Realistic time to get to BMI 25, from 32

[Sugarfree23]

My current BMI is 32, I really want lower than 25 but 25 seems a sensible aim.
Yes I know it's not always the best measure of fitness but I also know I'm no athlete either..

Realistically I think it's about 2.5 stone how long?

At 1 pound a week, that would be 35 weeks or between 8 and 9 months. That should be do-able without making massive changes or starving yourself and so you would be less likely to put it back on again

Depends how old you are, how strict you want to be (meal replacement or healthy eating) and whether you intend to exercise as well as change your diet.

If you do a meal replacement plan (shakes and bars) and up your daily steps, you could potentially lose 2.5st in around 3 months/12 weeks.

Although you could do it in a healthier, more sustainable way in 4-6 months by cutting out processed foods, calorie counting and upping your exercise.

At least 6 months. I was 27 in May and am now 25. It’s a long hard slog.

I'm 46, and yes I plan to exercise too.
I'm not sure I want to go down the route of meal replacements party because I don't think it's a good example for my kids.

Hi @Sugarfree23 could I join on to your thread please? I have the same BMI as you and I’m fed up of it now. I’ve been trying (in my mind only atm) to lose the weight since 2018 and I haven’t shifted an ounce. It’s really getting me down. I’ve got other stressful things going on at the moment and I’m feeling so overwhelmed. I feel like if I could improve my health and fitness it would give me the energy to deal with all the other stuff.

My downfall is sugar. I could literally eat my body weight in chocolate. Like you I want to eat better and move more but I’m totally stuck in a rut right now.

@Elopelo I hadn't really intended this to become a motivation thread but why on earth not. I'm totally fed up being wee and fat. And nothing fits.

I tried and failed with dropping sugar at New Year. I have a gym membership that I took out about a year ago. Toying with the idea of getting a PT for a couple of months.

I lost two and a half stone from December to now. I still drink, still have treats... I don't exercise.

BMI was 33.3 and is currently 27

I try to only eat first meal after 1pm. May or may not eat dinner later, but if I do it's a small portion

I'm 49

I appreciate that this is a long period, but it's been a continual downward trajectory of very small losses. Often I lose and put on the same three pounds over and over.

However - The trend is established and I'm in no way restricting myself or dieting as such. This way it's become more of a habit, a lifestyle rather than a fad diet.

I'll just keep plodding on to shift the remaining half stone or so to take me under the BMI of 25

Loosing and regaining the same weight is a regular thing here too.

SW 13st 1 BMI 32.4 (13/7/23)
GW 10st BMI 25
CW 12st 10 BMI 31.5 (7/8/23)

Oh boy that's a lot to loose. I wasn't always this unfit, I used to swim 60 lengths without thinking about it.
July I was just back from holiday so some will have been water weight but still.

I lost an average of about 1.5lb per week. So it took 5 months to lose a little over 2st. Then the weight stopped coming off no matter how little I ate, so I got disheartened and put all the weight back on 😩 Now I need to lose it again!

I did 2.5st in about 3 months when I was in my mid 20s. I did a pretty strict low carb combined with smaller portions. The food got old very quickly but I was so staggered by the results (11lb in first two weeks) and appetite suppressing that I just carried on. Have failed since to be quite that successful but still an avid low carber. Food plan was thus.

Bfast
Natural full fat Greek yoghurt with berries
Or two scrambled eggs with butter

Lunch
Low carb soup. So bacon/veg. Creamy chicken or broccolli and Stilton.
Or green salad with protein, chicken/salami/tuna mayo with an oily dressing.

Dinner (one medium/small bowl)
Meat dish with veggies eg
Meatballs with cheese green beans
Burger patties with coleslaw and fried mushrooms
Fajita with salad, salsa, cheese roasted peppers.
Beef stew with buttered cabbage and courgette

It got very samey, especially lunch but it really worked.