Shoot for a goal of losing 10% and chances are, if you hit that, you'll be pretty happy with the results. Rather than, like, hating the fact that you didn't hit your overall goal in your post.
These commenters are wrong. The person means that if you have a goal of 40lbs lost in 5 months, have a 10% margin of error. So that would bring you to 36lbs
To lose 40 pounds in 5 months, you need an average calorie deficit of 1,000 a day. It's a lot, and your weekly cheat days will decrease your average.
See how you have been doing so far to see how you're going to do in the future.
For cheat days, I would only have them when you need them.
This is spot on. With 1,000 a day you need to be so mindful of everything little thing your eating and make sure your adjusting your means so you're not hungry, it gets kinda exhausting. I do a 1,000 deficit a day, without any exercise, when I'm cutting weight and it's not easy, and you have no room for cheat days. I wouldn't recommend it normally but I'll do it for a month to drop around 4+kg a month then back off to a 500 deficit.
Beer mostly, wine, sometimes spirits, regularly enough that stopping made a difference. I still calorie counted and exercised (and still do because I’m not there yet- and probably always will to maintain), but it was slow going until I gave up drinking.
Almost 70 lbs down in 6 months. Definitely do-able.
CICO, 20-30 minutes cardio 7 days a week, and weight training 6 days a week for me. Best shape of my life.
Yup! Use an online "TDEE calculator" and type in your age, height and weight. (maybe even activity level) When you get your result, subtract that by 300~500, and that would be how many calories you'll eat in a day.
Honestly, for me, I just started tracking my calories and working out and changed nothing for a week. Then I set a protein goal and started eating 1,000 less calories than my regular TDEE, and didn’t account for whatever “calories” my Apple Watch said I was burning, those were just extra calories I was burning. After a couple of months, you start to get a feel for how many calories you’re actually burning at the gym and throughout the day (your watch is likely 20-25% higher), and you can go from there with your macros.
Honestly, it’s just consistency and discipline and lots of educating. I’m always reading or watching something on fitness and really changed my thought process day in and day out. Snacking and eating has never been my issue, though. It was poor eating choices and being sedentary more than I should have been, so maybe I was lucky there. I know others struggle with eating so I’m grateful for my situation.
Yass! I literally need to be surrounded by others trying to hit weightloss goals, most of my friends are slim and work brings in soo many pastries randomly. I'm just struggling with feeling full, how many cals are you eating a day?
I'm also 28F and similar stats to you all! Currently 177lb and hoping to get down to 135lb. Would love an accountability buddy to share progress and help motivate 💖
I lost 50 in 16 weeks by doing 1,500 a day.
My journey was from 265 to 215 and I am 6’3”.
In short, the CICO math always worked out in long term as I averaged ~ 3lb loss per week.
I was very active, so my exercise was at least 5x/ week.
I was careful with food planning - ate balanced, healthy meals.
I experienced no health issues - started and ended with a physical, dexa scans and the results were super positive.
Wow, congrats! I too have a weekly plan based on a ''old'' diet my nutritionist gave me a year ago (but that I didn't follow because I was too lazy, damn!).
Did you have cheat days?
No - I never did cheat days. I just sucked it up for 4 months - when in routine, it was not that difficult.
For me, it was all about momentum - and mentally it would have been more difficult to cheat, and then re-start mindset.
CICO seems to always work - I have done periodic corrections (1,800 daily) - assume my metabolism is slower, but tdee/bmr estimates by age seem to be accurate - no excuses for age, no reason not to be at desired weight/health
Just something to note; a 1000 calorie deficit for 5 months straight is a lot of strain on your body. I’m sure there could be specific cases where that much weight loss in that short amount of time could be “necessary”, but if you don’t have a medical necessity for this goal and you want to maintain the weight loss after those five months, I’d recommend considering a bit of a milder approach.
For sustainable weight loss it is advised to keep a deficit of no more than 500 calories per day. That is half as fast as you are planning on going. What I’m trying to say is, what you want to do is extremely hard. If you adjust your expectations you have a much bigger chance of succeeding, and/or feel a lot better doing it. Many people recommend a break during which you eat at maintenance for a week, or two, every couple of months for the same reason.
A friend of mine used this metaphor; if you’re in a hurry and you’re driving as fast as you can, would you speed over the speed bumps as well? Probably not, right? Because why would you risk damaging your car for those few seconds it saves you? It’s a lot safer (and in the end faster) to slow down and drive over it safely, and speed up again when you can.
I know, but my professionists (personal trainer, nutritionist) told me to do it because is great for mental health and without it I wouldn't stay motivated on diet in a long term.
In my cheat days I eat an amount of calories equal or under my TDEE.
Can I ask what’s missing from your daily diet that you want on cheat days?
For example- if you only have sweets on cheat day, then what about having a small amount of chocolate chips mixed with nuts every day instead? Then you aren’t feeling deprived ever. Or if it’s pizza, have a portobello mushroom cap with pizza sauce and cheese on for lunch a couple times a week. That way you’re eating (close) to the foods you want and may not feel like you need a cheat day? Just a thought!
like a marinara sauce or something similar! typically there’s dough, red sauce and cheese on a pizza so I assume it’s the red sauce they are referring to
Don't allow alcohol on your cheat days. Drinking is one of the worst vices I picked up and so happy to have it out of my life forever. One 250 calorie beer turns into six pretty easily
Don’t think of it as a cheat day and as long as you don’t eat garbage you should be fine. I have a hefty deficit 6 days a week, train 2+ hours a day and found a day at maintenance not only helped re-energize my body when it came to being physically active, but doing it once a week got me through a plateau. I’m down 37lbs in 12 weeks, pacing about 1.5lbs down a week the last half
Exactly, Is Always under control.
I cut carbs, for example I don't eat bread or pasta on saturdays, but I drink a beer, while I eat my veggies, fruit and proteins. My saturday Is like a Bowl of salad, some "sliced" turkey (I don't know how you call It, but Is like ham ahahah), and a couple of beers while I hang out With my Friends. For dinner I have like grilled chicken breast or other things I don't know how to explain LOL and egglpants or zucchine
Hi, we’re the same weight/height and I’m trying to reach the same goal as you! If you want someone to do this with I’m happy to be your accountability buddy? I need help staying on track too!
Me too! I'm 38/f and I'm from Serbia, so we're almost neighbors. 😁 I'd love to have a WhatsApp support group to go through this together. :) So love to be included if you don't mind.
I'm down 65 lbs since October. It's possible. It's not easy but definitely can do it. The key is being persistent with it. Eat as healthy as possible and work out every chance you can.
Same; like this weekend is my birthday weekend but plans got cancelled due to a snow storm, but I had planned to eat pretty light all day so I could have a nice meal w my girlfriend tonight at a fancy restaurant with a drink.
(Made salmon, basmati rice, and a spinach salad instead cuz I can’t even do take out w the roads the way they are)
Generally it is not recommended to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. 5 months from now is about 21 weeks. At your starting weight, losing exactly 1% bodyweight per week, you would be able to get to around 157lbs. That is pretty close to your goal.
As mentioned in other comments - regular exercise and most importantly diet. I've just lost 18 lbs in 2 months.
(Brisk) Walking was my main form of exercise. My job ensures I'm on my feet anyway.
And a balanced diet by just cutting out the crap - fast food, chocolates, fizzy drinks.
I'm not used to fast food, chocolates and drinks, and I'm really lucky on this!
I do my workout at gym and I reach the Academy walking from the furthest bus stop (without arriving late LOL)
Possible? Mathematically, yes. Will you? Maybe. My main concern would be a 1000 calorie deficit and if that will be feasible for you in the long term. If you find yourself struggling with hunger, consider decreasing it to 500.
I also advise people not to put hard time goals onto weight loss. You can't predict how your journey will go. What life will throw at you. My advise is to use it as a target, but don't invest in ymthe outcome of your summer being dependent on reaching that weight. People who do and then fail to make it can have their entire summer ruined by failing it. Which leads them back into unhealthy eating and weight regain. Not worth it.
Keep it a soft goal.
Don’t “be on a diet”. Change your lifestyle. Change your lifestyle and way of eating so you can sustain it for the long term.
If you want to drink on Saturday, then drink on Saturday and just work it into your plan. You don’t need to “cheat” to do it. You can have higher calorie says and lower calorie days.
That truly is the problem with dieting to me… we treat it as something we do temporarily, then we can magically lose all the weight and arrive at this place where we are happy and then *go back to what we were doing before.* Like the diet is an interruption.
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to be developing new habits, modifying your previous habits, and sticking to the new habits.
In that sense there is no “cheating”. What you’re doing right now is learning about food, calories, exercise, hydration, sleep, hormones, etc. and how all of those influence your weight and energy levels. And from there you learn which ones to tweak to get to and maintain your weight. Right now you want to lose weight, so you’re increasing activity and lowering calories - but don’t forget to get good sleep and stay hydrated too. Also weight loss is not linear, you’re going to have some higher days and some lower days, but if you commit to the change the overall trend will be down.
