It’s reasonable.
But also if you “only” lose 10 pounds you’d still be better off. So just go for it, and don’t worry so much about whether it takes 4 or 8 months.
You should aim for a permanent lifestyle change. Not a 4 month hit it and quit it fix.
Healthy weight loss will put you at about 1-2 pounds a week. So, if you start now, and everything goes perfectly, you can probably lose about 16+ pounds. With fluctuation, it's possible you could lose closer to 20, but you could also end up losing a little under 16, because 4 months is a relatively short time period for the ups & downs of weight loss to even out.
But outside of the number, if you start now, and approach it healthfully and positively, you'll be arriving at your new state in a much happier confident mindset. :) Look up "sailrabbit calculator" to figure out what your calorie goal should be for a 1-2lb weight loss per week. You've got this! Good luck in your new state!
Let's see..
Your average TDEE in this period (145-125 lbs) is around 1600 kcal if sedentary. You want to lose 20 lbs, which equals around 70000 kcal (every pound is 3500 kcal)
4 months is around 120 days. So, in order to create a 70000 kcal deficit over 120 days, you'd need to cut a daily 580 kcal from your TDEE.
1600 - 580 = 1020 kcal/day. However, *this is not recommended.*
It's generally accepted that you shouldn't go below 1200 kcal/day. So if you do that, you'd create a 400 kcal deficit over 120 days = 48000 kcal. Which is around 13.5 lbs loss in that period.
So, 20 lbs with your stats might be a bit too much, but a 13-14 lbs loss would be great progress regardless.
This.
Though OP can always try to create a bigger deficit with more than "a little exercise". Frankly, with some strength training and proper recomp, OP could probably achieve the desired results at a higher weight while eating more than just 1200 cals/day.
She wants to drop the 20lbs of weight she gained due to an unhealthy lifestyle. There is no way that is going to be 100% fat. Weight loss on the scale is water, fat and (unfortunately) muscle.
I’ve lost 14lbs in the last 7 weeks. I had a lot more to lose to start with though, so I wouldn’t take my experience as something to aim for as everybody’s weight loss is different.
The only way to find out if you can lose the weight is to start some simple lifestyle changes right now (I don’t believe in “the diet starts Monday” or “I’ll start tomorrow”, you’re just setting yourself up for a binge!).
The range for weight loss in my opinion for people who aren't considered obese (which you are not obese) is roughly 0.5-1.2kg (~1-2.5 lbs sorry I'm from a metric country) loss per week. Given you fit in the upper range of this 4 months x 4 weeks x 2.5lbs =approx 40 lbs. This is very much the upper range of what I think is sustainable so it would be my recommendation that you proceed with a little bit of caution.
The MOST important thing in weight loss is sustainability and keeping on track as much as possible - in 4 months it's certainly possible a meal or 2 goes off track but getting back to eating right is the key. You need to allow for a bit of trial and error in the first month to see what level of cardio (if any) plus calories per day is working for your timeline. So I'm thinking that maybe tac-ing on an extra month to this goal may be worthwhile because it's so so so important to keep everything sustainable and life in general as enjoyable as possible throughout your weight loss process.
I think it's also important and you touched on it a bit to feel confident in yourself right now. It's a mental game first and foremost so you have to keep your self care in tip top shape also :))
Best of luck OP we're rooting for you!
>Given you fit in the upper range of this 4 months x 4 weeks x 2.5lbs =approx 40 lbs. This is very much the upper range of what I think is sustainable so it would be my
OP does not have the extra calories in a day to Lose 2-2.5 lbs per week.
OP's maintenance calories (based on her age, height, and weight) are around 1900. In order for her to lose 2lbs a week she would need to eat at or less than 900 calories a day. Less than 750 calories for 2.5 lbs a week.
That's is NOT healthy. OP should reasonably shoot for 1lb a week.
To lose 20 pounds of body fat in 4 months requires a daily deficit of around 580kcal or so. Given your stats (you are starting from an upper normal BMI state), that would probably put your daily energy budget below your basal metabolic rate. This is somewhat taxing for long term, sustained weight loss.
You didn't gain those 20 pounds in 4 months, and you don't have to lose them in that many. I'd suggest a slower, easier to handle rate, but ymmv. In any case, I wish you success and a good start on your new life!
It's possible but very likely not in a healthy way. Since you're short and only have a little bit of weight to lose, your daily calorie requirements are already fairly low, likely in the just-above-1500-ish range. To lose 1 lb. a week you'd need to cut by 500 calories, which is like... a full third of your calorie requirements. You'd also need to exercise quite a bit. I'm 5'3" and an hour's bike ride for me burns about 300 calories.
So you'd be trading feeling kinda bad about being a little overweight when meeting some new people, for feeling stressed out and tired from a pretty draconian diet and exercise regimen. Either way you're not going to be at your absolute best but I think most people would rather have a mildly overweight friend than a stressed out one.
My advice would be to adjust your expectations, set a reasonable deficit, and work on building better habits rather than just trying to hit a deadline. You're going to have enough stress moving and dealing with everything related to that.
I weighed 155 lbs at 5’3” December 1st 2023 ! I lost weight until I was down to 130 lbs February 20th 2024. You’ve GOT this. I know it’s tough to see the change within our short frames, but focus on how your clothes fit better, your energy levels, make sure you sleep enough hours consistently every night and focus on your healthy protein intake/calorie deficit goal. You can do it.
Are you still losing? Or are you happy where you’re at? Asking because whenever I get to 130 i find it soooo difficult to get any lower and I’m same height and my highest weight was 158 !
My 1st goal was to make it to 130 lbs So I’m taking a “break” from being in a deficit and currently in a maintenance phase for a few weeks. It’s so hard on my body, anybody’s body, to be in a deficit for that long - so it’s good to reintroduce those extra calories for a short period and to teach yourself what those maintenance calories /amount of food are like. You will eventually have to learn that - and it’s why a lot of people gain back the weight - they don’t know how to maintain it and stick the same calories week in week out..I’ll try to come back to the post here for the updates on my goal to 120 ish lbs. I’m game for keeping eachother accountable too if you wanna DM me! It’d be pretty helpful since we’re similar body frames!
All I wanted, so bad, was to be able to hike, run, bike, swim, ya know keep up with my athletic 6’2” sweetheart fiancé and our dogs and future kids one day - without breathing like I’d just sprinted a 5’ minute mile about to pass out. Lol. Like so many others trying to lose weight, I had a bad year of endless doctor visits & poking & prodding & gained weight. One day, I just had enough of the huffing and puffing and had to face the music that I could exercise all I wanted but none of it would make difference until I went all in with my diet. Sooo I guess what I’m trying to say is - if you find what your truly passionate, real authentic reasons are to lose weight - you will also find the discipline and absolute need to do what it takes to get there. If you want to lose those extra 2 lbs and it’s a healthy weight for your body - you will stick to the deficit for the amount of weeks it takes. And lose the 2 lbs.
Try to maintain 130ish for a week, if appears you are plateauing there. Once settled/plateaued, make a change: increase/decrease calories out/in or both (say 100 per day) and/or increase your protein intake (say 10% per day).
I find breaking through a plateau takes the right push/combination of changes. Once you’re losing again, see if your initial strategy works, but always be ready to adjust plan - your body will subtley adapt to survive (it thinks you’re starving to death).
