How long will it take to lose 30 pounds?

Question

I am 5 8' and weigh 210. I am eating 1200 calories a day now (healthy foods only) and doing 30 minutes of cardio 6 days a week.

Can I accomplish this by May?

Answer 1

Well, you can definitely expect to lose 30 lbs by May, but I'm concerned that you're not eating enough calories right now.

You don't list your gender or age, but there's an easy calculator you can use to determine how many calories you should be eating each day: http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/Calorie_Calculator.asp

There are even instructions on the page to add/subtract calories from the daily requirement in order to gain/lose weight.

A reasonably weight loss goal would be 1-2 lbs per week (500-1000 calories less each day than what's required), and at your weight and height you should be consuming a few more calories at this stage in the game. The majority of the calories burned during the day are from metabolic functions such as heart beat, respiration, digestion, etc... As you lose weight you can reassess how many calories you need every day, but you really do need to make sure you're getting enough calories and nutrients.

If you're hungry all of the time, you're not going to want to stick to your plan. Also, while it is admirable to only eat healthy foods, there's nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence in something that's a little unhealthy. Just continue to watch your daily calories and don't overdo it. Don't punish yourself if you have a bad day ~ just go back to your plan and carry on as if it never happened.

Cardio 6 days a week is a good plan too, but to get even quicker results you should incorporate some light resistance training as well. The more lean muscle you build, the more calories you will burn every day, even when you're resting.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

You're definitely not eating enough and you'll push your body and your metabolism into a defensive starvation mode. You'll end up with a metabolism level that will want to store any calories it can as body fat in order to protect your body because it thinks you're at risk of starving.

Losing 2lbs a week is a much healthier goal -- you can lose the 30 lbs in about 4 months (May!) without screwing up your metabolism which could otherwise cause you to be more overweight than you already are in the long run.

To lose 2 lbs a week at your weight you would need a daily calorie deficit of approx 1200 calories. Create half of that deficit by reducing your calorie level from a maintenance level of 3000 to about 2400 and burn 600 more calories daily (or at least on average) via exercise.

I agree with the people who recommend weight/resistance training. Either incorporate weights into your cardio or alternate days. If the cardio is wearing you down, don't be afraid to just switch to an hour or so of vigorous walking. While you are losing weight, you'll lose some muscle as well as fat, but you can minimize this with weight training.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

You might be able to. I'd try to decrease the amount of calories just by a little like 100 or 200 and increase your exercise 5 or 10 minutes. I heard about this teenager that jump roped 10 minutes every day and did nothing else and she lost 10 pounds in one month.

Answer 5

Easily. Im 5 8 also and I weighed 175 and I lost 50 pounds in 4-5 months. Now Im 125

Answer 6

I actually think you are eating too little. Eat more good, whole foods throughout the day and your metabolism will jump start. I'd start with at least 1600/day. As you start to lose, slowly reduce the max. calorie intake by ca. 200/day. Strength training will help too. Muscle is your friend, and the more you have the more calories you will burn during any given activity - even sleep!

Answer 7

you can probably lose at least 20 by May maybe more im not sure about 30

Answer 8

probably if you decrease the calories to 1000, i would also try to eat 100 calorie packs, they're pretty filling for a snack. for example: instead of having potatoe chips you can have a 100 calorie pretzle or oreo pack. good luck!

Answer 9

use a dash of cinnamon to give fruits such as bananas and melons a richer dessert feel without the sugar

Answer 10

watch one less hour of tv