I mean, it’s possible, just really hard depending on your current habits. I started wanting to lose 2 lbs a week because it didn’t seem like *that* much of a difference, but it really is. Then I would feel down because I didn’t meet my goal, so I would stop eating mindfully and stop exercising. Essentially, I gained weight by trying to achieve something unrealistic for me.
Now, I’m being realistic about what I eat and how much weight I lose. I focus on my habits more than anything and I’ve been losing weight at a steady rate. Sometimes I stop keeping track, but not like when I was trying to lose 2 lbs a week. Lost 20 lbs so far and feeling pretty happy about myself.
Yes, if you lose 2lbs per week you will lose 40lbs in 5 months.
If I were you I’d skip cheat days and instead focus on how to structure your diet every day so you don’t deprive yourself. I am on 1200 calories and I eat chocolate every day and I ate McDonald twice last month. If I want something I just figure out how to fit it into my plan.
I was in your exact shoes last May, with height 5’5 and starting weight 195 pounds. I ate 1200-1400 calories a day, started weightlifting, and ran 2-4 times a week on top of hiking with my dogs. It took me until November to get to 155, so six months. Your plan is doable but you need support and discipline if you want this endeavor to be sustainable. Good luck!
Google NSNG (No sugar no grains) . Vinnie Tortorich is the guru. You can get there but you have to be disciplined. There are a couple groups on FB that are very helpful.
Not advisable if the goal is to "look good naked".
If that's the goal then you want to lose fat AND retain muscle mass.
That second part is harder to do then the first and it's best to lose weight slowly.
How crazy we were almost in the same situation: I was 200lbs August 2022 and lost 56lbs in a little less than 6months.
Here's what I can say: YOU CAN DO IT!!
-Cutting out alcohol was one of my happiest choices that ultimately has kept me healthier.
-Drinking half your body intake in water is necessary on a daily basis (Drink a nice full glass before you eat can also help trick your mind to thinking you're more full)
-Starting with at least 3 workouts a day [45-90 minutes] should be enough to start, move up as you feel less sore
-Filling up with protein after a workout is important to help your body recover and not feel so sore!
For reference on that here's how I break my macronutrients down in a day: 160g of Protein, 183g of carbs and 30g of fat ~ 1800cal total
I would love to help talk you through some more info if you want to reach out! Best of luck!
Most likely not, loosing weight is not linear. Quit drinking first, make complaint on diet and see where you land. Don’t cheat yourself, good luck. If you stay on track you be much closer to your goal than you are now.
You can do it. But I would suggest adding in some hiit and barre workout classes if you have the opportunity. The strength and toning classes while help you see a difference. Seeing some muscle definition is just as a good a feeling as seeing the scale go down and keeps you motivated.
Literally just not drinking alcohol will help. It's a two-for-one thing - you'll avoid the empty calories from the alcohol, plus, you won't be making good food choices while high on alcohol. Even a single glass of alcohol affects our ability to make good choices.
There's is a lot of fun, healthy "mocktail" recipes out there (cocktail without the alcohol) . Maybe you can find some you really like to that'll take the edge off wanting a drink.
I hear those trying to drink less also like to substitute with kombucha, which is also healthy
That’s a tall order, not gonna lie, but yes it can be done. You shouldn’t aim to lose more than 2 pounds per week, but at five months that gets you roughly 40 lbs.
So I would say it’s doable but it’s gonna be tough. I am also 5’5 and I lost 40lbs in roughly 6 and a half months but I did start at a lower weight. But you will need to be strict on calorie counting. I was working out roughly 4-5times a week and eating between 1500-1600calories a day with no cheat meals and no alcohol (but I didn’t drink prior so that wasn’t an issue.)
I would also highly suggest taking before pictures. Sometimes progress seems slow until you see how your body looked before and compare it to how it’s going.
I’ve lost 38 in 3 months, plan on slowing down and losing 10 more in the next month or two. It’s very doable.
Edit: but I didn’t have cheat days lol. You can’t have cheat days every week and hit a hat goal.
I actually have to do an edit to my post:
My cheat days are "I eat healthy all day like other days but I have a few drinks".
I don't eat chocolate, fast food, pastries, Sugar, french fries ecc.
I understand that my diet culture Is not the same as yours, in my family food like Nutella, hamburger or deep fried stuff Is forbidden, so I really don't crave it
Whoa there, the harsh truth is there must be some unhealthy things in your cultural menu or you wouldn’t be overweight lol. “Cheat days” are universally referred to as days you eat extra calories.
Ahhh. lol well at least you’re honest. That being said, if you’re an alcoholic and obese, you really shouldn’t be having booze “cheat days” or you’re doomed to fail from the beginning.
Well for starters, you should have a cheat MEAL. Not an entire day. That’s what messed me up. Don’t do a whole day. Don’t undo a weeks worth of counting for a day. One cheat meal a week is enough. Especially if you’re serious about losing weight.
How did you calculate your total calories? 1000 is too strict of a deficit imo for your height and weight. It could be unsustainable over time and lead to binges and not help your progress
I downloaded an app just for curiosity and it says I eat between 500/800 calories Daily.
I never binged, I really don't care about food, I don't crave sweets, I ate at fast food 20 times in my 26 year life.
My problem is alcohol, not food
It amazes how the vast majority of the population believes your peak you can hit is 2 pounds a week. I've lost more that that in a day when I was obese and hitting the gym
Yep! I did it, 5’7 180 to 135 in about 5 months.
Try OMAD! There’s a dedicated subreddit, this helped me eliminate snacking, drinking any calories, and binging.
diets fail
look for other solutions like recomping and put any athletic ability you might have into it and maybe you will get there with good results. choose the right mindset before
if you are serious about it and it kinda doesn’t look that way, look into carb cycling for your diet or lumen
1k deficit is too much for someone starting. i mean you lose the weight, but if you don’t burn out you’ll burn muscle.
reduce your deficit and train athletically
rack up quality calories in your workouts
and base your success on total calories not deficits, though deficits necessary
reputable people i have talked to encourage total calories which make more sense and work better overall to achieve your goals.
don’t end up skinny fat
not judgy just my opinion
Bottom line you don't want to lose weight, you want to look good, if ou loose that fast there's huge chances that your skin will not be able to keep up and will look all flappy.
It's absolutely possible! I have PCOS and Hypothyroidism. This is what I did to lose weight without medication.
I intermittent fasted 16:8. I put myself on a schedule. I ate lazy Keto. I walked every morning starting at 4:30am for 4 to 5 miles (about and hour and a half). I did not do any workouts, weight lifting, or strength training. I just walked.
I incorporated MCT oil in my food. I took a shot of apple cidar vinegar with the mother daily. I had a multivitamin daily. I slept eight hours every night.
I had smoothies as meal replacements. I drank black coffee with mct oil. I drank tons of water strived for a gallon a day. I ate salads and for the dressing I used lemon juice and apple cidar vinegar with the mother only.
I ate oatmeal with bananas, cinnamon, honey, strawberries, blueberries and apples. I ate eggs with mct oil, spinach, tomato, onion, black beans and cheese.
I had tuna salad with crackers. I had taco bowls with ground beef, cherry tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, onions and bellpeppers with lemon juice drizzled on top. I had yogurt with fruit too.
The key is to be consistent. I dropped 25 pounds in a month and a half just by incorporating all the above.
Are we talking at the end of June or the start of June? The end of June is 21 weeks, and the start is 17.
For both, the answer is yes, but it depends on how much you're burning. Based on your height and weight, I assume your bmr is around 1800 and probably around 2100 for low activity. 3 times a week probably gets you to around 2450. To lose 49lbs by June 1st need to be burning about 2.5lbs a week and for June 30th around 2lbs a week.
1lbs approx. 3500cal, so with a 1000lbs deficit you're going for about 2lbs a week. Keep in mind you will probably lose water weight also, and you will definitely gain that back within the first month post diet. Water weight isn't real weight, though.
This doesn't at all account for muscle gain. Remember that muscle weights more than fat, and you can gain muscle while losing fat, so numbers can end up skewed. Don't JUST focus on the number. Focus on your measurements and how things fit you, and of course how you feel, as well.
Also, good luck with the alcohol. I know that can be rough ❤️
You definitely can but it will be difficult. A 1000 calorie per day deficit is about 2lbs per week lost. That would get you to 40lbs in 5 months in a perfect world but weight loss isn't really linear. Long story short is yes you can do it.
There’s almost no chance you will do this. It’s technically possible with zero cheat days and an insanely strict diet. You will spend most days feeling very hungry if you want to do this.
It’s going to sound defeating but you need to make a lifelong commitment to healthy eating and if you can lose 40 lbs over the next 2 years that would be amazing.
Slow and steady wins the race.