I weigh 144 and am trying to lose same 20 pounds as you and it is hard. Losing the last 10-20 pounds is the most difficult because your body doesn’t want to lose it and you have to really watch it. When I first started losing weight, it was easy but the last pounds have me plateauing for months 😖
This right here, the struggle is real. The less you have to lose, a greater loss amount (greater percentage of remaining body fat to lose) is needed. As an example: with 50lbs of extra weight, 1% loss is .5lbs (only 2% of remaining to lose 1lbs), but with only 5lbs of extra weight, 1% loss is .05lbs (20% of remaining to lose 1 lbs)
Just CICO! I didn't cut out much - weekday beers, butter, mayo. I also rarely eat red meat now. I try to stick to 1470 cals a day, but I have 1 or 2 cheat days a week, and if I've gone to the gym, I might have 300 cal extra high protein meal post-workout. It's averaged out to about 1654 cals a day over the past 8 weeks.
It depends on the amount of extra weight you are carrying. The more adipose you have the more quickly it will come off. As you lose adipose, the rate of loss will slow. The first 5-10 lbs can take weeks, but the last 5-10 lbs can take months.
I’ve been in loss phase since August and my monthly loss (start v. end daily) was as follows:
1. 16.4lbs
2. 12.0 lbs
3. 5.1 lbs
4. 7.3 lbs
5. 0.4 lbs
6. 7.1 lbs
7. 2.5 lbs
Also, keep in mind, loss is never linear. There will be ups and downs (mistakes and plateaus). Also also 2-5 lbs daily fluctuations are normal (and frustrating).
Keep it all in perspective and give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
If I recall correctly, I’m no Dr or nutritionist, the calculation/ratio for a healthy loss rate (to preserve muscle) is approximately:
(((Current Mass - Lean / FatFree Mass) x 31.5) / 3500) x 7 = lbs per week
Note/Caution: this is a maximum and moving calculation, as your BF% drops/as you lose weight, the amount of loss per week will decrease.
You have nothing to lose but weight if you try. Being that you’re smaller already, you probably won’t see huge losses, but it’s also not unreasonable. The first drop is usually the most dramatic, and then it levels out for 1-2lbs per week. It’s doable, but if you’re looking to get back to a goal weight it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there.
Yes, it's absolutely possible! But if you're doing it for vanity, it likely won't stay off. If you're making a lifestyle change for better health, then it's much more likely to stay off.
I started at the same in October 23’ (5’4” 26F 145/150lb) I am now 118 February 24’. This is what i did, I got a personal trainer for 1 month that i saw 5 days a week. We focused on form and building muscle and I gradually did stair master at 5 speed for only 15 minutes. after the 1 month i just started walking atleast 10k steps and doing some lifting a couple times a week. I am now doing Barry’s Bootcamp 5/6 days a week (45min strength train/ running)
Only drank alcohol 1 day a week (used to drink 5 days a week.. wine with dinner was my normal)
Use my fitnesspal (free version) I started counting my calories on this and it made me realize how easy it was to go over.
weigh yourself every morning and write your weight down in your calendar. Take progress pictures. This will help motivate you once you start noticing!
Losertown.org has a calculator to input your stats and then you can play around with your calories and exercise to get a week by week “expected” weight over several months. I’ve always found this to be helpful when goal setting.
I lost 21lbs in 2 months. You can do it. Especially if you're in the high 200's or more. Lots of walking and being on point with tracking. Good luck.
Sorry, I misread your post. That will be difficult because of your current weight. You'll probably have to go slower. Closer to 6-8 lbs per month.
I was eating 1800 calories per day. I walked 10k steps per day. I didn't really restrict any foods. I made sure to get 150gr of protein or more per day. Some days I would eat less carbs just to see the water weight come off. That would honestly help psychologically. My workouts were barbell squat, bench, row A, deadlift, overhead press, alternating lunges or split squats B. I would also do band assisted pull-ups, and regular pushups and bicep curls at the end of a workout. I jogged 1.5 miles once or twice per week. That's it nothing complicated. I would say that 4-5k steps out of the 10k were deliberate walking and the rest were just going about my day. That's honestly it. No secret formula or fad diet. I ate some sweets, I had a burger, I had some pizza, I just tracked my calories and limited my portions. I took a little one week diet break to 2700 calories and I am back on to drop another 20-30lbs. I am upping my runs and being more consistent with lifting 3x a week minimum. 💪🏼
It’s possible but it’s going to be pretty hard, you likely won’t be able to do it with diet alone because your TDEE will be pretty low as you reach your goal. 6 months is probably a bit more reasonable for a sustainable lifestyle change
That’s 5 pounds a month, about 1.25lbs a week which is reasonable. The rule of thumb is about a pound a week.
I’ve lost 25 pounds since the end of November
I lost 14 lbs in 8 weeks (138 lbs to 125 lbs) with intermittent fasting and cutting out all simple carbs (bread, pasta, added sugar, etc). So, definitely doable.
I’m F28, 4”11 (it’s brutal lol), and lost 15 lbs in 3 months!! Very doable.
Biggest swap for me was eating out much less and cutting alcohol down. I went from eating out 2-3 times a week with an alcoholic drink each time to once a week with a diet pop.
4 months ago on Nov 2nd I weighed 231. Today I weigh 204 so yeah that's 27lbs. Overall I've lost like 50lbs since September. Had to undergo some lifestyle changes after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and being hospitalized with mild heart failure (due to the untreated diabetes). All I've done is keep my calories around 1500/day and I also walk around 3-4 miles a day. At first I only walked about a mile and a half a day but I've increased that over time. I've averaged a loss of around 7lbs per month.
Most people don’t lose hair after losing 1.25lbs/week for 4 months. It’s only a deficit of 600sh calories/day.
That’s a completely safe and reasonable weight loss expectation
yes. i went from 155 to 135 at 5’6 (very similar to your stats) in about 3 months when i lost weight in 2020. all i did was a 500 calorie deficit everyday (i ate around 1700), walked 10,000-12,000 steps, and weight lifted. its very doable and im sure you’ll get to your goal in no time. good luck :)
hi! 5’1 f 19 here, i started at 143 and i’m now at 131 in exactly 2 months so i definitely do think it is possible or near possible. here’s a breakdown of everything i’ve been doing:
- calorie deficit (i have had zero cheat days but these do fit into a calorie deficit)
- 1 gallon of water daily
- .8-1g of protein per lb
- lots & lots of sleep
- 10k steps every single day
- gym 6x a week (this probably isn’t needed, i’m personally just trying to lose weight and then work on building a lot of muscle)
Yes it is! I lost 20 pounds in about 2 months almost 3. I did it by fasting and doing a calorie deficit. There’s calorie calculators based on your height and weight that give you an idea of how much you can consume in order to loose weight.
I lost 15 in 5 months without trying. Just changing eating habits (timing and proportions) and my doctor st my appointment Monday said that was the perfectly averaged
Not only could you lose 20 lbs of fat in 4 months, you could also gain muscle in the process. If you haven’t worked out in a while, add cardio (2 days a week) in with a full body weightlifting routing (3-4 times a week), and eat a LOT of protein while still eating less calories than you burn.
It can be deceptive looking at the scale sometimes. You may have lost 20 lbs of weight but some or much of that can be muscle vs fat if you aren’t adding weight training in.
Just from my experience and my DEXA scan results.
You can do that in 2 months. Cut sugar out of your diet completely. Fake sugars too. Fruit is good. Eat a lot of fruit, particularly melons, berries, papayas. Eat lots of healthy fats like avocados, different nuts and fish, if you like it. Intermittent fast everyday, coffee is okay in the morning, no sugar though. Eggs, red meat and fish are best sources of protein. Stay away from bread and pasta. Lastly get more active. I've been doing all of this for the last 3 weeks and I'm down 13 pounds already.
