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Advice on losing 50 pounds

I'm 146cm and weight 139lbs. I would like to drop down to 88lbs. What kind of exercise routine would be best for this? And how long can it possibly take? How much of a change will this amount of weight-loss have on my looks?

I do have to bear in mind that I've got 17 A-level modules in October (I'm an international student and we have exams in october), which is in 4 months.
However, I would really like to lose at least 35 pounds by December. :smile:

If you're someone who has lost a lot of weight or is planning on losing this much weight, please do post a comment would be great to talk to you! :smile:

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If you're doing A-levels I assume you're 17/18?

I'd highly recommend weight-training and incorporating some sort of cardio at least 3-4 times a week. The weight training will build muscle, which will help you lose weight quicker and easier.

Another important thing is that weight loss is achieved through caloric deficit, no matter how hard you exercise.
Original post by cantgetvalidname
I'm 146cm and weight 139lbs. I would like to drop down to 88lbs. What kind of exercise routine would be best for this? And how long can it possibly take? How much of a change will this amount of weight-loss have on my looks?

I do have to bear in mind that I've got 17 A-level modules in October (I'm an international student and we have exams in october), which is in 4 months.
However, I would really like to lose at least 35 pounds by December. :smile:

If you're someone who has lost a lot of weight or is planning on losing this much weight, please do post a comment would be great to talk to you! :smile:


You've probably heard this before but the healthy maximum for losing weight is 2lb/week. However, if you haven't exercised much before, the first month or so will probably see a quicker drop in weIght. Let's say this evens out the time you can't exercise around your A Level modules - if we include a brief plateau, you can probably lose 50lbs by February half-term :smile:

But, of course, it's not as easy as it sounds. Again, this might be something you've heard already but it requires a lifestyle change, not just a temporary change or "diet". Start by incorporating cardio into your day, 2-4 days a week. This can be anything from a weekend hike to a jog to even just a walk (at least an hour long) - you can do a variety of types of exercise or just one, whatever suits you best. After two or three weeks, start doing some strength exercises - sign up to a gym and look up some weightlifting tutorials on YouTube (if you're anxious about getting "hench", don't worry at all - it's so, so hard for bodybuilders to look like they do. You won't bulk up at all) using weights that you can comfortably lift to avoid muscle injury. Also experiment with different kinds of strength exercise - yoga, pilates, barre etc. I'd recommend eventually doing cardio 2/3 times a week and strength twice a week.

As for your diet, try to make it as healthy as possible. You don't need to cut out junk food entirely; set yourself a cheat day/meal every week if you're craving it. Don't cut down on carbs because your energy will slowly deplete and you'll binge. Up your protein intake a little. Eat some fruit and a lot of veggies. A good meal plan to roughly follow is the NHS couch to 5k eating plan. *edit* as BristolFresher15 says, caloric deficit is essential to losing weight, but don't go crazy counting calories or anything. Try to eat until you're 80% full at every meal because it takes 20 minutes to digest food and for your brain to feel full.

Good luck! :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by cantgetvalidname
I'm 146cm and weight 139lbs. I would like to drop down to 88lbs. What kind of exercise routine would be best for this? And how long can it possibly take? How much of a change will this amount of weight-loss have on my looks?

I do have to bear in mind that I've got 17 A-level modules in October (I'm an international student and we have exams in october), which is in 4 months.
However, I would really like to lose at least 35 pounds by December. :smile:

If you're someone who has lost a lot of weight or is planning on losing this much weight, please do post a comment would be great to talk to you! :smile:


For girls I would suggest doing an exercise like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUbexZHikaU

about 100 reps per day at a weight around .2 x bodyweight then add an extra 5 kg every week once you get onto doing this for body weight 100 PERFECT you shall be ripped AF
Original post by BristolFresher15
If you're doing A-levels I assume you're 17/18?

I'd highly recommend weight-training and incorporating some sort of cardio at least 3-4 times a week. The weight training will build muscle, which will help you lose weight quicker and easier.

Another important thing is that weight loss is achieved through caloric deficit, no matter how hard you exercise.


Heya, I'm 19 years old. Is there any particular type of weight training you can recommend? perhaps a link to a video or webpage? What I am worried about most with it is that I actually don't want to build muscles as I'm quite short and would like to be skinny and toned.

