How much can I lose

Imalump

Female, age 35, height 5 3, weight 13.5 stone. Would like to lose approx 3 stone by Christmas, more if possible.
Is this a realistic time frame. Would really welcome any advise or opinions especially from anybody who has been there.

Alf Veedersane

It's 42 lbs in about 19 weeks or thereabouts so it's certainly doable. How difficult it is depends on how much you want it really.

There's a good community in the General Weight Loss Support thread as well which you might find useful when you embark on it.

Key is finding a sustainable way to do it rather than a 'diet' that does a job for a fixed time, after which normality resumes and weight goes back on. You want to be able to make changes you will maintain long term for long term results beyond Christmas 2016.

Edit: use the MyFitnessPal app and record everything you eat and drink. Get a kitchen scales to weigh food. Your daily calorie allowance is about 2000 calories to stay the same weight. You don't necessarily have to eat less food but you can make choices that are less calorie dense but have more food. Eating food with minimal processing helps, eg meat, fish, veg

Howjoe1

But at the end of the day Is the change needed all about a new diet?

Alf Veedersane

Howjoe1 wrote: »

But at the end of the day Is the change needed all about a new diet?

It's about making better choices.

firestarter51

It's possible to steadily lose 2-3lb a week
Watch your diet and become more active
I lost 3 stone last summer by eating slightly better and walking 20km a day
Find an activity you enjoy, I think that's the key

eeguy

80% diet and 20% exercise.

My biggest problem is portion sizes. I never realised until I worked it out they I'd easily eat 2500 calories a day due to having more than I needed on the plate.

368100

firestarter51 wrote: »

It's possible to steadily lose 2-3lb a week
Watch your diet and become more active
I lost 3 stone last summer by eating slightly better and walking 20km a day
Find an activity you enjoy, I think that's the key

Wow, 20km a day is some walk, how long did that take you each day??

NiallBoo

I remember reading an abstract a little while ago that assessed rates of fat metabolism, I'll try and pull it out.

The short version was that you can metabolize up to 69+-5 calories per kilo of body-fat per day.

You could use this to work out what the maximum calorie deficit you can meaningfully take and work back from there to assess the MINIMUM amount of time it could theoretically take.

Getting robust estimates of all the different things is very difficult and you'll lose more than fat but it'll give you a tough idea

firestarter51

368100 wrote: »

Wow, 20km a day is some walk, how long did that take you each day??

1 hour 40
Did it in 2 X 10km bursts
Very addictive I found


Not sure is agree with the 80% diet and 20% exercise
But both help
Eat better food and move more

368100

firestarter51 wrote: »

1 hour 40
Did it in 2 X 10km bursts
Very addictive I found


Not sure is agree with the 80% diet and 20% exercise
But both help
Eat better food and move more

Fair play...that's some commitment to keep that up.

I lost 3 stone last year on a low carb diet that the gym put me on for 6 weeks. Actually spent 8 weeks on the programme. Lost 2 stone in the 8 weeks and another stone over the next couple of months as kept up the gym routine and the diet during the week, with some "treats" at the weekend.

In fairness I felt that the diet was doing most of the work, I felt great on it once the first week was past me and when I went back to normal food I felt myself sluggish and not overly motivated for the gym routine.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

368100

FizzleSticks wrote: »

Maybe I'm just a slow walker but that would take me more than 4 hours :L

I lost 35 pounds in 3 months when I cycled 2 to 4 hours a day most days, I ate sugar free muesli for breakfast, snacked on fruit and a few wholewheat crackers, ate a huge amount of veg and some protein.

I ate food that I enjoyed and I did an exercise I enjoyed. But after 3 months I got bored of the same food and the weather got shiite again.

Lol, I was thinking it would take me a lot longer to walk 20k...and I thought I was a fast walker....walked 5k earlier this evening and it took me 45 mins

firestarter51

368100 wrote: »

Lol, I was thinking it would take me a lot longer to walk 20k...and I thought I was a fast walker....walked 5k earlier this evening and it took me 45 mins

I'm 6 foot 4 and walk faster than most people jog in my area
Speed walking it's called the faster you move the more calories are burned
No point strolling

368100

firestarter51 wrote: »

I'm 6 foot 4 and walk faster than most people jog in my area
Speed walking it's called the faster you move the more calories are burned
No point strolling

I fast walk too but I'm 5'6....obviously my short legs are the issue, might get stilts ;-)

firestarter51

368100 wrote: »

Fair play...that's some commitment to keep that up.

I lost 3 stone last year on a low carb diet that the gym put me on for 6 weeks. Actually spent 8 weeks on the programme. Lost 2 stone in the 8 weeks and another stone over the next couple of months as kept up the gym routine and the diet during the week, with some "treats" at the weekend.

In fairness I felt that the diet was doing most of the work, I felt great on it once the first week was past me and when I went back to normal food I felt myself sluggish and not overly motivated for the gym routine.