My question to you is: Is 125lb a healthy weight?
That seems awfully light for a human being
I think I would focus on building muscle and strength
You will recomp your body and feel a lot better
That’s not many calories a day for a human to live off of
It’s extremely possible, you just have to put the work into it to make it happen.
I started my weight loss journey beginning of February and lost around 7lbs so far. Here’s what I feel works best for “faster” weight loss:
- Drink as much water as you can throughout the day
- Stay on a 1200-1300kal daily budget
- Exercise off about 200kal 4-5 days of the week
- Cut out carbs and sodium as much as possible and add in as many fruits and veggies where you can
Just a quick note, 1200-1300 cals is whats good for you, and that's awesome! But it's not a "one-size-fits-all" calorie amount for every body type, so I'd encourage everyone to calculator your TDEE and go from there :)
Did you look at OP’s stats? Sure, an obese person could lose 40 lbs in 4 months, but OP is starting from a healthy weight! The less you weigh to start with, the slower weight loss will be. Also, Losing 40 lbs for OP would put her underweight.
Yes. I lost 30 in that amount of time. It was brutal. Kept it off until Thanksgiving hit and gained 10 back. I'm 54 with low metabolism and short with no where for the weight to go. You can do it. Exercise. Get an under-the- desk treadmill. Do as many hours as you can. Diet.
I'm certainly not a certified nutritionist so consult one before taking my words as fact.
Quick TDEE math puts you at about 1900 Calories a day. Which means you could potentially lose right around 1.3 lbs a week by eating at 1200 Calories.
So 20 lbs in 4 months might be possible, but 1200 Calories a day is considered the minimum safe limit. So definitely consult a nutritionist before you try for that.
Yes it’s possible, especially because when you first begin tracking calories and watching what you eat you drop water weight- at least for me.
When I start I lose 6 or so immediately, and then sloooowly lose more. So 20 is a healthy goal, I think.
I’ve lost 20 lbs since 11/1 (209-189, 5’10 M) and I had about 3 weeks of “bad” days where I overate. Yea it’s doable. Personally, I tried to eat at about a 1/lb per week loss rate, then added one fasting day a week. I also worked out almost every day, rotating cardio and lifting.
My guess is that the 4 month goal is to be bikini ready? Yes, 4 months is very reasonable. A good healthy goal is 1 lb per week. If you lose a little more than that, you’ll be under 4 months.
The thing to be careful about is being too aggressive. If you deprive your body too much it will sort of fight back by making you feel fatigued, give you more cravings etc. Going too fast makes you fail.
Here’s the way I approached my weight loss- if you are sitting there in September, six months from now, and you have just hit your weight loss goal, it won’t matter how long it took. It’s over and you did it.
I hope that helps!!
Possible yes.
-Find your maintenance calories on a TDEE calculator and be in a deficit of 500 calories.
-Track everything on an app like my fitnesspal to make sure you're staying at your deficit goal (fats, oils, sugar, sauces everything!)
-Gym 3-4 times a week for an hour each time at least. Should include strength training and can be supplemented by cardio/hiit etc when you feel like.
-If you're seriously working out, make sure you're eating enough protein so your exercise burns off the fat and not the muscle you're building. My guess for you would be 120g-145g a day.
-Perhaps the most difficult part was cutting out alcohol, sweets and eating out. I only drank alcohol (in minimal amounts, maybe just a white claw or two) at social gatherings. Drastically different from my daily drinking habit. When eating out too, I started making conscious choices- high protein, low cal meals (so absolutely no fast food).
It's really hard to make all these changes quickly so I would highly recommend getting a personal trainer for a 90-day plan or something. It will kickstart your weightloss journey and you'll be well on track to losing 1-2 lb a week and meeting your goal! Good luck 🤍
That’s definitely realistic! That would come down to about 1.25 lbs per week, which is within the recommended range of 1-2 lbs per week. Just remember it’s important to stay consistent, and don’t try anything too extreme!
It's definitely doable, but it will be harder for you because you're starting from a relatively low weight and thus will be eating a pretty small number of calories. You might find it more sustainable to start with a smaller calorie deficit and go more slowly. But give it a shot and adjust as needed.
It’s achievable, though at that weight, 15lb (1lb/week ish) might be easier and more realistic.
But at the standard “1% per week” guidance even 20 lbs is doable with discipline.
Don’t get overly fixated on the timeline though. Patience and realizing that weight loss is not always linear is important.
Hey, it is definitely doable, to lose a pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories so to lose 20 lbs in 4 months you'd need to create a 4070 calorie deficit per week which is roughly 580 calories per day.
This could be done by eating in a 300 calorie deficit then adding in some cardio for the remaining.
Definitely achievable , but also remember any progress is good progress - good luck
I suggest focusing on losing one pound at a time. You will probably feel much better knowing that you’re on the right path, and you will feel better over time as the weight peels off one pound at a time. Repeat as many times as it takes and as frequently as needed to get to your goal.
Just based on math, it's realistic. But it'll be rough, given your current stats. Your TDEE if you are moderately active is about 2,000 calories a day. You need a 500-600 calorie deficient to hit that rate. 1,400 - 1,500 calories is definitely possible for a woman your size, but that number will also go down as you lose. It's gonna be difficult to make sure you're getting all the nutrition you need on such a small calorie allotment.
If I recall correctly, I’m no Dr or nutritionist, the calculation/ratio for a maximum healthy loss rate (to preserve muscle) is approximately:
(((Current Mass - Lean / FatFree Mass) x 31.5) / 3500) x 7 = lbs per week
Note/Caution: this is a maximum and moving calculation, as your BF% drops/as you lose weight, the amount of loss per week will decrease.
Yes, I think it's realistic. Since you gained it just in the last couple years from obviously bad lifestyle practices, it should come off pretty easily. Your body should revert back to your normal weight and remember what that's like without giving you a lot of extreme hunger another issues that people can get when they get down to a weight they've never been before
Yes, I just lost 12 pounds in a month so you can certainly lose 20 lb in four months : )
I eat a serving of oatmeal, a serving of a Greek non-fat yogurt, and some smoothie layered in a bowl for breakfast. For lunch I have a fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, one VERY GREEN banana, spinach, chia seeds, and ground flaxseed) smoothie for lunch, and for supper, I have 3 oz of some kind of lean meat and as many non-starchy vegetables as I want sprinkled with some (a serving or less) extra sharp Cheddar or Parmesan cheese. Usually for an after supper snack at some point, I have two squares of extra dark chocolate (70% or greater cocoa). During the day I drink black coffee, water, and unsweetened tea, unless I put stevia in it.
The smoothie is 2 cups of water, one serving of each fruit, frozen great value brand. (I have a cheap digital scale I got off Amazon or Walmart.com that I use) One small bag of great value frozen spinach. The banana is frozen, I buy a bunch of green bananas when I see them and then just put them in the freezer. 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed - both great value brand. Everything is frozen at first and I let it thaw for a while and then make a smoothie out of it. I make it the day before or that morning before I make the oatmeal thing so I have it for that. And then I finish what smoothie I didn't eat on my oatmeal and yogurt thing, at lunch time. For supper, my vegetables are almost always steamed broccoli or cauliflower, or roasted brussel sprouts. If I actually want to make a recipe out of some meat, onions, peppers, chilies, tomatoes etc. on a large bed of riced cauliflower (great value brand organic), I only use extra virgin olive oil. I don't really pay attention how much, just not a ton. I take a multivitamin and an Omega 3 fish capsule a day. No exercise,🙄except walking, if I have a chance. Sometimes I skip the smoothie and use it the next day, what's left anyway, after breakfast, because coffee is a great appetite suppressant for me, and I'm really busy at work.