Original post by GlassyMarbles
You've probably heard this before but the healthy maximum for losing weight is 2lb/week. However, if you haven't exercised much before, the first month or so will probably see a quicker drop in weIght. Let's say this evens out the time you can't exercise around your A Level modules - if we include a brief plateau, you can probably lose 50lbs by February half-term :smile:

But, of course, it's not as easy as it sounds. Again, this might be something you've heard already but it requires a lifestyle change, not just a temporary change or "diet". Start by incorporating cardio into your day, 2-4 days a week. This can be anything from a weekend hike to a jog to even just a walk (at least an hour long) - you can do a variety of types of exercise or just one, whatever suits you best. After two or three weeks, start doing some strength exercises - sign up to a gym and look up some weightlifting tutorials on YouTube (if you're anxious about getting "hench", don't worry at all - it's so, so hard for bodybuilders to look like they do. You won't bulk up at all) using weights that you can comfortably lift to avoid muscle injury. Also experiment with different kinds of strength exercise - yoga, pilates, barre etc. I'd recommend eventually doing cardio 2/3 times a week and strength twice a week.

As for your diet, try to make it as healthy as possible. You don't need to cut out junk food entirely; set yourself a cheat day/meal every week if you're craving it. Don't cut down on carbs because your energy will slowly deplete and you'll binge. Up your protein intake a little. Eat some fruit and a lot of veggies. A good meal plan to roughly follow is the NHS couch to 5k eating plan. *edit* as BristolFresher15 says, caloric deficit is essential to losing weight, but don't go crazy counting calories or anything. Try to eat until you're 80% full at every meal because it takes 20 minutes to digest food and for your brain to feel full.

Good luck! :smile:


Heya thank you so much for your detailed answer :smile:

As I have mentioned to BristolFresher15 I am worried about building muscles and since Im really short I want a skinny toned body. I would like to be doing yoga too to be honest - is yoga better or aerobics for losing weight? Are there any particular strength training/weightlifting routines you could perhaps recommend to me? I feel incredibly self-conscious about signing up with a gym as everyone there looks pretty fit and I don't want to be there looking the way I am.

Original post by NoahMal
For girls I would suggest doing an exercise like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUbexZHikaU

about 100 reps per day at a weight around .2 x bodyweight then add an extra 5 kg every week once you get onto doing this for body weight 100 PERFECT you shall be ripped AF


Hey thank you for the link but I don't want to be ripped, I just want to shed of the weight and be skinny as af. So this won't really work for me will it?
Original post by cantgetvalidname
I'm 146cm and weight 139lbs. I would like to drop down to 88lbs. What kind of exercise routine would be best for this? And how long can it possibly take? How much of a change will this amount of weight-loss have on my looks?

I do have to bear in mind that I've got 17 A-level modules in October (I'm an international student and we have exams in october), which is in 4 months.
However, I would really like to lose at least 35 pounds by December. :smile:

If you're someone who has lost a lot of weight or is planning on losing this much weight, please do post a comment would be great to talk to you! :smile:


88 pounds! Wtf that's 39 kg. why do you want to be that light?(even for your height that's really light)
Original post by cantgetvalidname
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x
-?


No problem! I'd say they're about equal; try both and see which one you like more.

If you don't want to go to the gym, just buy some 5lb weights and/or kettle bells; they have them in sports shops like Sports Direct :biggrin:

I really recommend FitnessBlender and Blogilates on YouTube! They have great videos on there. FitnessBlender also has a website with great health and fitness advice.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by cantgetvalidname
Heya, I'm 19 years old. Is there any particular type of weight training you can recommend? perhaps a link to a video or webpage? What I am worried about most with it is that I actually don't want to build muscles as I'm quite short and would like to be skinny and toned.



Heya thank you so much for your detailed answer :smile:

As I have mentioned to BristolFresher15 I am worried about building muscles and since Im really short I want a skinny toned body. I would like to be doing yoga too to be honest - is yoga better or aerobics for losing weight? Are there any particular strength training/weightlifting routines you could perhaps recommend to me? I feel incredibly self-conscious about signing up with a gym as everyone there looks pretty fit and I don't want to be there looking the way I am.



Hey thank you for the link but I don't want to be ripped, I just want to shed of the weight and be skinny as af. So this won't really work for me will it?


Ripped AF Shredd AF anyway you will look similar to nikki
Original post by cantgetvalidname
Heya, I'm 19 years old. Is there any particular type of weight training you can recommend? perhaps a link to a video or webpage? What I am worried about most with it is that I actually don't want to build muscles as I'm quite short and would like to be skinny and toned.



