 10 minutes a day....I'm there.

Now, I realize that as I lose, my caloric needs will go down, meaning that I would need to create a bigger deficit via exercise in order to continue the same loss.

So....what do you think? Should I go for it, or try to renegotiate a better deal :)
Of course, I would have to buy the ticket, hotel, flight, etc. in advance, so we agreed that if I had 17.5 pounds off by the end of July, that would put me on par, and that I could make the arrangements at that point.

I usually don't set goals like this, because I really am more of a "one day at a time" person. But I have been puttzing around at the same weight for about three months, and I feel like I need a kick in the rear to get moving again. Thought this might be the motiviation I need.

Replies

  • CharliSue
    CharliSue Posts: 81
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    I think you can totally do it!! Sounds like an awesome reward. I say go for it!
  • Joneses17
    Joneses17 Posts: 135 Member
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    Go for it. I think you can handle it. Maybe add inches because if you don't hit 30 but hit 22lbs lost I'm sure you will have had significant inches lost. Also, you body will get use to the same workout and allow you to go harder and burn more but you will also have to go harder to burn as you lose. Good luck.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    It is good to have goals, but this is going to be REALLY tough.

    That is not a lot of food to survive on so if you are going to do it - be smart about it. There are a couple of things you need to consider though. Your NET calorie intake is what is important (as you have mentioned) so having so little for such a prolonged period of time may have an effect on slowing your metabolism - and may give you some other issues like headaches, can effect mood etc.

    If you are set on doing this, then please try to take the following advice into account:
    1. Make the majority of your diet protein based
    2. Take fibre and fat (ie fish oil) supplements
    3. Incorporate some resistance (weighted or body weight) exercises into your routine
    4. If dieting extremely for that long, include some re-feed days to kick your metabolism back into gear (at or above maintenance for one day at least every two weeks).

    You want to lose weight, but please remember that on an extreme diet you will also lose muscle - and potentially a lot of muscle if you don't diet with the steps above.

    There are a couple of templates for this kind of dieting - PSMF and the velocity diet are extremes - Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss (RFL) is one you will see mentioned on this site a bit and probably gives you the best template for doing this successfully.

    If you do go ahead, please remember that your health is BY FAR the most important thing, and this is a life long change. It is great to have goals, but don't have them at the expense of your overall well-being!

    Good luck.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    Sorry to be a downer but that is highly unrealistic and unsustainable.
    MAYBE 20 pounds, but that should be the most. Ten weeks, 2 pounds a week MAX for healthy loss = 20 pounds....
    1 pound a week is even MORE realistic and will probably be what it boils down to in the end.
    Weight loss is not as linear as you make it sound. There will be weeks when you do not lose anything, and weeks where you lose 3 pounds, weeks where you GAIN 3 or 4 pounds due to TOM.

    A better goal...buy a pair of jeans a size too small for you right now, and tell yourself if you can wear them comfortably by that time, you win.
    Measure yourself also.
    You might fit into the goal pants and have lost a few inches all around and NOT see a difference in the scale....the scale is stupid...it's how you look in the mirror and feel in your clothes that counts...
  • Betrbleave
    Betrbleave Posts: 37
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    sounds like a plan
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    Sorry to be a downer but that is highly unrealistic and unsustainable.
    MAYBE 20 pounds, but that should be the most. Ten weeks, 2 pounds a week MAX for healthy loss = 20 pounds....
    1 pound a week is even MORE realistic and will probably be what it boils down to in the end.
    Weight loss is not as linear as you make it sound. There will be weeks when you do not lose anything, and weeks where you lose 3 pounds, weeks where you GAIN 3 or 4 pounds due to TOM.

    A better goal...buy a pair of jeans a size too small for you right now, and tell yourself if you can wear them comfortably by that time, you win.
    Measure yourself also.
    You might fit into the goal pants and have lost a few inches all around and NOT see a difference in the scale....the scale is stupid...it's how you look in the mirror and feel in your clothes that counts...

    Spot on!
  • Dawn_is_getting_healthy
    Dawn_is_getting_healthy Posts: 245
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    Thanks, all. I appreciate your words of wisdom as well as your encouragement. I was the one who made this proposal to my husband. I spent the day yesterday busting my butt, and really did well, but not "good enough" to meet those goals, and it became very clear that it would be unsustainable (I know, shocking).

    So, we talked about it again last night. My husband is so sweet. He wants me to succeed, but knows being realistic is the only way to be truly successful. So we reset the goal to 20 pounds. That would put me down about 80 pounds total in a year....not too shabby. And reworking the numbers for 20 pounds just FEELS so much more do-able.

    We shall see how it goes! Thanks again, everyone! Have a great day!
  • sosubblime
    sosubblime Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm usually not a negative nelly but....although I think this program is doable...I think it will be very very tough. If you're going to be working out 2hrs a day....1,200 calories may not be enough for your body. I feel with all the exercise you are going to be very hungry, it will take a lot of will power. And I'm more concerned about how many lbs a week you'll be losing. This sounds like you'll be losing more than 2lbs and when you lose more than 2lbs a week, it is less unlikely that you'll keep the weight off. Why not go for 20lbs instead? I know you want to look good for a Barry Manilow meet-up but a 20lb loss will be a great differnece and you can compensate the other 10lbs by dressing well to look slimmer. Good luck with whatever you do!

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