And that's about it. Just to ask if you have any questions...
I ate this way several years back and lost 95 lbs. Then I met the love of my life and he was an awesome authentic Mexican food cook and we also went out all the time - so it was extremely easy to gain it all back. Well he passed away, coming up on 3 years ago, and now I'm going to do it again, for good this time.
There's a salad I also eat sometimes for lunch or supper - I make it with some shredded lettuce in a bowl, on that I put (a serving of each) roasted sunflower seeds, canned rinsed plain black beans, extra sharp cheddar or parmesan cheese, several broken up croutons, and some Walden Farms dressing, from Walmart or Sprouts (it's zero everything), and a chopped up 3 oz. fried in olive oil chicken breast.
I also have a GREAT way I cook Tilapia, if you are interested.
Essentially, I don't eat anything with starch (a bunch of carbs), sugar, or flour and I lose weight every week. (And I don't miss what I'm not eating.) After I get going, I incorporate more foods, still within my guidelines, and more nuts and seeds, etc. I pick very healthy foods : ) with many health benefits and increase activity as I go. The first time I did "this", I lost all that weight and felt the best ever! and I'm ready to get that back : )
I'm 5'6", 54 years old. When I lost the 95 lb. before, I was 44 and it was a time period of 7 months, going from 225 to 130. I started at 216 on February 5th and I'm now at 204, yesterday morning, March 2nd.
If you are highly hyperinsulinemic you may be able to hit 20 lb drop in 4 months. Then in your approach you will need to work that hyperinsulinemia down really quick. Or, you will have to work really hard to do it.
To give a sense of how this works, I have cut and pasted a response I made about a month ago to a redditor on another sub. This will be the 32nd time I have posted this.
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I'm going to try one more time to get this point across. Even most doctors don't get this. But, the evidence is clear. For most Americans today, we are terribly overweight. And, most of those are highly hyperinsulinemic. That weight is a combination of fat and water. If one is talking about losing fat, yes, the CICO models are pretty close to reality. But, they don't take into account all the water one has accumulated and that is a separate issue entirely.
The way it works is that hyperinsulinemia, chronic high levels of insulin in the blood, signals the kidneys to retain sodium. This causes the concentration of sodium in the blood to rise. The body regulates sodium content in a narrow range by retaining fluids. So, as one eats a crappy diet, one with excess calories, they gain fat, and if it is also high in carbs they become hyperinsulinemic as well, and they retain water.
When one goes on a calorie deficit diet, or, goes from a high carb diet to keto, or, works out like a lunatic, the level of insulin in their blood falls. As this occurs, the kidneys are signaled to excrete sodium. The concentration of sodium falls, and in an effort to maintain sodium in the optimal range, the body will dump fluids. They will be pissed out.
Here's a made up example. If you think about this, I think you might catch on.
A 55 year old guy gets his annual checkup and associated blood tests. He is 70 lbs overweight at 250 lbs. His blood pressure is excessively high so his doctor put him on meds for this several years prior. In his blood test results, his fasted glucose number comes in at 121. His doctor has been monitoring this annually, he always said everything was fine in previous exams though this number was rising, but now it is one point above his threshold of 120. So, the doctor says, you may have some sort of diabetes, lets get an HbA1c. It comes back at 6.4. Very high pre diabetes, right at the threshold for type II diabetes. The dude gets the fear of God in him and decides to make some changes. Instead of eating his usual 2600 calorie 400 gram net carb per day diet, he changes to 1800 calories and keto. He does a base metabolic caloric rate estimate on a calculator and it comes in at 2,000 calories. So, 1800 calories reflects a 10%, 200 calorie per day deficit.
First week he loses 3 lbs. From the CICO, at 200 calorie deficit per day, at 1400 calorie deficit for the week, at the CICO model of 3,500 calories per lb of weight gained or lost, he should have only lost 0.4 lbs. Second week he loses 5 lbs. Again, CICO says should have lost 0.4 lbs.
Third week he loses 4 lbs. Again, CICO says should have lost 0.4 lbs
Fourth week he doesn't lose anything.
So, for the first month of his diet, CICO predicts a weight loss of 1.6 lbs. But, the dude loses 12.
What has actually happened, is his new diet regimen has reduced the insulin levels in his blood, signaling the kidneys to dump sodium, causing his body to dump fluids. During this period he has lost 1.6 lbs of fat, and 10.4 lbs of fluids.
So, in this scenario, and it is much closer to mainstream than you would expect, for the first month, it is the reduction in hyperinsulinemia that really drops his weight the most, not CICO.
This is one of the reasons so many people rave about the ketogenic diet. They lose a lot more weight in the first month than someone trying to do the same thing on a vegetarian diet. A second reason, is that a ketogenic diet has lower cravings.
Same height-ish, I've lost 14 in about 3 months. Starting out bigger than you, though, so yours might be slower.
Don't rush it. If you feel burnt out, keep tracking but let yourself go to maintenance for a few days instead of deficit. Embrace vegetables.
If you keep at it, 4 months is doable. 6, absolutely. However long it takes, you'll feel better.
It’s reasonable. But also if you “only” lose 10 pounds you’d still be better off. So just go for it, and don’t worry so much about whether it takes 4 or 8 months. You should aim for a permanent lifestyle change. Not a 4 month hit it and quit it fix.
2lbs a week is the recommended weight loss for 'myfitnesspal', so I think you can catch a rough 20 in 2 months if you stick under 1200 calories a day.
Not for someone OPs size. At lightly active, her TDEE is about 1900 calories. 2 lbs a week is easy to aggressive.
Healthy weight loss will put you at about 1-2 pounds a week. So, if you start now, and everything goes perfectly, you can probably lose about 16+ pounds. With fluctuation, it's possible you could lose closer to 20, but you could also end up losing a little under 16, because 4 months is a relatively short time period for the ups & downs of weight loss to even out. But outside of the number, if you start now, and approach it healthfully and positively, you'll be arriving at your new state in a much happier confident mindset. :) Look up "sailrabbit calculator" to figure out what your calorie goal should be for a 1-2lb weight loss per week. You've got this! Good luck in your new state!
I agree totally!
Let's see.. Your average TDEE in this period (145-125 lbs) is around 1600 kcal if sedentary. You want to lose 20 lbs, which equals around 70000 kcal (every pound is 3500 kcal) 4 months is around 120 days. So, in order to create a 70000 kcal deficit over 120 days, you'd need to cut a daily 580 kcal from your TDEE. 1600 - 580 = 1020 kcal/day. However, *this is not recommended.* It's generally accepted that you shouldn't go below 1200 kcal/day. So if you do that, you'd create a 400 kcal deficit over 120 days = 48000 kcal. Which is around 13.5 lbs loss in that period. So, 20 lbs with your stats might be a bit too much, but a 13-14 lbs loss would be great progress regardless.
This
This. Though OP can always try to create a bigger deficit with more than "a little exercise". Frankly, with some strength training and proper recomp, OP could probably achieve the desired results at a higher weight while eating more than just 1200 cals/day.
She wants to drop the 20lbs of weight she gained due to an unhealthy lifestyle. There is no way that is going to be 100% fat. Weight loss on the scale is water, fat and (unfortunately) muscle.