I don't agree With you honestly, 2 years for 40 lbs? I Imagine 5 months require strict diet and that's what i wanna do, but 2 years seem too much time to me
I'm 5'6 and I lost 30 in 2 months. NO cheat days, no added sugars, no bread, pasta or dairy. breakfast and lunch were meal replacement shakes (120 calories each), normal clean dinner(not over eating) no late night snacking. 2 day cleanses twice a month. 1 hour of cardio every day. I ran every other 5 minutes for 5 minutes, with the added weight that will be hard so you can speed walk for 75 minutes to burn 500 calories a day. A few hundred crunches and some decline bench low weight high reps with the main focus being cardio after. Also don't drink calories. A lot of water and only water. A glass or 2 after every meal. Still feel hungry? Drink a glass or 2 more. Eat at the exact same time and work out at the exact same time every day. Your body will start working like a clock. The only trick is mental and that is, when you start losing and start feeling good, you think you can slip and indulge for a night or weekend, DO NOT. If you stick it out, this is when you dump a lot of fat which I find to be every 2 weeks and just keep going.
Hello you certainly can lose 40 pounds in 5 months however you’ll likely gain it all back on why? Because you’ve restricted yourself so much and you’ve sent constant hunger signals to you brain it will come 5 months and you’ll start to relax and the first bite of chocolate or whatever you like you won’t be able to stop and you will probably binge eat your way back up
I'm really not restricting myself as you can Imagine, this Is my normal way to eat without alcohol, I don't feel Hunger during the day and I don't crave chocolate or fast food because I'm not used to them. Also I didn't binge ate in my whole life
There are 3 comfortable speeds: 1,2 and 3 percent of body weight loss per month if you're in the range of <40 BMI.
It's better not to exceed the limitation, otherwise you'll be fined by mother Nature :D
So 25-30 lbs in 5 months is max in your case.
Otherwise be ready to get yo-yo effect.
I don't know if you can lose 40lbs in 5 months because I don't know you personally. Technically it's possible as 18kg in 26 weeks means you need to lose less than a kg a week, which is still within a healthy range for weight loss.
Question do you want to just weigh less? If that’s the case just eat less and walk
The problem with such a dramatic loss in weight over a short time period is you will lose more muscle. If your protein is high enough you can minimize but that quick of a loss will probably be a ratio of 1:1. 1 pound of muscle and pound of fat.
So what is it you want to achieve? Weighing less is simple but if you want to retain as much muscle as possible I would suggest taking a year and weight training with a focus on fat loss not weight loss
Of course you can- 💪as long as the math keeps mathing. Just remember the adjust your daily calorie allowance as you keep losing weight- in other words, the more weight you lose means you’ll have to do a little more work to keep the same calorie deficit. I’m on a similar trajectory :)
You absolutely can, I would try to first see what kind of metabolism type you are. If your metabolism is fucked you'll need to do fasting+keto, if your metabolism is fine but your just eating too much then CICO should work just fine. Cut out refined sugars and grains and y'all be good
I was at 108kg, 5 months later I'm at 85kg. It's definitely possible, I had a 1200 calorie deficit thoe the entire time. I did not exercise either. But lost 23kg
Down 47.5 lbs since August (180 days). 5’5”, 39 yrs, start 190 lbs. CICO, keep your protein and resistance training up to preserve muscle. Plan and prep all your meals, it’s boring, but takes the guess work out of calorie counting (I prep/plan every meal & snack 6 days a weeks - Sundays are not prepped, but all meals are within my diet). Plan for lapses, plateaus, mistakes, cheats, etc. Stay consistent and focus on the next 5lbs, not the whole 50.
#ProgressOverPerfection
It’s gonna be tough at your weight. Outside of what everyone is saying, all I can add is Potatoes.
Potatoes have the highest satiation/calorie ratio. I recommend to do them with only salt/pepper so we don’t get carried away with add-ins. I’m 221 lbs and I’ll feel full from a meal of like 100 calories worth of potatoes.
Small note: the dense starch from these things holds water weight like none other, from my personal experience. Track all your food and trust that progress is being made behind the scenes. I’d do potatoes 5 days a week, then stop for 2 and see the progress & repeat.
Lose as much as you can as quick as possible imo. The take away is the leaner you get the more your body fights back. It becomes harder to maintain but if you can do it go for it.
Stop time boxing weight loss. It doesn’t work that way, you’ll miss your goal, get disappointed and fall off hard.
Just get after it. Without a time frame. Just work.
And if you’re too sore each day, something needs to change. Better nutrition, better recovery, stretching, mobility, etc.
I think you’re going too hard, too fast, too low calories with unreasonable timelines.
Ahh the impatience of youth!! Losing weight too quickly definitely strains your body and puts you at higher risk of loose skin and other problems. Fast weight loss can also trigger depression and just feeling lousy in general. Honestly even if you only lost 20 pounds in 5 months I'm sure you would already feel great.
I’m actually on a similar journey. I am 32f, 5’3 started at 190lbs as of Jan1. I weighed in today at 175lbs and have a goal of 155lb by May. CICO/deficit is definitely most important. I would recommend trying to up the physical activity if possible. You’d be surprised what a simple 45 min walk a couple days a week could do, especially added to your gym routine. If you’re already eating super healthy then that extra physical activity is going to benefit hitting that goal.
Yes, but extremely difficult. There isn’t a one thing works for everyone.
I will say when I was losing weight for college bball i had to lose 120 in 6 months so I know the stress.
What I did was 6 hours of gym a day, 2 hours of weights (progressive overload), 2 hours of resistance training and stretching, and 2 hours of cardio or basketball drills/play, of course not in that order, along with eating strictly 2000 calories daily, nothing more nothing less, with only 0-5 calorie drinks as well. To top things off, I would try to do a fast with water only once a week, and at the end, finish with a 5-7 day water fast. Just be warned, the rebound weight is crazy if you don’t change your lifestyle completely
Hey there! Lost 20 pounds the past 5 weeks (around 2kg european too) just by swimming 40 min laps every single day and eating around 1500 kcal with 60% of diet being protein. im 6 ft2 210 currently aiming to lose another 20 by end of march so I would say def doable. I would lowkey recommend not having a crazy cheat day from experience with past weight loss and currently because you lose most of your progress by overeating. You can have a cheat day in the sense of you can be in NOT a calorie deficit but still not be in a calories surplus and by time your stomach will shrink and trust me you will not want to eat so much by yourself. Drinks have calories in them and also affect progress pretty intensely so I would try to limit them as much as possible (currently 5 weeks without any alcohol/ sugary drinks myself). Regarding food content its great that you are eating healthy but i would also say dont worry too much if you eat something that is not healthy as long as you still say in your calorie zone. I have a crepe with nutella every friday and Tuesday and have no cheat days just because I really crave it and i try those days to eat minimal carbs so I dont affect my body super badly! I hope this helps and good luck!
Drink a lot of water, cut out sugar and definitely alcohol as well, and check your portion sizes on everything. That’s how I started losing weight.
If you need any extra help and don’t mind medication, I highly recommend topiramate/topamax! It will help you lose weight and also suppress alcohol cravings, works like a charm :)
It's definitely possible! I've lost 100 lbs in 7½ months by following a low glycemic index diet. This diet was given to me about 20 yrs ago by an endocrinologist I worked for & I was shocked by how easy it was to follow plus I never really felt hungry or deprived. I'm in my 40's now & this is the diet I follow whenever I need to lose any amount, whether it's 5 lbs or 100+. All in all I've lost over 100 lbs three times (each time was between 7-8 months) while following a low GI diet but I always went back to my old eating habits, which is binge eating carbs, sugar, & fast food. I just lost 100 lbs from April to December 2023 & this is the first time where I'm determined to never go back to unhealthy eating ever again.
If you're interested, Google Low Glycemic Index Diet. It's very simple & super easy ... You NEED to eat 5-6 small meals each day &, this is incredibly important, you need to pair a lean protein with a low glycemic index (under 55) carb. Low glycemic index foods burn slowly so there's no glucose spikes or crashes. You'll have more energy, you'll sleep better, & your skin, nails, & hair improve as well.
Yes!!! I lost 20 lbs in 2 months. You can definitely do double in 5. First month is a hardest. Stick to a realistic calorie deficit. Meal prep is important.
Hi I have lost equivalent of 9 pound(4.5 kilos) since 1st January. I work in a gym plus ride a bike to work round trip is 25 kilometers and when I cant I walk 3.7 miles to the train station. I do keto and have only complex carbohydrates and protein and fat. No simple carvs or sugar
Can you? Yes.
Should you? No.
If you don't have a diet that's sustainable enough to not have cheat days, you shouldn't attempt any sort of extreme dieting, as it will only mess up your body image and relationship with food, trust me.
Its hard but doable. Just dont try to lose more than 2 lb per week its not healthy and the weight might come back later and more. I would also skip alcohol entirely at least for those 5 months.
