To lose 20 pounds by December 23 - is this safe?

[Deja Q]

Diet, exercise, diet pills. Will do it all.

[Uzybone]

1. yes it is safe (unless your already underweight)

I lost 10 lbs last week because I had the flu for 2 days. Not saying that you should get the flu, but there are weeks I could lose 3-5 lbs easy just by missing a meal everyday and not working out.

[bobja]

2. I lost 10 pounds this past week

by just eating less and exercising more. I kept my calorie level down to about 1200 a day for a week and walked about 5 miles a day. Oh, and I juice fast every Monday - that always helps to drop some weight.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Not if you start on Dec. 22nd!

[smallprint]

4. I'd have to say no.

Not that it's impossible-- but that is 2/3 pound EVERY day-- you are going to lose more than fat that way. The weight will be taken off of muscle and body fluids. And you will bounce back like crazy as your metabolism goes into conservation mode.

Of course, I'm not a doctor, what do I know.

[Eric J in MN]

5. some diet pills are dangerous

Some diet pills are dangerous. Especially ones with ephedra, which is now banned in New York State.

Eat less without the diet pills.

[sujan]

6. NO HELL NO

The recommended weight loss per week is 0.5 to 2 lbs.

[sujan]

7. unless

you're morbidly obese. People who are very obese tend to lose a lot of weight initially.

[Blue-Jay]

8. You should stay away from the diet pills.

That said, losing 10 pounds in a month isn't impossible. I've found that the best way to drop weight in a hurry is (get this) eat less and exercise more. Damn, I should write a book or something.

[Maddy McCall]

9. Hypno...it is easy and safe and here is how you can do it.

Adkins. But you don't have to buy any books or follow any Adkins meal plans to do it. Just:

-eat lots of broiled/grilled meat
-don't eat any sugars or breads AT ALL -- no potatoes, rice, breads, soda pops (unless diet)
-drink lots of water
-eat green veggies.


I lost 14 lbs in a little less than two weeks on Adkins, and I only had 20 lbs to lose...lost a total of 20 in less than a month following the above "rules."

I ate grilled fish, grilled pork and beef, zuchinni, salads--including chicken and tuna salads, eggs/bacon for breakfast, but gave up anything that had a hint of carb in it--no flour, cornmeal, rice, grains, sugars AT ALL.

[Blue-Jay]

10. Ahhhh, The Adkins Diet

Or, more appropriately-named, the Shit Like A Bull Moose Diet. That's how one of my co-workers described it.

[Maddy McCall]

11. Once your body adjusts to being carb-free...

If you eat a lot of carbs, they will, er, run through you.

;-)

[BiggJawn]

13. But you can NEVER eat bread again!

I have heard that if you eat ONE bagel, you will gain back all you lost.
No kiding, I hear "I lost 45 pounds on Adkins, but I've gained back 60 pounds..." A LOT. My neighbour (the non-noisy one 2 doors down) lost 40, gained 50. His girlfriend lost 35, gained back 25.

I have been told that 1 pound a week is realistic.

[Maddy McCall]

14. That is completely not true...

I eat carbs now...have not gained any weight back. Honestly, going without carbs for a couple of month made me lose my taste for them, so I don't miss them.

HOWEVER, I eat pizza with my son on weekends, I eat croutons on salads, and I eat a waffle in the morning sometimes. The main thing that has helped me was laying off soft drinks...by doing so, I have a little wiggle room with other forms of carbs, like pizza and popcorn.

I haven't gained a pound back... In fact, there have been some weeks where I had eaten more than usual, and I would be afraid to see what the scale had to say, but I maintained--haven't gained a pound back at all.

Your neighbors probably did not go in Adkins as a permanent lifestyle change, but only to lose weight. I went in it to lose weight, too, BUT it has drastically altered the way I eat and drink--and I have no need for fast food and soft drinks anymore.

One bagel will not add weight back.

[Blue-Jay]

16. That must've been one bigass bagel.

[LeftistGorilla]

18. LOL...

true that...
:evilgrin:

[Chuckup]

12. I lost 35 pounds in one month several years ago...

I'm still alive...

Talk diets here:
http://www.healthtalk.ca/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=115

[chaska]

15. The Atkins book says ...

that most of the weight lost in the first (I think) couple of weeks will be water weight. You will be lighter and look smaller. But you won't have lost significant weight in that period of time. You will be lighter because you're something resembling dehydrated, and you'll look thinner because there won't be as much food in your belly.

More than 2-3 pounds a week means you're losing muscle, which means that you're damaging your heart (a muscle),AND when you start back on a normal eating pattern you will have less muscle with which to burn your calories. You will gain back the weight and then some.

There are no shortcuts. The proverbial balanced diet and exercise are the only way to go. 2-3 lbs. a week is all you can get away with without messing yourself up.

[henslee]

17. golden rule of W8 loss... if u keep it off for 3 yrs, u keep it off 4 life

I would not put holiday pressure on yourself... Just develop good habits.

Based on this priniciple, my friend's obesity doctor had my friend he carry around a jewelers scale and he weighed his portions as per his doctors directions. He exercised, drank a lot of water and the results are amazing. Once he hit the appropriate weight, the diet loosened up some.... amazing. This doctors premise is keeping the weight off for the 3 yr window.

[MaineDem]

19. I agree with those who said "no"

Fad diets, pills, even surgery may work and you'll lose weight but none are healthy.

You'll hear arguments from all sides and nothing I say will convince you but I know it's not healthy.

Better to learn and maintain a healthful way of eating and lose at whatever rate your body metabolizes.