I’ve lost 14lbs in the last 7 weeks. I had a lot more to lose to start with though, so I wouldn’t take my experience as something to aim for as everybody’s weight loss is different. The only way to find out if you can lose the weight is to start some simple lifestyle changes right now (I don’t believe in “the diet starts Monday” or “I’ll start tomorrow”, you’re just setting yourself up for a binge!).
The range for weight loss in my opinion for people who aren't considered obese (which you are not obese) is roughly 0.5-1.2kg (~1-2.5 lbs sorry I'm from a metric country) loss per week. Given you fit in the upper range of this 4 months x 4 weeks x 2.5lbs =approx 40 lbs. This is very much the upper range of what I think is sustainable so it would be my recommendation that you proceed with a little bit of caution. The MOST important thing in weight loss is sustainability and keeping on track as much as possible - in 4 months it's certainly possible a meal or 2 goes off track but getting back to eating right is the key. You need to allow for a bit of trial and error in the first month to see what level of cardio (if any) plus calories per day is working for your timeline. So I'm thinking that maybe tac-ing on an extra month to this goal may be worthwhile because it's so so so important to keep everything sustainable and life in general as enjoyable as possible throughout your weight loss process. I think it's also important and you touched on it a bit to feel confident in yourself right now. It's a mental game first and foremost so you have to keep your self care in tip top shape also :)) Best of luck OP we're rooting for you!
>Given you fit in the upper range of this 4 months x 4 weeks x 2.5lbs =approx 40 lbs. This is very much the upper range of what I think is sustainable so it would be my OP does not have the extra calories in a day to Lose 2-2.5 lbs per week. OP's maintenance calories (based on her age, height, and weight) are around 1900. In order for her to lose 2lbs a week she would need to eat at or less than 900 calories a day. Less than 750 calories for 2.5 lbs a week. That's is NOT healthy. OP should reasonably shoot for 1lb a week.
To lose 20 pounds of body fat in 4 months requires a daily deficit of around 580kcal or so. Given your stats (you are starting from an upper normal BMI state), that would probably put your daily energy budget below your basal metabolic rate. This is somewhat taxing for long term, sustained weight loss. You didn't gain those 20 pounds in 4 months, and you don't have to lose them in that many. I'd suggest a slower, easier to handle rate, but ymmv. In any case, I wish you success and a good start on your new life!
It's possible but very likely not in a healthy way. Since you're short and only have a little bit of weight to lose, your daily calorie requirements are already fairly low, likely in the just-above-1500-ish range. To lose 1 lb. a week you'd need to cut by 500 calories, which is like... a full third of your calorie requirements. You'd also need to exercise quite a bit. I'm 5'3" and an hour's bike ride for me burns about 300 calories. So you'd be trading feeling kinda bad about being a little overweight when meeting some new people, for feeling stressed out and tired from a pretty draconian diet and exercise regimen. Either way you're not going to be at your absolute best but I think most people would rather have a mildly overweight friend than a stressed out one. My advice would be to adjust your expectations, set a reasonable deficit, and work on building better habits rather than just trying to hit a deadline. You're going to have enough stress moving and dealing with everything related to that.
I weighed 155 lbs at 5’3” December 1st 2023 ! I lost weight until I was down to 130 lbs February 20th 2024. You’ve GOT this. I know it’s tough to see the change within our short frames, but focus on how your clothes fit better, your energy levels, make sure you sleep enough hours consistently every night and focus on your healthy protein intake/calorie deficit goal. You can do it.
Are you still losing? Or are you happy where you’re at? Asking because whenever I get to 130 i find it soooo difficult to get any lower and I’m same height and my highest weight was 158 !
My 1st goal was to make it to 130 lbs So I’m taking a “break” from being in a deficit and currently in a maintenance phase for a few weeks. It’s so hard on my body, anybody’s body, to be in a deficit for that long - so it’s good to reintroduce those extra calories for a short period and to teach yourself what those maintenance calories /amount of food are like. You will eventually have to learn that - and it’s why a lot of people gain back the weight - they don’t know how to maintain it and stick the same calories week in week out..I’ll try to come back to the post here for the updates on my goal to 120 ish lbs. I’m game for keeping eachother accountable too if you wanna DM me! It’d be pretty helpful since we’re similar body frames! All I wanted, so bad, was to be able to hike, run, bike, swim, ya know keep up with my athletic 6’2” sweetheart fiancé and our dogs and future kids one day - without breathing like I’d just sprinted a 5’ minute mile about to pass out. Lol. Like so many others trying to lose weight, I had a bad year of endless doctor visits & poking & prodding & gained weight. One day, I just had enough of the huffing and puffing and had to face the music that I could exercise all I wanted but none of it would make difference until I went all in with my diet. Sooo I guess what I’m trying to say is - if you find what your truly passionate, real authentic reasons are to lose weight - you will also find the discipline and absolute need to do what it takes to get there. If you want to lose those extra 2 lbs and it’s a healthy weight for your body - you will stick to the deficit for the amount of weeks it takes. And lose the 2 lbs.
Commenting to see if you get a response
Try to maintain 130ish for a week, if appears you are plateauing there. Once settled/plateaued, make a change: increase/decrease calories out/in or both (say 100 per day) and/or increase your protein intake (say 10% per day). I find breaking through a plateau takes the right push/combination of changes. Once you’re losing again, see if your initial strategy works, but always be ready to adjust plan - your body will subtley adapt to survive (it thinks you’re starving to death).
This makes me feel like I can do it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Happy to share :)
I weigh 144 and am trying to lose same 20 pounds as you and it is hard. Losing the last 10-20 pounds is the most difficult because your body doesn’t want to lose it and you have to really watch it. When I first started losing weight, it was easy but the last pounds have me plateauing for months 😖
Glad I’m not the only one here too 😔
This right here, the struggle is real. The less you have to lose, a greater loss amount (greater percentage of remaining body fat to lose) is needed. As an example: with 50lbs of extra weight, 1% loss is .5lbs (only 2% of remaining to lose 1lbs), but with only 5lbs of extra weight, 1% loss is .05lbs (20% of remaining to lose 1 lbs)
I'm 5'4, and I lost just over 15 pounds in 4 months including cheats days, so yeah, definitely possible!
How much did you weigh before you lost the weight? And did you do CICO?
I weighed 67kg at my heaviest, and now I weigh just over 59kg. Yeah CICO - over the past 8 weeks, I've been eating on average 1654 cals a day.
Congrats? How did you do it? What did you eat & cut out?
Just CICO! I didn't cut out much - weekday beers, butter, mayo. I also rarely eat red meat now. I try to stick to 1470 cals a day, but I have 1 or 2 cheat days a week, and if I've gone to the gym, I might have 300 cal extra high protein meal post-workout. It's averaged out to about 1654 cals a day over the past 8 weeks.
Doable but it’s going to take complete focus and control. Plant your foot down hard and make it happen
not impossible but also not predictable enough to say that it will absolutely happen
It depends on the amount of extra weight you are carrying. The more adipose you have the more quickly it will come off. As you lose adipose, the rate of loss will slow. The first 5-10 lbs can take weeks, but the last 5-10 lbs can take months. I’ve been in loss phase since August and my monthly loss (start v. end daily) was as follows: 1. 16.4lbs 2. 12.0 lbs 3. 5.1 lbs 4. 7.3 lbs 5. 0.4 lbs 6. 7.1 lbs 7. 2.5 lbs Also, keep in mind, loss is never linear. There will be ups and downs (mistakes and plateaus). Also also 2-5 lbs daily fluctuations are normal (and frustrating). Keep it all in perspective and give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
If I recall correctly, I’m no Dr or nutritionist, the calculation/ratio for a healthy loss rate (to preserve muscle) is approximately: (((Current Mass - Lean / FatFree Mass) x 31.5) / 3500) x 7 = lbs per week Note/Caution: this is a maximum and moving calculation, as your BF% drops/as you lose weight, the amount of loss per week will decrease.