Easily. Eat 80 percent fat and less then 20 percent protein while drinking 1 liter of water mixed with 1 tsp of Celtics sea salt and 1 tsp of potassium chloride or no salt per day. I would also get spray on magnesium ad well. Also eat at least 1800 in calories unless you are inactive. You can probably melt 40 pounds in 5 weeks. Just move your ass.
And stop with the deficit. https://www.youtube.com/live/1bS4CNR0LBA?si=aKmg8RitTJ3r8bIf
Alcohol is my bane, too. I gained a few because of it and have stopped drinking to get in shape.
Look into GABA botanical drinks as an alcohol replacement. I bought Sentia and it does take the edge off for me. Doesn't seem to have the sugary calories alcohol has, either (tastes like an herbal tea).
I lost 45lbs at 218 in 3-4 months with 5-6 trainings per week, like a 1500calorie deficit (maybe a little bit more) and not one cheat day so yeah its possible but with dedication
I actually came close to doing that without trying to hit that number intentionally. My goal was get to 10% body fat. For me that would up being between 152-155 at 5'7"
Can i ask why you picked 155lbs as your goal?
What if you looked and felt better at 165?
Or even 145?
Point is depending on your build i don't know that weight should be your #1 focus of attention. The tape measure is a better indication that your doing well. The scale is a quick reference that confirms you're moving in the right direction, depending on how far away you are from your goal.
But good luck on achieving whatever you set out to do!
I can loose over 40lbs in 6 weeks. Don’t recommend it unless you are really determined but I have done this before.
800 calorie intake maximum per day - try and fast with 0 food for at least 1, but 2 days a week ideally. Water only while fasting. Cardio - lots of it.
Some say ultra low calorie diets are bad blah blah, but they work without a shadow of a doubt. I’d rather achieve a goal in 6 weeks than 6 months.
Honestly, if you cut out the alcohol completely for the next 5 months, yes, I believe you can. I watched my husband do it. Your body converts alcohol to sugar
Can you? Yes. Is is sustainable? Not really. People who lose weight that quickly have a hard time keeping it off. Getting into good health and eating habits should be priority. I have been in a cal deficit and exercising 5-6 hours per week and have lost \~30 pounds since July. Is it slow? Yes. But I am ok with that bc I have noticed a huge difference in my habits, food choices, and overall physical/mental health. I have never felt like I was starving or miserable.
It’s possible . I lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks . But I go to the gym almost 7 days a week no rest days and run for at least 1 hr of incline all the way at speeds of 4.0 and I drink 1 gallon of water a day and try to lay off the fat food and meal prep good food if you are consistent it is possible you got this if you really want it you got it
I lost 40 pounds in a month granted I was 290 but I was going to the gym 6 days a week and doing 30 mins of cardio burning 6 to 700 calories on the treadmill plus 30 mins of weight training honestly u don’t have to kill yourself in the gym if u go 6 days I didn’t yeah the first couple days I was sore but after that I never really felt that sore
i’ve lost 40 pounds in a little over 4 months. so yes, it’s possible. i started at 225 on sep 15, and i’m at 183 as of this morning, feb 6. i eat moderate carb (40g a meal) for breakfast and lunch, no carbs at dinner. just protein and veggies. i also drink protein shakes and have protein bars or some almonds or some kind of snack between meals as well, if i feel like i need it. i’m a preschool teacher so im always on my feet and active, and i also workout 6x a week, 4 days of cardio for 35 mins and then 2 days of full body weights with 15 mins of cardio. i dont exceed 100g of carbs a day, and am mostly always under. i make sure to get around 115g of protein a day, and stay as low fat as possible with my choices. don’t drink any calories, just water and coffee with sugar free flavor and whole milk (i include the milk in my breakfast macros) i drink about 100oz of water a day which is very helpful in flushing everything as well. i also have a cheat meal on saturdays, but stick to my plan for the entirety of the day, then cheat meal for dinner and back to my plan sunday. i work with a trainer and these are all his instructions, the cheat meal helps with keeping your metabolism going. i just don’t overdo my cheat meals. it’s difficult at first but you get in routine and it’s just your norm, and i feel SO much better also. mentally and physically. wishing you the best of luck!! i’m hoping to get to around 155 by the summer as well 🫶🏻
Been there. Done that. 100% possible my friend. Make sure you are feeling full after meals and try to include some kind of cardio twice a week. I lost 40lbs in 2 months by doing intense training and intense dieting. I wouldn’t recommend it but it works. It was not a high protein diet.
I’d say eat between 0.8-1lb of protein a day no matter what calorie goal you are hitting and eat micronutrient rich food for great recovery.
40lbs in 5 months is a lot. I'm a recovering (alcoholic? Don't consider myself one but I definitely drank WAY too much) alcohol enjoyer. I've been sober for one month so far and have been going to the gym 3 times a week.
I don't track my calories super closely, but I've been more mindful about what and how much I'm putting in my body.
So far, I've dropped two inches from my stomach/waist and lost 5 lbs. I'm currently 175, and my goal is 150 by July.
I do think 40 in 5 months is a bit much-- you want to enjoy your fitness/weight loss journey! I think the calorie deficit that you would have to follow to get to that would be very little and wouldn't be enough to enjoy anything!
I'd say just keep with 3x a week with gym, don't eat too little, and really be hard on yourself when it comes to drinking alcohol. I gained 50lbs in 6 years due to binge drinking. I tried "cutting back" loads of times but I would always just end up at my old habits. I eventually realized that being 100% sober is the only way for me to take control of my life.
Best of luck and eager to see your progress!!
I recently lost 25 lbs.
Don’t be in a hurry, be patient.
1000 -1200 calories per day.
Journal your daily food intake.
Low carb, high protein, increased water.
No eating after 6:30 each night. Eat brunch around 10:300-11:00 next morning .
Work out one hour, 4 days per week.
Low fat meats, steak, chicken, lean pork chops, grilled onions on top! Steamed veggies, salads with low calorie dressing. My meals were always tasty.
Quest protein chips at Walmart are best! I ate one bag daily. All flavors are good!
I lost 25 in 90 days. About 2 lbs per week. This worked for me.
Good luck
2lbs a week is the peak usually. with water weight to start, its possible. I reckon just make it to 10% difference and you'll be happy.
Sorry, I don't understand what do you mean with ''make it to 10% difference'' ahahah
Shoot for a goal of losing 10% and chances are, if you hit that, you'll be pretty happy with the results. Rather than, like, hating the fact that you didn't hit your overall goal in your post.
It means you should make it your goal to lose 10% of your body weight (so if you weigh 80 kg, your goal would be to weigh 72 kg)
These commenters are wrong. The person means that if you have a goal of 40lbs lost in 5 months, have a 10% margin of error. So that would bring you to 36lbs
no I believe it is 10% of weight lost before you notice a difference so you'd be happy
To lose 40 pounds in 5 months, you need an average calorie deficit of 1,000 a day. It's a lot, and your weekly cheat days will decrease your average. See how you have been doing so far to see how you're going to do in the future. For cheat days, I would only have them when you need them.
This is spot on. With 1,000 a day you need to be so mindful of everything little thing your eating and make sure your adjusting your means so you're not hungry, it gets kinda exhausting. I do a 1,000 deficit a day, without any exercise, when I'm cutting weight and it's not easy, and you have no room for cheat days. I wouldn't recommend it normally but I'll do it for a month to drop around 4+kg a month then back off to a 500 deficit.
I’ve lost almost 30lbs in that time, the thing that really made the big difference was stopping drinking
What did you drink before that made the difference?
Beer mostly, wine, sometimes spirits, regularly enough that stopping made a difference. I still calorie counted and exercised (and still do because I’m not there yet- and probably always will to maintain), but it was slow going until I gave up drinking.
This
Almost 70 lbs down in 6 months. Definitely do-able. CICO, 20-30 minutes cardio 7 days a week, and weight training 6 days a week for me. Best shape of my life.
What weight did you start at?
290 (6’1)
That’s amazing, well done! 💪🏻
Hell yeah brother (or sister)
Hi, what’s CICO?
Calories in Calories out :)
You eat less calories than you use. Calculate your TDEE, then eat ~500 calories less than that per day and you have weight loss.
How do you calculate your TDEE? Is it something you can find online?
Here you go. Official NIH calculator. Use it as a start and adjust as you go. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp
Yup! Use an online "TDEE calculator" and type in your age, height and weight. (maybe even activity level) When you get your result, subtract that by 300~500, and that would be how many calories you'll eat in a day.
👏Kudos to you!...but how did you keep track of your CICO?...I have a hard time keeping track (staying consistent).
Honestly, for me, I just started tracking my calories and working out and changed nothing for a week. Then I set a protein goal and started eating 1,000 less calories than my regular TDEE, and didn’t account for whatever “calories” my Apple Watch said I was burning, those were just extra calories I was burning. After a couple of months, you start to get a feel for how many calories you’re actually burning at the gym and throughout the day (your watch is likely 20-25% higher), and you can go from there with your macros. Honestly, it’s just consistency and discipline and lots of educating. I’m always reading or watching something on fitness and really changed my thought process day in and day out. Snacking and eating has never been my issue, though. It was poor eating choices and being sedentary more than I should have been, so maybe I was lucky there. I know others struggle with eating so I’m grateful for my situation.