Gyms and diets ?
Just eat better food using common sense and become more active
Gyms are a waste of money in my opinion id sooner spend it on better food

368100

firestarter51 wrote: »

Gyms and diets ?
Just eat better food using common sense and become more active
Gyms are a waste of money in my opinion id sooner spend it on better food

I did both, in fairness it was €30 for the programme and €30 a month. Well worth it as it not only got me stronger and more tones but they also taught me how to eat properly using fresh heathy food. I felt 10 years younger by the end of it.

EICVD

Depends how much you've got in your wallet/purse?......

firestarter51

All the info on diet is free on Google. Save the money

368100

firestarter51 wrote: »

All the info on diet is free on Google. Save the money

Well each to their own I suppose, a weekly weigh in in front of others kept me motivated to keep going :-)

firestarter51

368100 wrote: »

Well each to their own I suppose, a weekly weigh in in front of others kept me motivated to keep going :-)

Also embarrassing for some
We all have different ideas that makes us all human

Not a hope I would stand in front of people
And get weighed and wait for a clap

pinkypinky

I lost a similar amount of weight (and I'm your height too) over 10 months (10 years ago) doing a combination of weight watchers and the gym - cardio only. I have managed to keep that weight off and am better educated about nutrition these days so I know I could have done it quicker. I agree it's mostly about diet and portion size but there's no doubt exercise will help.

There's no mad rush...you'll find once you start that you lose weight quicker at the beginning and then it will settle down to 1-2lbs a week.

Blacktie.

firestarter51 wrote: »

All the info on diet is free on Google. Save the money

While this is true there is a tonne of contradictory information online and it can be hard to sort the good from the bad advice for people new on the journey. No harm in skipping that step and taking the advice of someone who knows what they're talking about.

Macy0161

In my experience 2-3 lbs a week is doable and sustainable. Again, my experience is that it is mainly diet - it maybe a cliche, but it is true that you can't out train a bad diet.

I worked out my maintenance calories (based on a sticky here, which some say is wrong, but worked for me), tracked calories in myfitnesspal aiming for a 500 calorie deficit a day from food, and then tried to "earn" at least 500 calories from exercise. Every "plan" I've seen is pretty much calorie deficit disguised as something else.

I wouldn't over complicate it - if you are honest about the portions (weighing them) and counting everything, you can make incremental steps in the quality of your diet within that.

Mellor

firestarter51 wrote: »

I'm 6 foot 4 and walk faster than most people jog in my area
Speed walking it's called the faster you move the more calories are burned
No point strolling

You did 20km in 1h40m? Surely that's into the jogging/running pace and no longer walking.

Mellor

NiallBoo wrote: »

I remember reading an abstract a little while ago that assessed rates of fat metabolism, I'll try and pull it out.

The short version was that you can metabolize up to 69+-5 calories per kilo of body-fat per day.

Could you post this if you find it again please.
It's something that most people interested in fitness would be aware of. The more excess fat you carry, the larger deficit you can run, and the more fat you burn first. But I've never seen it quantified like that.

On the face of it, it sound more useful that a flat 500csl deficit for everyone.

Squall Leonhart

Mellor wrote: »

You did 20km in 1h40m? Surely that's into the jogging/running pace and no longer walking.

It'd be a decent half marathon time for the casual runner!

firestarter51

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

It'd be a decent half marathon time for the casual runner!

I do it in 2 lots of 10km 10 hours apart
Wouldn't be much good in a half marathon having a break in the middle

Alf Veedersane

firestarter51 wrote: »

I do it in 2 lots of 10km 10 hours apart
Wouldn't be much good in a half marathon having a break in the middle

It's still 10km in 50 minutes though, no?

groovyg

firestarter51 wrote: »

Gyms and diets ?
Gyms are a waste of money in my opinion id sooner spend it on better food

Each to their own, they are a waste of money if you don't use them.

firestarter51

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's still 10km in 50 minutes though, no?

Yes, took 6 months to get my time down and increase distance

Alf Veedersane

firestarter51 wrote: »

Yes, took 6 months to get my time down and increase distance

Are you Rob Heffernan's taller brother?

firestarter51

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Are you Rob Heffernan's taller brother?

No idea who that is
I'm assuming you're taking the mick so I will leave you to it

Alf Veedersane

firestarter51 wrote: »

No idea who that is
I'm assuming you're taking the mick so I will leave you to it

He's a race walker.

Mellor

firestarter51 wrote: »

No idea who that is
I'm assuming you're taking the mick so I will leave you to it

He's an Irish race walker, holds the Irish record at every distance, camer 3rd at the last olympics. You pace isn't far off his. (1h20m/20k). The other poster wasn't taking the piss. Your pace is quite impressive.

That's why I were you running or walking. As 50min is about normal for a casual runner.

Faith

14 kph or 7.5 mph is very fast for walking :eek:.

Mellor

Faith wrote: »

14 kph or 7.5 mph is very fast for walking :eek:.

It's 12kmph, which is still very fast for walking.

Faith

Mellor wrote: »

It's 12kmph, which is still very fast for walking.

I fecking knew I was going to be wrong with my sums .