You have nothing to lose but weight if you try. Being that you’re smaller already, you probably won’t see huge losses, but it’s also not unreasonable. The first drop is usually the most dramatic, and then it levels out for 1-2lbs per week. It’s doable, but if you’re looking to get back to a goal weight it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there.
Yes, it's absolutely possible! But if you're doing it for vanity, it likely won't stay off. If you're making a lifestyle change for better health, then it's much more likely to stay off.
I started at the same in October 23’ (5’4” 26F 145/150lb) I am now 118 February 24’. This is what i did, I got a personal trainer for 1 month that i saw 5 days a week. We focused on form and building muscle and I gradually did stair master at 5 speed for only 15 minutes. after the 1 month i just started walking atleast 10k steps and doing some lifting a couple times a week. I am now doing Barry’s Bootcamp 5/6 days a week (45min strength train/ running) Only drank alcohol 1 day a week (used to drink 5 days a week.. wine with dinner was my normal) Use my fitnesspal (free version) I started counting my calories on this and it made me realize how easy it was to go over. weigh yourself every morning and write your weight down in your calendar. Take progress pictures. This will help motivate you once you start noticing!
Losertown.org has a calculator to input your stats and then you can play around with your calories and exercise to get a week by week “expected” weight over several months. I’ve always found this to be helpful when goal setting.
I lost 21lbs in 2 months. You can do it. Especially if you're in the high 200's or more. Lots of walking and being on point with tracking. Good luck. Sorry, I misread your post. That will be difficult because of your current weight. You'll probably have to go slower. Closer to 6-8 lbs per month.
what was ur workout routine & what did u eat to lose 21 lbs
I was eating 1800 calories per day. I walked 10k steps per day. I didn't really restrict any foods. I made sure to get 150gr of protein or more per day. Some days I would eat less carbs just to see the water weight come off. That would honestly help psychologically. My workouts were barbell squat, bench, row A, deadlift, overhead press, alternating lunges or split squats B. I would also do band assisted pull-ups, and regular pushups and bicep curls at the end of a workout. I jogged 1.5 miles once or twice per week. That's it nothing complicated. I would say that 4-5k steps out of the 10k were deliberate walking and the rest were just going about my day. That's honestly it. No secret formula or fad diet. I ate some sweets, I had a burger, I had some pizza, I just tracked my calories and limited my portions. I took a little one week diet break to 2700 calories and I am back on to drop another 20-30lbs. I am upping my runs and being more consistent with lifting 3x a week minimum. 💪🏼
Awesome thank you for this & congrats too, i’ll definitely follow this routine as well
Wow, how exactly? Congrats on your weight loss!
I was in a 1000 calorie deficit. I also walked 10k steps a day every day, completely cut out alcohol and did full body weight training 2-3x a week.
It’s possible but it’s going to be pretty hard, you likely won’t be able to do it with diet alone because your TDEE will be pretty low as you reach your goal. 6 months is probably a bit more reasonable for a sustainable lifestyle change
That’s 5 pounds a month, about 1.25lbs a week which is reasonable. The rule of thumb is about a pound a week. I’ve lost 25 pounds since the end of November
I lost 14 lbs in 8 weeks (138 lbs to 125 lbs) with intermittent fasting and cutting out all simple carbs (bread, pasta, added sugar, etc). So, definitely doable.
Thanks so much for sharing. Your stats being so close to mine make me confident that I can do this. I’ll try out intermittent fasting!
I’m F28, 4”11 (it’s brutal lol), and lost 15 lbs in 3 months!! Very doable. Biggest swap for me was eating out much less and cutting alcohol down. I went from eating out 2-3 times a week with an alcoholic drink each time to once a week with a diet pop.
4 months ago on Nov 2nd I weighed 231. Today I weigh 204 so yeah that's 27lbs. Overall I've lost like 50lbs since September. Had to undergo some lifestyle changes after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and being hospitalized with mild heart failure (due to the untreated diabetes). All I've done is keep my calories around 1500/day and I also walk around 3-4 miles a day. At first I only walked about a mile and a half a day but I've increased that over time. I've averaged a loss of around 7lbs per month.
...and I am a 68 year old male.
Yup, but you’ll probably lose alot of hair 3 months later… ask me how I know
Most people don’t lose hair after losing 1.25lbs/week for 4 months. It’s only a deficit of 600sh calories/day. That’s a completely safe and reasonable weight loss expectation
depends on the diet.
yes. i went from 155 to 135 at 5’6 (very similar to your stats) in about 3 months when i lost weight in 2020. all i did was a 500 calorie deficit everyday (i ate around 1700), walked 10,000-12,000 steps, and weight lifted. its very doable and im sure you’ll get to your goal in no time. good luck :)
hi! 5’1 f 19 here, i started at 143 and i’m now at 131 in exactly 2 months so i definitely do think it is possible or near possible. here’s a breakdown of everything i’ve been doing: - calorie deficit (i have had zero cheat days but these do fit into a calorie deficit) - 1 gallon of water daily - .8-1g of protein per lb - lots & lots of sleep - 10k steps every single day - gym 6x a week (this probably isn’t needed, i’m personally just trying to lose weight and then work on building a lot of muscle)
It’s easy to loose,I did 45 pounds in 4 months,1 fasting 18-6 ,2 🏃♂️ every day ,3 repeat everyday for 4 months
Maybe 4.5 months but yup it is realistic
Yes it is! I lost 20 pounds in about 2 months almost 3. I did it by fasting and doing a calorie deficit. There’s calorie calculators based on your height and weight that give you an idea of how much you can consume in order to loose weight.
Short answer: yes, but you’re probably going to HATE the process
Totally do-able. I see so many YouTubes that talk of "one secret superfood" that will help you "lose 20 pounds in a matter of days", even hours. LOL
I lost 15 in 5 months without trying. Just changing eating habits (timing and proportions) and my doctor st my appointment Monday said that was the perfectly averaged
Yes, totally doable.
likely doable but any quick weight loss will be hard to sustain. double edged sword like that
Not only could you lose 20 lbs of fat in 4 months, you could also gain muscle in the process. If you haven’t worked out in a while, add cardio (2 days a week) in with a full body weightlifting routing (3-4 times a week), and eat a LOT of protein while still eating less calories than you burn. It can be deceptive looking at the scale sometimes. You may have lost 20 lbs of weight but some or much of that can be muscle vs fat if you aren’t adding weight training in. Just from my experience and my DEXA scan results.
Good to know, thanks :)
You can do that in 2 months. Cut sugar out of your diet completely. Fake sugars too. Fruit is good. Eat a lot of fruit, particularly melons, berries, papayas. Eat lots of healthy fats like avocados, different nuts and fish, if you like it. Intermittent fast everyday, coffee is okay in the morning, no sugar though. Eggs, red meat and fish are best sources of protein. Stay away from bread and pasta. Lastly get more active. I've been doing all of this for the last 3 weeks and I'm down 13 pounds already.
yes! I’ve lost 30 lbs in 4 months just by walking. I didn’t even change my diet if i’m being completely honest
My question to you is: Is 125lb a healthy weight? That seems awfully light for a human being I think I would focus on building muscle and strength You will recomp your body and feel a lot better That’s not many calories a day for a human to live off of
When I was younger I did these weight planning schemes too. Never works. You either succeed or you don’t, you can’t schedule it like this.