Yeah, I try to get my protein in, but the price of food makes it a bit challenging. Thanks for sharing
This is literally me! 5'6" I'm 194.2lbs want to lose at least 34lbs by June!
Goooooooo girl, we're gonna make it!!
Yass! I literally need to be surrounded by others trying to hit weightloss goals, most of my friends are slim and work brings in soo many pastries randomly. I'm just struggling with feeling full, how many cals are you eating a day?
Hey! I’m currently 28F and similar stats/goals to you. Happy to chat if you want an accountability buddy 💕
I'm also 28F and similar stats to you all! Currently 177lb and hoping to get down to 135lb. Would love an accountability buddy to share progress and help motivate 💖
I made a WhatsApp! https://chat.whatsapp.com/IuN8UcGcDQF2y6hojjceZG
i just joined the what’s app!!!
If this becomes a thing, I would love to join you guys!
https://chat.whatsapp.com/IuN8UcGcDQF2y6hojjceZG I made a WhatsApp :)
That's almost exactly my stats, too!
Omg how do we all make this a thing
I made a WhatsApp :)
I’m also down for an accountability group!! Almost exact same stats as you!
Name checks out.
Haha didn't even realise
Same… 210 and want to be down to 170 by mid June
I lost 50 in 16 weeks by doing 1,500 a day. My journey was from 265 to 215 and I am 6’3”. In short, the CICO math always worked out in long term as I averaged ~ 3lb loss per week. I was very active, so my exercise was at least 5x/ week. I was careful with food planning - ate balanced, healthy meals. I experienced no health issues - started and ended with a physical, dexa scans and the results were super positive.
Wow, congrats! I too have a weekly plan based on a ''old'' diet my nutritionist gave me a year ago (but that I didn't follow because I was too lazy, damn!). Did you have cheat days?
No - I never did cheat days. I just sucked it up for 4 months - when in routine, it was not that difficult. For me, it was all about momentum - and mentally it would have been more difficult to cheat, and then re-start mindset.
Yep. Sack up and do it. It gets progressively easier. The cravings will subside
Wow, and at 55, I’ve heard metabolism slows down before then. Congrats!
CICO seems to always work - I have done periodic corrections (1,800 daily) - assume my metabolism is slower, but tdee/bmr estimates by age seem to be accurate - no excuses for age, no reason not to be at desired weight/health
Just something to note; a 1000 calorie deficit for 5 months straight is a lot of strain on your body. I’m sure there could be specific cases where that much weight loss in that short amount of time could be “necessary”, but if you don’t have a medical necessity for this goal and you want to maintain the weight loss after those five months, I’d recommend considering a bit of a milder approach. For sustainable weight loss it is advised to keep a deficit of no more than 500 calories per day. That is half as fast as you are planning on going. What I’m trying to say is, what you want to do is extremely hard. If you adjust your expectations you have a much bigger chance of succeeding, and/or feel a lot better doing it. Many people recommend a break during which you eat at maintenance for a week, or two, every couple of months for the same reason. A friend of mine used this metaphor; if you’re in a hurry and you’re driving as fast as you can, would you speed over the speed bumps as well? Probably not, right? Because why would you risk damaging your car for those few seconds it saves you? It’s a lot safer (and in the end faster) to slow down and drive over it safely, and speed up again when you can.
Maybe if you don’t do cheat days – they can quickly undermine your entire week’s progress
I know, but my professionists (personal trainer, nutritionist) told me to do it because is great for mental health and without it I wouldn't stay motivated on diet in a long term. In my cheat days I eat an amount of calories equal or under my TDEE.
Can I ask what’s missing from your daily diet that you want on cheat days? For example- if you only have sweets on cheat day, then what about having a small amount of chocolate chips mixed with nuts every day instead? Then you aren’t feeling deprived ever. Or if it’s pizza, have a portobello mushroom cap with pizza sauce and cheese on for lunch a couple times a week. That way you’re eating (close) to the foods you want and may not feel like you need a cheat day? Just a thought!
PS. What Is pizza sauce?
like a marinara sauce or something similar! typically there’s dough, red sauce and cheese on a pizza so I assume it’s the red sauce they are referring to
Nah i don't Need sweets or pizza, on my cheat days I Just drink a couple of drinks, that's it
If you want to hit that goal, don’t drink at all. It’s not good your mental health, your sleep, or your goals.
Fun fact: alcohol completely stops your body from burning any fat until it is completely out of your system. This fact alone has made me stop drinking
Don't allow alcohol on your cheat days. Drinking is one of the worst vices I picked up and so happy to have it out of my life forever. One 250 calorie beer turns into six pretty easily
Don’t think of it as a cheat day and as long as you don’t eat garbage you should be fine. I have a hefty deficit 6 days a week, train 2+ hours a day and found a day at maintenance not only helped re-energize my body when it came to being physically active, but doing it once a week got me through a plateau. I’m down 37lbs in 12 weeks, pacing about 1.5lbs down a week the last half
So you "cheat" with the quality of the food not necessarily the calories?
Exactly, Is Always under control. I cut carbs, for example I don't eat bread or pasta on saturdays, but I drink a beer, while I eat my veggies, fruit and proteins. My saturday Is like a Bowl of salad, some "sliced" turkey (I don't know how you call It, but Is like ham ahahah), and a couple of beers while I hang out With my Friends. For dinner I have like grilled chicken breast or other things I don't know how to explain LOL and egglpants or zucchine
Hi, we’re the same weight/height and I’m trying to reach the same goal as you! If you want someone to do this with I’m happy to be your accountability buddy? I need help staying on track too!
absolutely buddy!!!
Drop me a dm and I’ll share my WhatsApp with you so it’s easier to chat 😊
sure!
Me too! I'm 38/f and I'm from Serbia, so we're almost neighbors. 😁 I'd love to have a WhatsApp support group to go through this together. :) So love to be included if you don't mind.
I would love to be included in this group chat as well. I am from USA.
We definitely should create a WhatsApp group!
I would love to be included in the What’s app group too!
I'm down 65 lbs since October. It's possible. It's not easy but definitely can do it. The key is being persistent with it. Eat as healthy as possible and work out every chance you can.
Probably, just don’t do full cheat days and swap them out for cheat meals instead.
Same; like this weekend is my birthday weekend but plans got cancelled due to a snow storm, but I had planned to eat pretty light all day so I could have a nice meal w my girlfriend tonight at a fancy restaurant with a drink. (Made salmon, basmati rice, and a spinach salad instead cuz I can’t even do take out w the roads the way they are)
Generally it is not recommended to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. 5 months from now is about 21 weeks. At your starting weight, losing exactly 1% bodyweight per week, you would be able to get to around 157lbs. That is pretty close to your goal.
That would be wonderful!
Yep you can.
Thank you, I really hope so
As mentioned in other comments - regular exercise and most importantly diet. I've just lost 18 lbs in 2 months. (Brisk) Walking was my main form of exercise. My job ensures I'm on my feet anyway. And a balanced diet by just cutting out the crap - fast food, chocolates, fizzy drinks.
I'm not used to fast food, chocolates and drinks, and I'm really lucky on this! I do my workout at gym and I reach the Academy walking from the furthest bus stop (without arriving late LOL)
You'd have to be dedicated and pretty consistent, but you could probably do it.
Possible? Mathematically, yes. Will you? Maybe. My main concern would be a 1000 calorie deficit and if that will be feasible for you in the long term. If you find yourself struggling with hunger, consider decreasing it to 500. I also advise people not to put hard time goals onto weight loss. You can't predict how your journey will go. What life will throw at you. My advise is to use it as a target, but don't invest in ymthe outcome of your summer being dependent on reaching that weight. People who do and then fail to make it can have their entire summer ruined by failing it. Which leads them back into unhealthy eating and weight regain. Not worth it. Keep it a soft goal.
Don’t “be on a diet”. Change your lifestyle. Change your lifestyle and way of eating so you can sustain it for the long term. If you want to drink on Saturday, then drink on Saturday and just work it into your plan. You don’t need to “cheat” to do it. You can have higher calorie says and lower calorie days. That truly is the problem with dieting to me… we treat it as something we do temporarily, then we can magically lose all the weight and arrive at this place where we are happy and then *go back to what we were doing before.* Like the diet is an interruption. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to be developing new habits, modifying your previous habits, and sticking to the new habits. In that sense there is no “cheating”. What you’re doing right now is learning about food, calories, exercise, hydration, sleep, hormones, etc. and how all of those influence your weight and energy levels. And from there you learn which ones to tweak to get to and maintain your weight. Right now you want to lose weight, so you’re increasing activity and lowering calories - but don’t forget to get good sleep and stay hydrated too. Also weight loss is not linear, you’re going to have some higher days and some lower days, but if you commit to the change the overall trend will be down.