That's the perfect age to start. Here's the thing; what you mentioned is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to weight training and girls. You won't gain muscle behind your back. Its a slow process that takes years. If you want to be toned, weight training is the best way to go. You'll gain a certain amount of muscle and lose fat at the same time initially. As a result, when you lose all this excess fat, you'll look toned, and not just thin but still flabby and loose.

I think your perception is wrong when you say you want to be "skinny af". If you can copy and paste a google image in your reply of an example of how you want to look, I can respond with respective advice.



Routines like this are good for a beginner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ZgGLtvaFg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwCBr0Dqlms
Original post by BristolFresher15
That's the perfect age to start. Here's the thing; what you mentioned is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to weight training and girls. You won't gain muscle behind your back. Its a slow process that takes years. If you want to be toned, weight training is the best way to go. You'll gain a certain amount of muscle and lose fat at the same time initially. As a result, when you lose all this excess fat, you'll look toned, and not just thin but still flabby and loose.

I think your perception is wrong when you say you want to be "skinny af". If you can copy and paste a google image in your reply of an example of how you want to look, I can respond with respective advice.



Routines like this are good for a beginner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ZgGLtvaFg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwCBr0Dqlms


Heya!

I know this reply is nearly two months late and my apologies for that ☺️

So here are a some pictures of the kind of body I want. So the first picture is actually pretty much exactly the kind of body I want. And the rest I think might give a pretty good idea :smile:

b9ab7290006c868cb57aed9d3fdf9c50.jpg


ucles sending.jpg

ucles sending.jpg

ucles sending.jpg
Original post by cantgetvalidname
Heya!

I know this reply is nearly two months late and my apologies for that ☺️

So here are a some pictures of the kind of body I want. So the first picture is actually pretty much exactly the kind of body I want. And the rest I think might give a pretty good idea.


Are you sure?

Honestly, there're a couple reasons why I really don't think your aspirations are good for you. First of all, that type of body seems really skinny. Pretty much unhealthy in my opinion - unless of course you naturally look like that and hold that sort of bone structure with the same body fat retention. Secondly, considering your original post, you probably don't even have that body type underneath whatever fat you may carry.

I think if you starting working towards something like that, you'll probably start to develop Body Dysmorphic Disorder when you lose weight and realize that body is somewhat out of reach (for good reason).

It really depends on where you're at now, but again, I'd really recommend starting with <20 mins of cardio and weight training for at least 3 days a week. I don't know if you've started your dieting/exercise already, but once you've been doing it for a while your aspirations will likely to change to a healthier perspective and you'll be set. Right now you're thinking about a certain body type because you think its a lot better than where you are; but it doesn't work that way. You can definitely get fit and look amazing, but it probably won't be exactly like you're envisioning now, because if you've not even started you'll have no idea how your body works/responds to diet/exercise. Its better to let go of any such expectations and just start with a mindset of improvement over your current self. Once you start with that, you'll eventually understand more about your body and begin to develop more adaptive expectations.
We cannot lose weight without being in a calorie deficit.

Find out your TDEE. Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure, this is how many calories your body needs a day to maintain it's weight, age, weight, height, gender and activity level dictate your TDEE. So the more you weight the more your TDEE and the more you exercise the higher your TDEE.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculato...alculator.html

And then count how many calories you are eating every day being honest and accurate (include sauces and cooking oils) using this website (they also have an app)
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/

If you are eating less calories than your TDEE then you are at what is called a calorie deficit and you will lose weight. To put into perspective how much/ how fast. 1lb of fat =3500 calories of stored energy. If you eat 500 calories less than your TDEE per day your body uses up energy sources from your body (fat and a little muscle), thus you will lose approximately 1 lbs per week (3500 calories/ 7 = 500 calories per day). This is approximate as some weight loss will always come from the muscle, though this can be reduced by eating protein and exercising to prevent muscle loss).

It's as simple as that, there is nothing else to weight loss. The only hard part is sticking to your calorie goals and having self control and motivation.

Nutrition and being healthy is a completely different matter, but that's not difficult either. Just eat a balanced diet and exercise.
Original post by SophieSmall
We cannot lose weight without being in a calorie deficit.

