How long SHOULD it take to lose 3 stone...

[BumgrapesofWrath]

I currently weigh 15 stone 10 and I'm 5ft 5. I am wanting to TTC but would like to get my BMI below 30 before I do it, which for me would be about 12stone 10. How long realistically (and also sensibly) should it take me to lose 3 stone? I am going to assume the the first stone might ome off very quickly as I was seriously over indulgng...

[BillyBollyBandy]

It took me 7 months to lose 4 stone, at a steady 2/3 pounds a week.

2 kids and 2 stone back on, I'm back at SW!

[bibbityisaporker]

I want to say a year.

[starsintheireyes]

It took me 12 months to lose 4 stone (im 5ft 2 and weighed 15st6 after my 3rd dc at the beg of 2011) and that was by eating sensibly, healthy balanced diet, more protein but less carbs than id usually have. Obviously the main factor was daily dance workout for 40mins at home, gym three evenings a week, legs bums and tums once a week and two zumba classes a week. It was bloody tough but I look completely different and feel loads better, still got about another 2 to go before im completely happy with bmi(family history of diabetes) but Im so much closer and really 12 months is not that long. Put the exsercise in and your see results pretty fast

[OctopusSting]

Took me 12 months to lose just over 4 stone using FoodFocus. You could lose it much more quickly but will risk loose skin and the risk of putting it back on quickly as you have not 'retrained' your mind and body into a long term healthy eating regime

[Fluffy1234]

It took me 8 months to lose 60 pounds and 6 months to lose the first three stone . That was with no exercise and absolutely no cheating or slip ups including going on a cruise, Christmas etc. Bmi was 35 now 23.5, I am quite short. I did it sensibly and steady and lost between 1 and 2.5 pounds every single week.
Good luck.

[foreverondiet]

It depends on many things:

a) what diet you do
b) how strict you are
c) how much weight you have and what your target is (ie easier to get from BMI 40 to 30 than from BMI 30 to 20)
d) how many diets you have done in the past

Based on what you say, if you are strict and focused I would have thought 4-5 months realistic. If you do it quickly much higher risk of it going on quickly esp if you get pregnant and aren't very strict in the pregnancy too.

[mousymouseafraidofdogs]

about a year would be sensible.

[Kaloobear]

I think longer is generally more sensible but I have lost three stone in just over three months on Weightwatchers. I followed the plan exactly and I think the reasons it came off so fast were a) I have a six month old baby and b) I didn't cheat at all-I've come to the conclusion that the plan is built to include people cheating. I eat all my 26 daily points and all my 49 weekly points and frequently lose 2.5-3lbs a week, when it's meant to allow for loss of 0.5-2lbs a week.

[Lambskin]

It has taken me nearly a year to lose 2 stone, which may sound like a long time but I have reassessed and reevaluated as I have gone along. I've learnt so much about nutrition and exercise and about myself that I know I won't be putting it back on. And that's the important bit. You need to do it in a way that's sustainable, and that may mean slow. Try myfitnesspal, I couldn't have done it without it.

[AnEcumenicalMatter]

I lost 4 stone in 5 and a half months but I was heavier than you to start with so it came off quite quickly without doing anything extreme - just healthy eating and exercise.

The next 2 stone came off much more slowly.

[bellanonna]

I hope I qualify for joining here, I have had three children but am now retired and have four grandchildren also.. Since retiring, having been a slender size 10 all my life and even smaller as a teen, I have now put on over four stone in the last 5 years. I desperately want my old slimline figure back, how do I lose this as quickly as possible whilst remaining healthy - gym is out, as back not strong enough, but I walk daily.

[bellanonna]

Can you give me advice on what to eat in order to lose that amount of weight that quickly, that is a dream for me. Thank you.

[revolution909]

Took me 6 months but I became what I. Like to call a "part time athlete" in between so I would assume maybe it should take a bit longer

[Loubilou09]

I reckon it's going to end up being 10 months, I am 2st 4lb down in 8 months but I had most of Christmas off and 2 weeks holiday plus another couple of business trips for about a week each so realistically you could take 2.5 months out of that and say I have lost 32lbs in 5.5 months. I have another 8 weeks to go until a big even and really want to have lost 3 stone by then which will be 10 months in time but really 7.5 months of properly trying. Much longer than I thought it was going to be!!! First three months I did absolutely no exercise though.

[sexymuthafunker]

Well done starsintheireyes & anyone else who has lost so much!

Am wanting to lose about 3 stone & getting really fed up of hearing it's all about food - so it's great to hear that extra exercise makes such a difference

[revolution909]

Hell yeah! It makes so much of a difference that now I have to eat protein bars as I don't get hungry enough :/

[sexymuthafunker]

[Jenasaurus]

It took me 3 months on the Cambridge diet, but that's not recommended or sustainable long term, but for a specific event, like surgery etc it works. Its hard though and you have to be careful not to put it all on when you start eating again, so longer term diets and slower weight loss if probably the better option

[Imnotadad]

I lost 2 stone in 3 days. Is that normal?

[MrFartPants]

No you didn't. Unless you were incredibly ill.

[Atd156]

To give you some added perspective... I was 13 stone 9 lbs on 9th January. I’m 163cm (5’3”-5’4”) my BMI was around 32.5. I’m now (as of 6th March) 11 stone 5 lbs with a healthIER BMI of 27.2. I started by doing a water fast for 14 days (nothing but water and minimal activity) I lost like 1 stone 10lbs, once I was back eating again I put 8lbs back on. Now, I eat 1000 cals a day: 1 egg, 1 bacon rasher & spinach for breakfast, handful of nuts for lunch, salmon OR chicken with veg for dinner and a small amount of dark choc for a snack. I also gym 6 days a week (3/4 days weights Or class, 2/3 days swim) and always make sure to get my 10,000 recommended steps in the day. I’m still 3 stone off my goal but I’m losing weight everyday and never feel hungry!

[Atd156]

I also have 1 cheat day a week where I stay within my macro goals but can have 1,500 calories!

[delilahbucket]

It took me six months to lose 2 1/2 stone without exercising. You can lose quickly, but it doesn't mean you keep it off. I have maintained for over three years, and the only time I've gained was last Christmas, but I've lost it again now.