Can I lose 9lbs in 5 weeks?

[BusyMissIzzy]

I put on over 3st during pregnancy, although I was on the thin side to begin with (8st 4lb at 5'4" tall). I'm down to 9st 7lb, but would ultimately like to lose another stone. But I've decided to set myself a short-term goal of losing 9lbs in the next 5 weeks (for an MN meet-up ). The 9lbs is sort of arbitrary; it would get me to 125lbs which is a nice round number and would probably shift a lot of my tummy.

I currently do 20mins aerobics and 20mins kick-boxing 3 times a week, and run between 6 and 10 miles at the weekend. I try to do long walks with the pushchair on the days I don't exercise. I eat about 2000cals/day. I could up the exercise to every day, but can't do much more per day as I have to fit it in when DD naps. I could also cut back on calories.

Sorry, that's a bit long! Any thoughts/advice?

The easiest way to lose weight quickly is "Lighter Life".

A man I know lost 4 stone in 4 months and another lost 2 stone in 6 weeks.

The method is extreme and might not suit everyone but it certainly works.

Lighter life and other extreme very loca cal diets are for people who are severely overweight a it is easier for a severely overweight person to lose weight fast (it's a matter of percentages)

I lost 9lb in 3 weeks but I weighed over 17 stone to start with, my f=diet was crap and my exercise level was non-existent.
I think considering how fit you are already that trying to lose 9lb that fast woudl be nigh on impossible, if not dangerous.

Maybe change up your exercise routines to tone parts you aren't happy about?

I think you should concentrate on eating healthily and exercising the amount you enjoy/need to. The figures are pretty arbitrary, especially when you're only talking minimal amounts. Do you feel better? Can you run further? Do your clothes fit better? These are all better measures of health and fitness than a number on the scales.

An effective, sustainable and healthy weightloss is 1-2lbs per week. After that you aren't losing fat but lean tissue. So I would say that 9lbs in 5 weeks might lead to disappointment.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not looking for anything too drastic, but 9lbs in 5 weeks is under 2lbs loss per week, so I thought it sounded do-able, with a bit of effort. It obviously wouldn't be maintainable in the long term.

I know the numbers on the scale don't really mean much, but because I know what I used to weight, I figure I'd need to get back to something approaching that if I want to fit into my pre-pg clothes.

And you're right, LibertyGibbet, I'l probably just keep up the exercise and watch what I eat, and whatever comes off comes off. I guess I hoped that having a goal would help with my motivation, which has been lacking recently.

Ilythia I was planning to focus on fat-burning at first to shift a lot of the flab (although the running and kick-boxing do tone my muscles a bit), then focus more on toning once I'm nearer my goal weight.

Fair enough, I didn't think you were, my post was more aimed at woodston tbh
I think 2lb a week is easier if you are making a fundamental life change but if you are already fit and eating well then it will be a lot harder. Good luck though nothing wrong with a goal!

Do you use the maximuscle products? If you use Thermabol (to up your matabalism) and promax diet (to convert you exercise more efficiently to muscle and to reduce your appetite) and reduce your calories down you should find the weight drops off.

I am on a break at the moment, but when I use them and do a 20-30min run a day, I tend to lose about 31b the first week and then 1lb a day after that. I know for certain it is fat as I am taking protein powder and I have scales that check fat, water, muscle, bmi and matabalism.

I don't know if it matters but I too am 5'4 I was 9st 3lb when doing it last year (for a wedding). I am now on migraine tablets that cause weight gain so am giving myself more slack now but do it every few months to stop the gain getting serious.

Ooh, I hadn't thought of using any weightloss products. I've always been more of a fan of the traditional "burning more calories than I'm consuming" approach. How does it increase your metabolism? Are there side effects?

Shiney you're right, I hadn't really done the maths, but I would need about a 1000cal/day deficit to guarantee 2ish lbs/week lost. Hmm. Would the 30 day shred be enough exercise each day (they're 20mins right, but quite intense)?. I'd probably keep up the running at weekends, but 20mins would be perfect for weekdays.

Thanks again everyone. Haven't lost anything this week, despite exercising ever day since last Weds :( I think I've hit a plateau, just need to get over it somehow.

17lb in a month

WOW Shiney, well done you.

Wow Shiney, that's some impressive weightloss. Do you have much more to lose? I think I'll give The Shred a go; it's only about £5 on Amazon. And I'll cut my calories back to 1500 or so, and see how that goes. I thought 2000 would be sufficiently low if I was burning about 350 by exercising, plus EBFing, but I've just stopped the EBFing.

1200 calories/day seems quite low, once you factor in all that exercise.. but hey, it seems to be working for you :)

I have just read -and started another thread - on the Flat Belly Diet which seems to show that you could eat 1600 cals a day (of proper food!!) and lose that weight, especially if you are carrying it round your tummy post-baby.

It also says that the way your clothes feel is more important than what the scales say - which is what made me buy a diet book cos 2 out of 3 pairs of my jeans didn't fit me!

So, as someone who has never dieted (until today/tomorrow!) I would say it looks possible.

Rice cakes and cottage cheese? No wonder you're bored :( I don't think I'd have the willpower to stick to that.

Wouldn't your body go into starvation mode at 850 cals/day? I get headahhes and bad breath if I eat too little as well.

And LOL at being "in your dotage" at 39! It does get harder to lose as you get older though, doesn't it? I've fluctuated all my life (but was maintaining pretty well for a while till I got pregnant last year), and it was so much easier to slim down when I was younger.

Dysgu I've head of the Flat Belly Diet, but not tried it. Sounds interesting; is it based on cutting down foods that cause bloating? I wish it were possible to spot-reduce tummy fat, but alas :(

Shine - you can also swap ricecakes for Ryvita :)

You are an inspiration to me...

Oat cakes are good, low GI.

You're doing so well though. I think it's harder if you've been thin before, as you can't help but compare yourself to how you used to look at your thinnest, even if you're looking much better already (which I'm sure you are after losing 17lbs).

you must have a very small frame .. I am 5 foot 5 and weigh 11 stone 4 & can fit into size 12 clothes - if I lost another 3 stone I'd look anorexic try not to be too hard on yourself

I do have a small frame Joby; very narrow hips and excess weight goes straight to my stomach. I could handle being "curvier", but I don't get curves, I get rolls :(

BusyMissIzzy - I feel for you then. I would recommend for the long term doing some weight training - you won't get bulky (lots of women worry about that) & you'll have more muscle which burns more calories than the equivalent amount of fat & you'll be slimmer - even if you don't weigh less.

oat cakes have very low Glycemic Load
8.7
rice cakes - medium
16.38
ryvita
8.85

so you are excused from going off your rice cakes :)