Obviously I am absolutely hopelessly over the moon to be recently engaged, we're thinking of getting married in July 2017. However, I would love to lose 4 stone before the wedding and would need to stop losing weight at least 2 months before the wedding to allow for final dress fittings. That gives me 11 months to lose 4 stone. Do you think this is feasible or am I expecting too much of myself? I'm 17 stone at the moment (placing me at the top of the obese category) just for the record, so losing 4 stone would not make me underweight, just out of the obese category and into "overweight" which I would feel much more comfortable with.
I've just completed the 12 week plan as of today and have only lost 5 pounds. I went by the NHS BMI calculator which recommended I eat 1950 - 2550 calories per day, which I have stuck to. I also have been reasonably active but could be doing more. I
If I were to reduce my calorie intake to 1400 - 1800 calories and increase to 150 mins moderate exercise per week do you think it would be realistic for me to lose 4 stone in 11 months? Have any of you lost weight that fast? What sort of exercise / calorie range did you stick to? Any tips?
Congratulations on your wedding plans for next year.
I think it is possible for you to lose 4 stones in 11 months.
Firstly the BMI recommendations are about what mine were when I started the plan but I knew that consuming between 1990-2550 calories a day was not going to shift the weight. You say you have been sticking to it but what have you been consuming? The lower end, the higher end or somewhere in between?
I checked my Resting Metabolic Rate and this was found to be around 1900 calories a day so I had to be in calorie deficit each day in order to lose weight, ( I did not take into account calories used in exercise etc.)
I am 6ft and at the start of January weighed 17st 12lbs. I started the plan and kept to an average of 1400 to 1600 calories a day, cutting down drastically on pasta, bread, rice and potatoes. I had no added sugar and reduced my alcohol intake to a bottle or two of wine at the weekends.
I steadily lost weight at around 2lbs a week and now weigh 14st13lbs, a loss of nearly 3 stones in just 20 weeks.
So yes, reduce your intake to what you suggest and see how things go for the next month.
Thanks John that's a big help. I stuck to 1950-2200 most days but will occasionally go up to around 2400. How did you check your resting metabolic rate?
I think the BMI range is for maintenance, so you would need to be lower than that to lose regularly. Perhaps reread the Welcome Newbies Pinned Post via the link on the right of this page. Just to make sure you are low enough to lose.
I think, if you focused closely on losing weight and let nothing get in your way, you could lose half a stone a month, and have a cushion of time for catching up with yourself, if it doesn't go to plan. You would have to be very relentless and take action the second the losses didn't keep coming at your hoped for rate. And that would mean cutting your kcal allowance as your weight comes down and you need less energy.
None of us lose weight to plan or we would all start a diet this week and be at our goal weight by next! We have to learn to lose weight and that means unlearning all the habits that got us overweight in the first place. Some people can just follow the rules within their diet plan and do it. Others have to get it wrong three times before hearing what they should have heard the first time and then actually putting it into practice. And they might still not put it into practice the right way.
I am one of the slow learning ones, it took me ages. But my closest dieting buddy, just went straight down, losing every week. Even though she moaned like mad if she (only) lost one lb any week. She has had no problem maintaining either. But she takes it very seriously and puts into practice all the new habits it has taken me twice as long to learn and even longer to do.
You don't know which type of dieter you are, as you haven't been doing it for long enough, but you must have had some really good result weeks and other not so good ones. If you keep a food and activity diary, you will be able to learn the lessons of both the good weeks and repeat them, and the bad weeks to avoid them. So using your body's and mind's behaviour to maximise your losses.
Whatever your decision, the forum will be here to help you. I think we all sympathise with you wanting to be your slimmest for the wedding.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I hope this event will give you the motivation you need to see you get to your goal.
I don't know your height or general level of fitness or much else really, but in theory, if you were to stick to a 1400 calorie diet and regular light to moderate exercise you should be able to reach your goal by January 2017. This is assuming you'll be losing around 1.7lbs per week.
A loss of up to 2lbs per week is considered "safe" and should you want to aim for a greater loss you should seek medical advise first.
So to answer your question - yes, I think it's possible to reach your goal in time for you to get your dress fitted.
I've recently summed up my journey to date, which if you have some spare time, you can read about here:
I'm a great believer in eating as many calories as you can, while still losing weight. If you reduce too much and get too hungry, that's when you're more likely to binge!
Make sure that the calories that you consume aren't empty and that you eat things that are going to satisfy your hunger.
I stick within the calorie range given to me by the BMI calculator and am very careful to steer clear of simple carbs - especially sugar!
For some motivation to get moving more, why not join FizzyLiz's new challenge?
Have a look on this site and see what your calorie allowance is on here. I like it as it gives you the calories to lose 1lb a week 2lb a week to stay the same and to gain.
The nhs one gives my 1600-2000 calories, but this does not give me a weight loss, i have 1400 calories a day in order to have a steady weight loss of between 1-2 lbs.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Exercise & Weight Loss - What is your view/experience?
This Time I'm Doing It.
I'm unravelling 
Well - here we go; I'm a newbie