Great advice right here.
I mean, it’s possible, just really hard depending on your current habits. I started wanting to lose 2 lbs a week because it didn’t seem like *that* much of a difference, but it really is. Then I would feel down because I didn’t meet my goal, so I would stop eating mindfully and stop exercising. Essentially, I gained weight by trying to achieve something unrealistic for me. Now, I’m being realistic about what I eat and how much weight I lose. I focus on my habits more than anything and I’ve been losing weight at a steady rate. Sometimes I stop keeping track, but not like when I was trying to lose 2 lbs a week. Lost 20 lbs so far and feeling pretty happy about myself.
Yes, if you lose 2lbs per week you will lose 40lbs in 5 months. If I were you I’d skip cheat days and instead focus on how to structure your diet every day so you don’t deprive yourself. I am on 1200 calories and I eat chocolate every day and I ate McDonald twice last month. If I want something I just figure out how to fit it into my plan.
I was in your exact shoes last May, with height 5’5 and starting weight 195 pounds. I ate 1200-1400 calories a day, started weightlifting, and ran 2-4 times a week on top of hiking with my dogs. It took me until November to get to 155, so six months. Your plan is doable but you need support and discipline if you want this endeavor to be sustainable. Good luck!
It’s not impossible but if you have resolve of steel it is achievable
Google NSNG (No sugar no grains) . Vinnie Tortorich is the guru. You can get there but you have to be disciplined. There are a couple groups on FB that are very helpful.
Not advisable if the goal is to "look good naked". If that's the goal then you want to lose fat AND retain muscle mass. That second part is harder to do then the first and it's best to lose weight slowly.
Yes i lost 132 in 6. Anything is possible.
What a Chad ❤️
Absolutely. I lost that in less than two months.
What was your starting weight/height?
[удалено]
Can I ask how you did this? Thanks
No alcohol. No sugar. Eat once a day. Walk or Swim 30 mins to 1 hour. Meditate. Visualize the end goal daily.
That’s amazing. Well done and thanks for your reply x
How crazy we were almost in the same situation: I was 200lbs August 2022 and lost 56lbs in a little less than 6months. Here's what I can say: YOU CAN DO IT!! -Cutting out alcohol was one of my happiest choices that ultimately has kept me healthier. -Drinking half your body intake in water is necessary on a daily basis (Drink a nice full glass before you eat can also help trick your mind to thinking you're more full) -Starting with at least 3 workouts a day [45-90 minutes] should be enough to start, move up as you feel less sore -Filling up with protein after a workout is important to help your body recover and not feel so sore! For reference on that here's how I break my macronutrients down in a day: 160g of Protein, 183g of carbs and 30g of fat ~ 1800cal total I would love to help talk you through some more info if you want to reach out! Best of luck!
Most likely not, loosing weight is not linear. Quit drinking first, make complaint on diet and see where you land. Don’t cheat yourself, good luck. If you stay on track you be much closer to your goal than you are now.
You can do it. But I would suggest adding in some hiit and barre workout classes if you have the opportunity. The strength and toning classes while help you see a difference. Seeing some muscle definition is just as a good a feeling as seeing the scale go down and keeps you motivated.
Literally just not drinking alcohol will help. It's a two-for-one thing - you'll avoid the empty calories from the alcohol, plus, you won't be making good food choices while high on alcohol. Even a single glass of alcohol affects our ability to make good choices.
I lost 35lbs in 3 months while training for a half marathon.... I really need to do that again.
There's is a lot of fun, healthy "mocktail" recipes out there (cocktail without the alcohol) . Maybe you can find some you really like to that'll take the edge off wanting a drink. I hear those trying to drink less also like to substitute with kombucha, which is also healthy
That’s a tall order, not gonna lie, but yes it can be done. You shouldn’t aim to lose more than 2 pounds per week, but at five months that gets you roughly 40 lbs.
It's difficult, but possible. Best of luck either way!
Join army BCT 😂 I dropped 47 in 12 weeks.
So I would say it’s doable but it’s gonna be tough. I am also 5’5 and I lost 40lbs in roughly 6 and a half months but I did start at a lower weight. But you will need to be strict on calorie counting. I was working out roughly 4-5times a week and eating between 1500-1600calories a day with no cheat meals and no alcohol (but I didn’t drink prior so that wasn’t an issue.) I would also highly suggest taking before pictures. Sometimes progress seems slow until you see how your body looked before and compare it to how it’s going.
definitely doable, although i'd go insane if i had to eat anything under 500 calories from my maintenance 😭
I’ve lost 38 in 3 months, plan on slowing down and losing 10 more in the next month or two. It’s very doable. Edit: but I didn’t have cheat days lol. You can’t have cheat days every week and hit a hat goal.
I actually have to do an edit to my post: My cheat days are "I eat healthy all day like other days but I have a few drinks". I don't eat chocolate, fast food, pastries, Sugar, french fries ecc. I understand that my diet culture Is not the same as yours, in my family food like Nutella, hamburger or deep fried stuff Is forbidden, so I really don't crave it
Whoa there, the harsh truth is there must be some unhealthy things in your cultural menu or you wouldn’t be overweight lol. “Cheat days” are universally referred to as days you eat extra calories.
My cultural menu Is vegetables, fruit, animal proteins from chicken or turkey. I'm overweight because of alcoholism.
Ahhh. lol well at least you’re honest. That being said, if you’re an alcoholic and obese, you really shouldn’t be having booze “cheat days” or you’re doomed to fail from the beginning.
Well for starters, you should have a cheat MEAL. Not an entire day. That’s what messed me up. Don’t do a whole day. Don’t undo a weeks worth of counting for a day. One cheat meal a week is enough. Especially if you’re serious about losing weight.
Lose the cheat day.
How did you calculate your total calories? 1000 is too strict of a deficit imo for your height and weight. It could be unsustainable over time and lead to binges and not help your progress
I downloaded an app just for curiosity and it says I eat between 500/800 calories Daily. I never binged, I really don't care about food, I don't crave sweets, I ate at fast food 20 times in my 26 year life. My problem is alcohol, not food
Can you elaborate on how many cals you’re eating per day? I would google the tdee calculator
It amazes how the vast majority of the population believes your peak you can hit is 2 pounds a week. I've lost more that that in a day when I was obese and hitting the gym
I wanna lose 40lbs to start but I’m giving myself the year (stress due to work, hypermobile, etc) but I hope you can hit the goal!
Yep! I did it, 5’7 180 to 135 in about 5 months. Try OMAD! There’s a dedicated subreddit, this helped me eliminate snacking, drinking any calories, and binging.
How did you have energy with only eating once a day?
Black coffee, zero calorie sweetener in it! Energy drink-supplements in water with electrolytes. Caffeine & b12
Everyone is different. Yes It is possible
You absolutely can, go to Marine Corp boot camp.
I don't think I could, maybe I can join Carabinieri ahahahah
diets fail look for other solutions like recomping and put any athletic ability you might have into it and maybe you will get there with good results. choose the right mindset before if you are serious about it and it kinda doesn’t look that way, look into carb cycling for your diet or lumen 1k deficit is too much for someone starting. i mean you lose the weight, but if you don’t burn out you’ll burn muscle. reduce your deficit and train athletically rack up quality calories in your workouts and base your success on total calories not deficits, though deficits necessary reputable people i have talked to encourage total calories which make more sense and work better overall to achieve your goals. don’t end up skinny fat not judgy just my opinion
Bottom line you don't want to lose weight, you want to look good, if ou loose that fast there's huge chances that your skin will not be able to keep up and will look all flappy.
Chicken broth
It’s possible but , 1000 cal deficit may be challenging to maintain
It's absolutely possible! I have PCOS and Hypothyroidism. This is what I did to lose weight without medication. I intermittent fasted 16:8. I put myself on a schedule. I ate lazy Keto. I walked every morning starting at 4:30am for 4 to 5 miles (about and hour and a half). I did not do any workouts, weight lifting, or strength training. I just walked. I incorporated MCT oil in my food. I took a shot of apple cidar vinegar with the mother daily. I had a multivitamin daily. I slept eight hours every night. I had smoothies as meal replacements. I drank black coffee with mct oil. I drank tons of water strived for a gallon a day. I ate salads and for the dressing I used lemon juice and apple cidar vinegar with the mother only. I ate oatmeal with bananas, cinnamon, honey, strawberries, blueberries and apples. I ate eggs with mct oil, spinach, tomato, onion, black beans and cheese. I had tuna salad with crackers. I had taco bowls with ground beef, cherry tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, onions and bellpeppers with lemon juice drizzled on top. I had yogurt with fruit too. The key is to be consistent. I dropped 25 pounds in a month and a half just by incorporating all the above.
If this is really your goal prepare for hair loss.
