Needing To Drop A Few Lbs

[VIRGOLDY]

I wanna lose about 12 lbs...if I eat say, about 1,200 calories a day...but eat 4-5 times a day, how fast can I drop the weight? Any idea?

[Aporia]

1,200 a day calorie diet = not such a good idea.

 

By doing that your body will be starved and go into starvation mode. Holding on to the food you eat which would go straight into fat storage.

 

If you want to loose 12 pounds of fat [not water] eat a healthy, balanced diet which you enjoy and most importantly excerise.

 

If you starve yourself you'll put back on the weight easily and weaken your immune system in the long run.

[LostInMyThoughts]

Aporia is right.

 

Dropping weight fast is never a good idea either.

 

The amount of healthy weight you can lose per week depends on your level of fitness and health.

 

Generally speaking, 1-2 lbs of fat is safe to lose every week with a good diet, and decent exercise. Thats not a golden rule by anymeans, and if you're heavier and do moderate exercise and work out a better diet, you could lose a lot more in a week.

[shes2smart]

Ditto what Aporia said...1200 calories a day is considered a starvation diet by the World Health Organization.

 

I'm not a fan of weight loss diets for a number of reasons, however, everyone's got a right to choose what they do to their own body.

 

If you're hell-bent on doing this, you should lose no more than 1-2 pounds a week.

[LostInMyThoughts]

shes2smart brings up a great point.

 

Diet for weight loss is a bad mental approach.

 

Changing your diet as part of living a healthier lifestyle is a much better long term solution.

 

It might seem like there isn't a difference, but there is a subtle one.

 

The key to weight loss and lifestyle changes is to set small, measurable, attainable goals.

 

Losing 12 lbs is an okay goal (unless you weigh like 112lbs). Make it better by giving a realistic timeframe to do so, and come up with a plan that wont set you up for failure.

[dogheadma]

And be sure to balance your daily food intake and drink lots of water. Avoid anything fried, packaged or processed (whole foods only) and exercise (any form) for at least a 1/2 hour a day. And be patient. Patience is a virtue. Slow and steady wins the race. Insert your favorite cliche here. Haha. Seriously, though with discipline and determination you will get the job done. Once your there, you can rely on your newly formed good habits to keep you healthy and in good shape. Good luck to you!

[shes2smart]

Diet for weight loss is a bad mental approach.

 

Tell me about it. I dieted my way right into an eating disorder in my late teens/early 20's. Unfortunately that particular story is so common as to be almost "normal" anymore.

 

Not everyone who diets will develop an eating disorder...but nearly everyone who develops an eating disorder started with a diet.

 

VIRGOLDY, it might be worth the time/money to consult a nutritionist or Registered Dietician and get a healthy, sustainable plan created specifically for you.