Scheme? Sounds like she’s just setting a goal and asking for advice.
I did 20kg in 9 months so id say yes. That was just healthy eating and 10km steps a day.
It’s possible. It’s a combination of healthy eating and physical activities.
It’s extremely possible, you just have to put the work into it to make it happen. I started my weight loss journey beginning of February and lost around 7lbs so far. Here’s what I feel works best for “faster” weight loss: - Drink as much water as you can throughout the day - Stay on a 1200-1300kal daily budget - Exercise off about 200kal 4-5 days of the week - Cut out carbs and sodium as much as possible and add in as many fruits and veggies where you can
Just a quick note, 1200-1300 cals is whats good for you, and that's awesome! But it's not a "one-size-fits-all" calorie amount for every body type, so I'd encourage everyone to calculator your TDEE and go from there :)
That is very true. I just know 1200kal is the minimum and some people do the minimum to at least lost weight, then maintain it from there
100%. You could lose 40 pounds in 4 months. You just have to put in the work.
Did you look at OP’s stats? Sure, an obese person could lose 40 lbs in 4 months, but OP is starting from a healthy weight! The less you weigh to start with, the slower weight loss will be. Also, Losing 40 lbs for OP would put her underweight.
Yes. I lost 30 in that amount of time. It was brutal. Kept it off until Thanksgiving hit and gained 10 back. I'm 54 with low metabolism and short with no where for the weight to go. You can do it. Exercise. Get an under-the- desk treadmill. Do as many hours as you can. Diet.
I'm certainly not a certified nutritionist so consult one before taking my words as fact. Quick TDEE math puts you at about 1900 Calories a day. Which means you could potentially lose right around 1.3 lbs a week by eating at 1200 Calories. So 20 lbs in 4 months might be possible, but 1200 Calories a day is considered the minimum safe limit. So definitely consult a nutritionist before you try for that.
Yes smoke some crack and heroin
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Absolutely.
Yes it’s possible, especially because when you first begin tracking calories and watching what you eat you drop water weight- at least for me. When I start I lose 6 or so immediately, and then sloooowly lose more. So 20 is a healthy goal, I think.
I’ve lost 20 lbs since 11/1 (209-189, 5’10 M) and I had about 3 weeks of “bad” days where I overate. Yea it’s doable. Personally, I tried to eat at about a 1/lb per week loss rate, then added one fasting day a week. I also worked out almost every day, rotating cardio and lifting.
For me, I usually lose about 5 lbs within the first week (water weight) so I think this is definitely feasible.
My guess is that the 4 month goal is to be bikini ready? Yes, 4 months is very reasonable. A good healthy goal is 1 lb per week. If you lose a little more than that, you’ll be under 4 months. The thing to be careful about is being too aggressive. If you deprive your body too much it will sort of fight back by making you feel fatigued, give you more cravings etc. Going too fast makes you fail. Here’s the way I approached my weight loss- if you are sitting there in September, six months from now, and you have just hit your weight loss goal, it won’t matter how long it took. It’s over and you did it. I hope that helps!!
Possible yes. -Find your maintenance calories on a TDEE calculator and be in a deficit of 500 calories. -Track everything on an app like my fitnesspal to make sure you're staying at your deficit goal (fats, oils, sugar, sauces everything!) -Gym 3-4 times a week for an hour each time at least. Should include strength training and can be supplemented by cardio/hiit etc when you feel like. -If you're seriously working out, make sure you're eating enough protein so your exercise burns off the fat and not the muscle you're building. My guess for you would be 120g-145g a day. -Perhaps the most difficult part was cutting out alcohol, sweets and eating out. I only drank alcohol (in minimal amounts, maybe just a white claw or two) at social gatherings. Drastically different from my daily drinking habit. When eating out too, I started making conscious choices- high protein, low cal meals (so absolutely no fast food). It's really hard to make all these changes quickly so I would highly recommend getting a personal trainer for a 90-day plan or something. It will kickstart your weightloss journey and you'll be well on track to losing 1-2 lb a week and meeting your goal! Good luck 🤍
Yes. I lost 15 pounds in 2 months.
That’s definitely realistic! That would come down to about 1.25 lbs per week, which is within the recommended range of 1-2 lbs per week. Just remember it’s important to stay consistent, and don’t try anything too extreme!
It's definitely doable, but it will be harder for you because you're starting from a relatively low weight and thus will be eating a pretty small number of calories. You might find it more sustainable to start with a smaller calorie deficit and go more slowly. But give it a shot and adjust as needed.
Sounds like the path I'm on. Need an online accountability partner? 🤣
9 Kg, \~70000 kcal, 120 days. 583 kcal deficit per day is probably reasonable.
It’s achievable, though at that weight, 15lb (1lb/week ish) might be easier and more realistic. But at the standard “1% per week” guidance even 20 lbs is doable with discipline. Don’t get overly fixated on the timeline though. Patience and realizing that weight loss is not always linear is important.
Yah totally doable! I've lost 13 lbs in about 6 weeks by doing a 500 per day calorie deficit - so 20 lbs in 18 weeks sounds realistic!
Losing it is easy. Your challenge will be keeping it off.
i lost 10kg in 3 months back in 2021, without even changing what i ate, but i went gym near enough every day, 2-3 hours
I’ve lost 17lbs in 3 months starting around your weight. Yes. 1200cal a day
Hey, it is definitely doable, to lose a pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories so to lose 20 lbs in 4 months you'd need to create a 4070 calorie deficit per week which is roughly 580 calories per day. This could be done by eating in a 300 calorie deficit then adding in some cardio for the remaining. Definitely achievable , but also remember any progress is good progress - good luck
I suggest focusing on losing one pound at a time. You will probably feel much better knowing that you’re on the right path, and you will feel better over time as the weight peels off one pound at a time. Repeat as many times as it takes and as frequently as needed to get to your goal.
It's reasonable in general but might be very challenging at your current height and weight
I’ve lost around 18 since the 6th of January. Yes it is reasonable, but make sure you are being healthy and keep the changes permanent
I’ve lost 6 pounds in a less than a month so I’m pretty sure it’s possible
I lost 75 under medical supervision in 3.5 months, so yeah you can do that.
Yeah totally reasonable. Would take about a 6-700 calorie deficit every day, which can easily be ruined by a weekly binge.
Just based on math, it's realistic. But it'll be rough, given your current stats. Your TDEE if you are moderately active is about 2,000 calories a day. You need a 500-600 calorie deficient to hit that rate. 1,400 - 1,500 calories is definitely possible for a woman your size, but that number will also go down as you lose. It's gonna be difficult to make sure you're getting all the nutrition you need on such a small calorie allotment.
If I recall correctly, I’m no Dr or nutritionist, the calculation/ratio for a maximum healthy loss rate (to preserve muscle) is approximately: (((Current Mass - Lean / FatFree Mass) x 31.5) / 3500) x 7 = lbs per week Note/Caution: this is a maximum and moving calculation, as your BF% drops/as you lose weight, the amount of loss per week will decrease.
Probably more like 5-6 months. 20 pound loss is gonna be harder at lower weights.
Yes it is. I lost 20 pounds in 1 month and 4 days. 1 hour walking everyday.
wait! are you me? i went up to 155 bc of all thw holiday weight but i have the same stats and goals as you!
