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Years and years

A

angua

Well-Known Member
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found MFP today, and loaded it up with some numbers - according to the calculations - if I eat 1973 cals, 34 carb, 177 fat and 74 protein a day it'll take me 3 years 4 months to lose 95lbs :***:

I can't be waiting that long !

please somebody tell me it'll happen sooner :|

Gilly
 
It may or may not :)

If you have a 500 kcal deficit every day, you will lose a pound a week - that should be around the 2 year mark.

If you low carb, often you find your appetite going down after the first week or two, so some of this may come naturally.

If you add to the equation a brisk walk of about 30 minutes every day, you should knock off 200 kcals on that, and it is good for your blood sugar control too.

If you have any excess skin it will have better time to adjust the slower you do the weight loss. Losing much more than 1kg a week (2lbs) is not really recommended as it is likely to mean you will be losing muscle.

I would set goals that revolve around 1lb a week loss (2 years time) and be happy about the extra that might come off before then.

Just remember how much better you will already feel in 10lbs, 20lbs time - the end goal is one thing, but the benefits from a 10 percent weight reduction are already excellent and if you say 'At Christmas, I want to have lost 25 lbs' you'd have a beautiful goal for the med-term that you are likely to achieve and then you cross the next bridge when you get to it.

You can also calculate the other way around and see how many calories you would need to get to a certain weight by a certain date as long as you don't put yourself on an absolute starvation diet. Maybe 1800 kcals would be a nice compromise.

It is far better though to have goals that you are likely to achieve than goals and expectations that get disappointed - you need the motivation and the extra bits that come off before then will then be a nice bonus.

Also remember than when you have lost say 20 lbs, you will need to look at your calorie intake again because it doesn't take the same metabolistic work to keep a smaller person on their feet, so the bit towards the end of that imaginary line may be misleading. 1900 kcals can be a lot for a small person, but will probably made a big person lose weight.

Good luck.
 
http://www.prokerala.com/health/health- ... rs/bmr.php

You can try this to have a play with to see about the Metabolic Rate for a smaller you.

It also gives a clue about the amount of calories needed to keep the basic functions working (especially if for the purpose you leave the exercise drop down menu at No Exercise).

Remember that the lean body mass excludes essential fat which for a woman should be around 20-25 percent and around 15-20 percent for men on top of that weight.
 
many thanks Mileana for the very comprehensive reply

You're right of course I will feel better as every lb is lost - I think I was just feeling immensely deflated at the overall time it would take, though having said that, I did not 'arrive' at this weight, it took years to pile it all. obviously there will be a commensurate length of time to lose it too. Still partially in default behaviour and looking for quick solutions :roll:

Gilly
 
None of these "Calories -in" = "Calories-out" calculations works on me. I don't think they work very well on anyone, since our metabolism is regulated by enzymes, which can push entropy the wrong way. [That's what "Life" is!]
Living systems don't follow the simplest version of Newton's laws. In other words, not being an internal combustion engine, don't be surprised if you don't work like one. Anyway even internal combustion engines vary considerably in their efficiency.
The only thing that works reliably for me, is very small portions of very low carb meals. More like 3 snacks per day than 3 meals
Exercise doesn't burn fat off unless it's extreme exercise consistently over an extended period. It does make you fitter though
Hana
 
Don't rush it by trying to cut back on calories too quickly. The more weight you have to lose the more calories you require just to be able to perform everyday tasks. I believe, if you cut down too much, your body goes into starvation mode and you lose weight more slowly.

I don't know how many calories I'm eating but I've lost 2 stone since the end of April. Another 3 would bring me back to the weight I was 8 years ago but in reality I should probably be aiming for another 2 stone on top of that. However I will reassess nearer my next goal.

Don't go hungry, there's no need and the protein and fat of LCHF does seem to make a difference (though I'm not sure I quite have the balance right).

A typical menu is:
Breakfast: 125g greek yoghurt (full fat) with 85g frozen raspberries and 2 boiled eggs
Lunch: Large salad with some protein (eg chicken, 1/4lb beef burger or 2 sausages without added extras other than seasoning, smoked salmon, tinned salmon or sardines or cheese and ham)
Sugar free jelly (1/2 pint) - if I don't have cheese with the salad I have about 50mls double cream
Dinner: Roast veg (courgette, mushrooms, red onion, pepper, carrots, green beans) and trout, steak or chicken; or chicken curry and a dry cauliflower and spinach curry; or bolognese sauce loaded with mushrooms and courgette but no pasta followed by more sugar free jelly, strawberries and cream.

I eat as much of these vegetables as I need to feel comfortably full (not stuffed) and drink water, black tea and diet coke. There are plenty of other ideas available on this site and I will get aroud to experimenting in time but the above seems to suit my purpose and I'm a creature of habit!

I used to fall asleep after work but I have loads more energy now and if I don't manage a walk or cycle ride sometime during the day I'm very restless.

Hope this helps
Dawn
 
I used to agonise about weight loss, and would get so fed up at a slow rate of loss that I would deliberately binge-eat to punish myself - and then I was off the diet again! :crazy:

This time I am not "dieting for weight loss", I am eating to control my blood glucose - which I am doing, very well indeed :angel: :D :lol: . Any weight loss is now a side-effect, though none-the-less very desirable.

I started at 298lb (21st 4lb) in April 2010; I got to 238lb (17 stone) by June 2012; I would like to weigh 168lb (12 stone) by . . . .?? Well, I don't know when, if ever, I'll achieve it, but that's my goal - 130lb loss.

It took me 45 years, with lots of ups and downs, to get to 298lb. I hope it doesn't take me 45 years to get back down again - I'd be 105! :lol:

Seriously, Angua, try not to focus on the weight. It makes you feel so down when it doesn't go! :D

I'm with you in spirit, fellow Pratchett fan! :D

Viv 8)
 
Thanks for the pep up all I really appreciate the support, I will post an update in the forum later

viviennem said:
I'm with you in spirit, fellow Pratchett fan! :D

Viv 8)
Click to expand...

wow Viv first time I've been spotted ever (this must be a good place :clap: )

Gilly x
 
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