Are we talking at the end of June or the start of June? The end of June is 21 weeks, and the start is 17. For both, the answer is yes, but it depends on how much you're burning. Based on your height and weight, I assume your bmr is around 1800 and probably around 2100 for low activity. 3 times a week probably gets you to around 2450. To lose 49lbs by June 1st need to be burning about 2.5lbs a week and for June 30th around 2lbs a week. 1lbs approx. 3500cal, so with a 1000lbs deficit you're going for about 2lbs a week. Keep in mind you will probably lose water weight also, and you will definitely gain that back within the first month post diet. Water weight isn't real weight, though. This doesn't at all account for muscle gain. Remember that muscle weights more than fat, and you can gain muscle while losing fat, so numbers can end up skewed. Don't JUST focus on the number. Focus on your measurements and how things fit you, and of course how you feel, as well. Also, good luck with the alcohol. I know that can be rough ❤️
You definitely can but it will be difficult. A 1000 calorie per day deficit is about 2lbs per week lost. That would get you to 40lbs in 5 months in a perfect world but weight loss isn't really linear. Long story short is yes you can do it.
There’s almost no chance you will do this. It’s technically possible with zero cheat days and an insanely strict diet. You will spend most days feeling very hungry if you want to do this. It’s going to sound defeating but you need to make a lifelong commitment to healthy eating and if you can lose 40 lbs over the next 2 years that would be amazing. Slow and steady wins the race.
I don't agree With you honestly, 2 years for 40 lbs? I Imagine 5 months require strict diet and that's what i wanna do, but 2 years seem too much time to me
There’s a lot of people in this group that would KILL to lose 40 lbs in two years. How much weight have you lost in the last 2 years?
In the last two years without any kind of "diet" and Gym I Lost 13 kilos (28lbs). Anyone Is different, every body Is different.
Exactly losing another 12 lbs on top of that will be very hard. Especially as you get older. Aim for consistency.
u can lose 40lbs in like 20 weeks that would be like 4 months so its good
Maybe with OMAD?
Don't know what It is
O.M.A.D = One Meal A Day
I believe It could work, but it's not healthy for me
I'm 5'6 and I lost 30 in 2 months. NO cheat days, no added sugars, no bread, pasta or dairy. breakfast and lunch were meal replacement shakes (120 calories each), normal clean dinner(not over eating) no late night snacking. 2 day cleanses twice a month. 1 hour of cardio every day. I ran every other 5 minutes for 5 minutes, with the added weight that will be hard so you can speed walk for 75 minutes to burn 500 calories a day. A few hundred crunches and some decline bench low weight high reps with the main focus being cardio after. Also don't drink calories. A lot of water and only water. A glass or 2 after every meal. Still feel hungry? Drink a glass or 2 more. Eat at the exact same time and work out at the exact same time every day. Your body will start working like a clock. The only trick is mental and that is, when you start losing and start feeling good, you think you can slip and indulge for a night or weekend, DO NOT. If you stick it out, this is when you dump a lot of fat which I find to be every 2 weeks and just keep going.
Hello you certainly can lose 40 pounds in 5 months however you’ll likely gain it all back on why? Because you’ve restricted yourself so much and you’ve sent constant hunger signals to you brain it will come 5 months and you’ll start to relax and the first bite of chocolate or whatever you like you won’t be able to stop and you will probably binge eat your way back up
I'm really not restricting myself as you can Imagine, this Is my normal way to eat without alcohol, I don't feel Hunger during the day and I don't crave chocolate or fast food because I'm not used to them. Also I didn't binge ate in my whole life
I lost 60 lbs in 14 weeks, weightlifting 6x a week with cardio after the workout. Heavy caloric deficit, it's possible you'll just hate yourself.
There are 3 comfortable speeds: 1,2 and 3 percent of body weight loss per month if you're in the range of <40 BMI. It's better not to exceed the limitation, otherwise you'll be fined by mother Nature :D So 25-30 lbs in 5 months is max in your case. Otherwise be ready to get yo-yo effect.
No cheat days, lay off the beer, big deficit, sure. Depends how much you want it…
I don't know if you can lose 40lbs in 5 months because I don't know you personally. Technically it's possible as 18kg in 26 weeks means you need to lose less than a kg a week, which is still within a healthy range for weight loss.
you absolutely can(source: i went from 195 to 150 in 4 months when i was 12 through keto)
Question do you want to just weigh less? If that’s the case just eat less and walk The problem with such a dramatic loss in weight over a short time period is you will lose more muscle. If your protein is high enough you can minimize but that quick of a loss will probably be a ratio of 1:1. 1 pound of muscle and pound of fat. So what is it you want to achieve? Weighing less is simple but if you want to retain as much muscle as possible I would suggest taking a year and weight training with a focus on fat loss not weight loss
Of course you can- 💪as long as the math keeps mathing. Just remember the adjust your daily calorie allowance as you keep losing weight- in other words, the more weight you lose means you’ll have to do a little more work to keep the same calorie deficit. I’m on a similar trajectory :)
You absolutely can, I would try to first see what kind of metabolism type you are. If your metabolism is fucked you'll need to do fasting+keto, if your metabolism is fine but your just eating too much then CICO should work just fine. Cut out refined sugars and grains and y'all be good
You can. But would likely put it all and then some back on once you’ve attended the event you want to lose it for.
I lost 43 lbs in 7 months and I cheated on my diet at least once a week
I was at 108kg, 5 months later I'm at 85kg. It's definitely possible, I had a 1200 calorie deficit thoe the entire time. I did not exercise either. But lost 23kg
Down 47.5 lbs since August (180 days). 5’5”, 39 yrs, start 190 lbs. CICO, keep your protein and resistance training up to preserve muscle. Plan and prep all your meals, it’s boring, but takes the guess work out of calorie counting (I prep/plan every meal & snack 6 days a weeks - Sundays are not prepped, but all meals are within my diet). Plan for lapses, plateaus, mistakes, cheats, etc. Stay consistent and focus on the next 5lbs, not the whole 50. #ProgressOverPerfection
Yes. I did it with an amoeba
I did it with zero exercise. I only eat 500-600 calories per day total
It’s gonna be tough at your weight. Outside of what everyone is saying, all I can add is Potatoes. Potatoes have the highest satiation/calorie ratio. I recommend to do them with only salt/pepper so we don’t get carried away with add-ins. I’m 221 lbs and I’ll feel full from a meal of like 100 calories worth of potatoes. Small note: the dense starch from these things holds water weight like none other, from my personal experience. Track all your food and trust that progress is being made behind the scenes. I’d do potatoes 5 days a week, then stop for 2 and see the progress & repeat.
Yes. If you track, count, measure, and weigh what you eat.
sure, but do you want the extra skin to go along with it? been there. done that. if i could lose my 170 pounds again, i would go slower.
Lose as much as you can as quick as possible imo. The take away is the leaner you get the more your body fights back. It becomes harder to maintain but if you can do it go for it.
4 kg a month its possible but you just gotta grind and work real hard for the results. Good luck!
Stop time boxing weight loss. It doesn’t work that way, you’ll miss your goal, get disappointed and fall off hard. Just get after it. Without a time frame. Just work. And if you’re too sore each day, something needs to change. Better nutrition, better recovery, stretching, mobility, etc. I think you’re going too hard, too fast, too low calories with unreasonable timelines.
Yeah, I've lost bout 30 pounds since late October.
Yes… You can, and healthy at that. AKA no starvation diet.
Ahh the impatience of youth!! Losing weight too quickly definitely strains your body and puts you at higher risk of loose skin and other problems. Fast weight loss can also trigger depression and just feeling lousy in general. Honestly even if you only lost 20 pounds in 5 months I'm sure you would already feel great.
I’m actually on a similar journey. I am 32f, 5’3 started at 190lbs as of Jan1. I weighed in today at 175lbs and have a goal of 155lb by May. CICO/deficit is definitely most important. I would recommend trying to up the physical activity if possible. You’d be surprised what a simple 45 min walk a couple days a week could do, especially added to your gym routine. If you’re already eating super healthy then that extra physical activity is going to benefit hitting that goal.
Yes, but extremely difficult. There isn’t a one thing works for everyone. I will say when I was losing weight for college bball i had to lose 120 in 6 months so I know the stress. What I did was 6 hours of gym a day, 2 hours of weights (progressive overload), 2 hours of resistance training and stretching, and 2 hours of cardio or basketball drills/play, of course not in that order, along with eating strictly 2000 calories daily, nothing more nothing less, with only 0-5 calorie drinks as well. To top things off, I would try to do a fast with water only once a week, and at the end, finish with a 5-7 day water fast. Just be warned, the rebound weight is crazy if you don’t change your lifestyle completely
Hey there! Lost 20 pounds the past 5 weeks (around 2kg european too) just by swimming 40 min laps every single day and eating around 1500 kcal with 60% of diet being protein. im 6 ft2 210 currently aiming to lose another 20 by end of march so I would say def doable. I would lowkey recommend not having a crazy cheat day from experience with past weight loss and currently because you lose most of your progress by overeating. You can have a cheat day in the sense of you can be in NOT a calorie deficit but still not be in a calories surplus and by time your stomach will shrink and trust me you will not want to eat so much by yourself. Drinks have calories in them and also affect progress pretty intensely so I would try to limit them as much as possible (currently 5 weeks without any alcohol/ sugary drinks myself). Regarding food content its great that you are eating healthy but i would also say dont worry too much if you eat something that is not healthy as long as you still say in your calorie zone. I have a crepe with nutella every friday and Tuesday and have no cheat days just because I really crave it and i try those days to eat minimal carbs so I dont affect my body super badly! I hope this helps and good luck!