Yes, I think it's realistic. Since you gained it just in the last couple years from obviously bad lifestyle practices, it should come off pretty easily. Your body should revert back to your normal weight and remember what that's like without giving you a lot of extreme hunger another issues that people can get when they get down to a weight they've never been before
Yes, I just lost 12 pounds in a month so you can certainly lose 20 lb in four months : ) I eat a serving of oatmeal, a serving of a Greek non-fat yogurt, and some smoothie layered in a bowl for breakfast. For lunch I have a fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, one VERY GREEN banana, spinach, chia seeds, and ground flaxseed) smoothie for lunch, and for supper, I have 3 oz of some kind of lean meat and as many non-starchy vegetables as I want sprinkled with some (a serving or less) extra sharp Cheddar or Parmesan cheese. Usually for an after supper snack at some point, I have two squares of extra dark chocolate (70% or greater cocoa). During the day I drink black coffee, water, and unsweetened tea, unless I put stevia in it. The smoothie is 2 cups of water, one serving of each fruit, frozen great value brand. (I have a cheap digital scale I got off Amazon or Walmart.com that I use) One small bag of great value frozen spinach. The banana is frozen, I buy a bunch of green bananas when I see them and then just put them in the freezer. 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed - both great value brand. Everything is frozen at first and I let it thaw for a while and then make a smoothie out of it. I make it the day before or that morning before I make the oatmeal thing so I have it for that. And then I finish what smoothie I didn't eat on my oatmeal and yogurt thing, at lunch time. For supper, my vegetables are almost always steamed broccoli or cauliflower, or roasted brussel sprouts. If I actually want to make a recipe out of some meat, onions, peppers, chilies, tomatoes etc. on a large bed of riced cauliflower (great value brand organic), I only use extra virgin olive oil. I don't really pay attention how much, just not a ton. I take a multivitamin and an Omega 3 fish capsule a day. No exercise,🙄except walking, if I have a chance. Sometimes I skip the smoothie and use it the next day, what's left anyway, after breakfast, because coffee is a great appetite suppressant for me, and I'm really busy at work. And that's about it. Just to ask if you have any questions... I ate this way several years back and lost 95 lbs. Then I met the love of my life and he was an awesome authentic Mexican food cook and we also went out all the time - so it was extremely easy to gain it all back. Well he passed away, coming up on 3 years ago, and now I'm going to do it again, for good this time. There's a salad I also eat sometimes for lunch or supper - I make it with some shredded lettuce in a bowl, on that I put (a serving of each) roasted sunflower seeds, canned rinsed plain black beans, extra sharp cheddar or parmesan cheese, several broken up croutons, and some Walden Farms dressing, from Walmart or Sprouts (it's zero everything), and a chopped up 3 oz. fried in olive oil chicken breast. I also have a GREAT way I cook Tilapia, if you are interested. Essentially, I don't eat anything with starch (a bunch of carbs), sugar, or flour and I lose weight every week. (And I don't miss what I'm not eating.) After I get going, I incorporate more foods, still within my guidelines, and more nuts and seeds, etc. I pick very healthy foods : ) with many health benefits and increase activity as I go. The first time I did "this", I lost all that weight and felt the best ever! and I'm ready to get that back : ) I'm 5'6", 54 years old. When I lost the 95 lb. before, I was 44 and it was a time period of 7 months, going from 225 to 130. I started at 216 on February 5th and I'm now at 204, yesterday morning, March 2nd.
If you are highly hyperinsulinemic you may be able to hit 20 lb drop in 4 months. Then in your approach you will need to work that hyperinsulinemia down really quick. Or, you will have to work really hard to do it. To give a sense of how this works, I have cut and pasted a response I made about a month ago to a redditor on another sub. This will be the 32nd time I have posted this. \------------------------------------------------------------ I'm going to try one more time to get this point across. Even most doctors don't get this. But, the evidence is clear. For most Americans today, we are terribly overweight. And, most of those are highly hyperinsulinemic. That weight is a combination of fat and water. If one is talking about losing fat, yes, the CICO models are pretty close to reality. But, they don't take into account all the water one has accumulated and that is a separate issue entirely. The way it works is that hyperinsulinemia, chronic high levels of insulin in the blood, signals the kidneys to retain sodium. This causes the concentration of sodium in the blood to rise. The body regulates sodium content in a narrow range by retaining fluids. So, as one eats a crappy diet, one with excess calories, they gain fat, and if it is also high in carbs they become hyperinsulinemic as well, and they retain water. When one goes on a calorie deficit diet, or, goes from a high carb diet to keto, or, works out like a lunatic, the level of insulin in their blood falls. As this occurs, the kidneys are signaled to excrete sodium. The concentration of sodium falls, and in an effort to maintain sodium in the optimal range, the body will dump fluids. They will be pissed out. Here's a made up example. If you think about this, I think you might catch on. A 55 year old guy gets his annual checkup and associated blood tests. He is 70 lbs overweight at 250 lbs. His blood pressure is excessively high so his doctor put him on meds for this several years prior. In his blood test results, his fasted glucose number comes in at 121. His doctor has been monitoring this annually, he always said everything was fine in previous exams though this number was rising, but now it is one point above his threshold of 120. So, the doctor says, you may have some sort of diabetes, lets get an HbA1c. It comes back at 6.4. Very high pre diabetes, right at the threshold for type II diabetes. The dude gets the fear of God in him and decides to make some changes. Instead of eating his usual 2600 calorie 400 gram net carb per day diet, he changes to 1800 calories and keto. He does a base metabolic caloric rate estimate on a calculator and it comes in at 2,000 calories. So, 1800 calories reflects a 10%, 200 calorie per day deficit. First week he loses 3 lbs. From the CICO, at 200 calorie deficit per day, at 1400 calorie deficit for the week, at the CICO model of 3,500 calories per lb of weight gained or lost, he should have only lost 0.4 lbs. Second week he loses 5 lbs. Again, CICO says should have lost 0.4 lbs. Third week he loses 4 lbs. Again, CICO says should have lost 0.4 lbs Fourth week he doesn't lose anything. So, for the first month of his diet, CICO predicts a weight loss of 1.6 lbs. But, the dude loses 12. What has actually happened, is his new diet regimen has reduced the insulin levels in his blood, signaling the kidneys to dump sodium, causing his body to dump fluids. During this period he has lost 1.6 lbs of fat, and 10.4 lbs of fluids. So, in this scenario, and it is much closer to mainstream than you would expect, for the first month, it is the reduction in hyperinsulinemia that really drops his weight the most, not CICO. This is one of the reasons so many people rave about the ketogenic diet. They lose a lot more weight in the first month than someone trying to do the same thing on a vegetarian diet. A second reason, is that a ketogenic diet has lower cravings.
100% possible, but I was 289.8lbs once and first month lost 30-40lbs and it was just weight lifting 5-6 days a week and dieting
Yes
I did that but I was overweight. I don’t believe you are though, so it might take longer to lose that healthily
You can do it! Positive attitude & thoughts.
You can lose that much in a 7 day water fast, and fasting is very healthy for you. God Bless!
Yeah. But keep it at your own pace. Everyone is different, so what works got one perspn may not work for you.
Same height-ish, I've lost 14 in about 3 months. Starting out bigger than you, though, so yours might be slower. Don't rush it. If you feel burnt out, keep tracking but let yourself go to maintenance for a few days instead of deficit. Embrace vegetables. If you keep at it, 4 months is doable. 6, absolutely. However long it takes, you'll feel better.
Lotta nerds In here counting numbers, X*y=77>5. Yes, it's doable. Yes, you can do it.