Find out your TDEE. Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure, this is how many calories your body needs a day to maintain it's weight, age, weight, height, gender and activity level dictate your TDEE. So the more you weight the more your TDEE and the more you exercise the higher your TDEE.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculato...alculator.html

And then count how many calories you are eating every day being honest and accurate (include sauces and cooking oils) using this website (they also have an app)
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/

If you are eating less calories than your TDEE then you are at what is called a calorie deficit and you will lose weight. To put into perspective how much/ how fast. 1lb of fat =3500 calories of stored energy. If you eat 500 calories less than your TDEE per day your body uses up energy sources from your body (fat and a little muscle), thus you will lose approximately 1 lbs per week (3500 calories/ 7 = 500 calories per day). This is approximate as some weight loss will always come from the muscle, though this can be reduced by eating protein and exercising to prevent muscle loss).

It's as simple as that, there is nothing else to weight loss. The only hard part is sticking to your calorie goals and having self control and motivation.

Nutrition and being healthy is a completely different matter, but that's not difficult either. Just eat a balanced diet and exercise.


Glad you have the energy.
Terrifying that anyone would want to look like those pics.

*forehead crumples up*
Original post by 999tigger
Glad you have the energy.


I just copy and paste my previous replies at this point.
I'd be happy to take those fifty pounds, I make £0 an hour and am in great need.
To achieve a body like the pictures you posted...I guess you'd need a total disregard for your own physical and mental health, a skewed perception of what is considered attractive e.g. 'thigh gap', a severe calorie restriction, absolutely no weightlifting or exercise that could potentially build muscle (as those girls have next to none), you'd need to accept you are going to lose fat from where women generally want to keep it (such as breasts & booty). So yeah. That's how you do it.
Original post by BristolFresher15
Are you sure?

Honestly, there're a couple reasons why I really don't think your aspirations are good for you. First of all, that type of body seems really skinny. Pretty much unhealthy in my opinion - unless of course you naturally look like that and hold that sort of bone structure with the same body fat retention. Secondly, considering your original post, you probably don't even have that body type underneath whatever fat you may carry.

I think if you starting working towards something like that, you'll probably start to develop Body Dysmorphic Disorder when you lose weight and realize that body is somewhat out of reach (for good reason).

It really depends on where you're at now, but again, I'd really recommend starting with <20 mins of cardio and weight training for at least 3 days a week. I don't know if you've started your dieting/exercise already, but once you've been doing it for a while your aspirations will likely to change to a healthier perspective and you'll be set. Right now you're thinking about a certain body type because you think its a lot better than where you are; but it doesn't work that way. You can definitely get fit and look amazing, but it probably won't be exactly like you're envisioning now, because if you've not even started you'll have no idea how your body works/responds to diet/exercise. Its better to let go of any such expectations and just start with a mindset of improvement over your current self. Once you start with that, you'll eventually understand more about your body and begin to develop more adaptive expectations.


The reason I thought it's realistic for me to be that way is because up until about 3/4 years ago I used to be incredibly athletic
growing up and I was always incredibly skinny always. For the past few years I've suffered through depression during which I would just eat and eat all the time and stopped exercising altogether and would just sit at home and eat and not go out or socialise or anything. Which is why I feel like I can be that way again since it's just me trying to get the body I once had form my point of view - would you still say it's unrealistic?

Another thing I wanted to ask was since thats the kind of body I want and doing weight exercises build muscles - after seeing those pictures, would you still recommend for me to lift weight? Or should I just go running and that interval training or something? (sorry I forgot the names).
Hey, if you wanna lose 50 pounds you can always transfer the money to me :smile:
Original post by cantgetvalidname
The reason I thought it's realistic for me to be that way is because up until about 3/4 years ago I used to be incredibly athletic
growing up and I was always incredibly skinny always. For the past few years I've suffered through depression during which I would just eat and eat all the time and stopped exercising altogether and would just sit at home and eat and not go out or socialise or anything. Which is why I feel like I can be that way again since it's just me trying to get the body I once had form my point of view - would you still say it's unrealistic?

Another thing I wanted to ask was since thats the kind of body I want and doing weight exercises build muscles - after seeing those pictures, would you still recommend for me to lift weight? Or should I just go running and that interval training or something? (sorry I forgot the names).


50lbs is a lot to lose. Realistically I think you are looking at 12-24 months. It all depends how determined and consistent you are.

In one sense its good to have targets, bit I would break it down into 5 diets losing 10lbs a time. Its very hard to build muscle so its just not going to happen and its a false fear. Lifting weights will help you retain the muscle you have, thereby increasing fat loss and will give you a more compact shaped body. Cardio alone is not going to do it.

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