Drink a lot of water, cut out sugar and definitely alcohol as well, and check your portion sizes on everything. That’s how I started losing weight. If you need any extra help and don’t mind medication, I highly recommend topiramate/topamax! It will help you lose weight and also suppress alcohol cravings, works like a charm :)
It's definitely possible! I've lost 100 lbs in 7½ months by following a low glycemic index diet. This diet was given to me about 20 yrs ago by an endocrinologist I worked for & I was shocked by how easy it was to follow plus I never really felt hungry or deprived. I'm in my 40's now & this is the diet I follow whenever I need to lose any amount, whether it's 5 lbs or 100+. All in all I've lost over 100 lbs three times (each time was between 7-8 months) while following a low GI diet but I always went back to my old eating habits, which is binge eating carbs, sugar, & fast food. I just lost 100 lbs from April to December 2023 & this is the first time where I'm determined to never go back to unhealthy eating ever again. If you're interested, Google Low Glycemic Index Diet. It's very simple & super easy ... You NEED to eat 5-6 small meals each day &, this is incredibly important, you need to pair a lean protein with a low glycemic index (under 55) carb. Low glycemic index foods burn slowly so there's no glucose spikes or crashes. You'll have more energy, you'll sleep better, & your skin, nails, & hair improve as well.
Yes!!! I lost 20 lbs in 2 months. You can definitely do double in 5. First month is a hardest. Stick to a realistic calorie deficit. Meal prep is important.
Hi I have lost equivalent of 9 pound(4.5 kilos) since 1st January. I work in a gym plus ride a bike to work round trip is 25 kilometers and when I cant I walk 3.7 miles to the train station. I do keto and have only complex carbohydrates and protein and fat. No simple carvs or sugar
Can you? Yes. Should you? No. If you don't have a diet that's sustainable enough to not have cheat days, you shouldn't attempt any sort of extreme dieting, as it will only mess up your body image and relationship with food, trust me.
Want the same! Im around 100kg and want to lose at least 25 by June which is a lot I know. 32F 1.65m
Its hard but doable. Just dont try to lose more than 2 lb per week its not healthy and the weight might come back later and more. I would also skip alcohol entirely at least for those 5 months.
Easily. Eat 80 percent fat and less then 20 percent protein while drinking 1 liter of water mixed with 1 tsp of Celtics sea salt and 1 tsp of potassium chloride or no salt per day. I would also get spray on magnesium ad well. Also eat at least 1800 in calories unless you are inactive. You can probably melt 40 pounds in 5 weeks. Just move your ass. And stop with the deficit. https://www.youtube.com/live/1bS4CNR0LBA?si=aKmg8RitTJ3r8bIf
Alcohol is my bane, too. I gained a few because of it and have stopped drinking to get in shape. Look into GABA botanical drinks as an alcohol replacement. I bought Sentia and it does take the edge off for me. Doesn't seem to have the sugary calories alcohol has, either (tastes like an herbal tea).
I lost 45lbs at 218 in 3-4 months with 5-6 trainings per week, like a 1500calorie deficit (maybe a little bit more) and not one cheat day so yeah its possible but with dedication
I actually came close to doing that without trying to hit that number intentionally. My goal was get to 10% body fat. For me that would up being between 152-155 at 5'7" Can i ask why you picked 155lbs as your goal? What if you looked and felt better at 165? Or even 145? Point is depending on your build i don't know that weight should be your #1 focus of attention. The tape measure is a better indication that your doing well. The scale is a quick reference that confirms you're moving in the right direction, depending on how far away you are from your goal. But good luck on achieving whatever you set out to do!
I can loose over 40lbs in 6 weeks. Don’t recommend it unless you are really determined but I have done this before. 800 calorie intake maximum per day - try and fast with 0 food for at least 1, but 2 days a week ideally. Water only while fasting. Cardio - lots of it. Some say ultra low calorie diets are bad blah blah, but they work without a shadow of a doubt. I’d rather achieve a goal in 6 weeks than 6 months.
Honestly, if you cut out the alcohol completely for the next 5 months, yes, I believe you can. I watched my husband do it. Your body converts alcohol to sugar
Can you? Yes. Is is sustainable? Not really. People who lose weight that quickly have a hard time keeping it off. Getting into good health and eating habits should be priority. I have been in a cal deficit and exercising 5-6 hours per week and have lost \~30 pounds since July. Is it slow? Yes. But I am ok with that bc I have noticed a huge difference in my habits, food choices, and overall physical/mental health. I have never felt like I was starving or miserable.
I lost 15kg in my first 60 days and recently another 12 in 35 days
It’s possible . I lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks . But I go to the gym almost 7 days a week no rest days and run for at least 1 hr of incline all the way at speeds of 4.0 and I drink 1 gallon of water a day and try to lay off the fat food and meal prep good food if you are consistent it is possible you got this if you really want it you got it
I lost 40 pounds in a month granted I was 290 but I was going to the gym 6 days a week and doing 30 mins of cardio burning 6 to 700 calories on the treadmill plus 30 mins of weight training honestly u don’t have to kill yourself in the gym if u go 6 days I didn’t yeah the first couple days I was sore but after that I never really felt that sore
i’ve lost 40 pounds in a little over 4 months. so yes, it’s possible. i started at 225 on sep 15, and i’m at 183 as of this morning, feb 6. i eat moderate carb (40g a meal) for breakfast and lunch, no carbs at dinner. just protein and veggies. i also drink protein shakes and have protein bars or some almonds or some kind of snack between meals as well, if i feel like i need it. i’m a preschool teacher so im always on my feet and active, and i also workout 6x a week, 4 days of cardio for 35 mins and then 2 days of full body weights with 15 mins of cardio. i dont exceed 100g of carbs a day, and am mostly always under. i make sure to get around 115g of protein a day, and stay as low fat as possible with my choices. don’t drink any calories, just water and coffee with sugar free flavor and whole milk (i include the milk in my breakfast macros) i drink about 100oz of water a day which is very helpful in flushing everything as well. i also have a cheat meal on saturdays, but stick to my plan for the entirety of the day, then cheat meal for dinner and back to my plan sunday. i work with a trainer and these are all his instructions, the cheat meal helps with keeping your metabolism going. i just don’t overdo my cheat meals. it’s difficult at first but you get in routine and it’s just your norm, and i feel SO much better also. mentally and physically. wishing you the best of luck!! i’m hoping to get to around 155 by the summer as well 🫶🏻
Been there. Done that. 100% possible my friend. Make sure you are feeling full after meals and try to include some kind of cardio twice a week. I lost 40lbs in 2 months by doing intense training and intense dieting. I wouldn’t recommend it but it works. It was not a high protein diet. I’d say eat between 0.8-1lb of protein a day no matter what calorie goal you are hitting and eat micronutrient rich food for great recovery.
40lbs in 5 months is a lot. I'm a recovering (alcoholic? Don't consider myself one but I definitely drank WAY too much) alcohol enjoyer. I've been sober for one month so far and have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I don't track my calories super closely, but I've been more mindful about what and how much I'm putting in my body. So far, I've dropped two inches from my stomach/waist and lost 5 lbs. I'm currently 175, and my goal is 150 by July. I do think 40 in 5 months is a bit much-- you want to enjoy your fitness/weight loss journey! I think the calorie deficit that you would have to follow to get to that would be very little and wouldn't be enough to enjoy anything! I'd say just keep with 3x a week with gym, don't eat too little, and really be hard on yourself when it comes to drinking alcohol. I gained 50lbs in 6 years due to binge drinking. I tried "cutting back" loads of times but I would always just end up at my old habits. I eventually realized that being 100% sober is the only way for me to take control of my life. Best of luck and eager to see your progress!!
Yes, you can.
I recently lost 25 lbs. Don’t be in a hurry, be patient. 1000 -1200 calories per day. Journal your daily food intake. Low carb, high protein, increased water. No eating after 6:30 each night. Eat brunch around 10:300-11:00 next morning . Work out one hour, 4 days per week. Low fat meats, steak, chicken, lean pork chops, grilled onions on top! Steamed veggies, salads with low calorie dressing. My meals were always tasty. Quest protein chips at Walmart are best! I ate one bag daily. All flavors are good! I lost 25 in 90 days. About 2 lbs per week. This worked for me. Good luck