Hello all! I am new to the boards and I am finding myself pretty discouraged with my weight loss. I am 5'3 and currently weigh 159 pounds. I would like to get down to 115-120 since my body frame is small. I am an avid runner and average about 25 miles per week and started adding resistance training into my routine. I also follow a pretty strict nutrtion plan that seems to be working so far. I started 2010 weighing 176 pounds and have lost 17 pounds just by following this plan. BUT, I want to tweak my weight loss a bit but I am not sure how to do it. I want to be at my goal weight by July 1st....Do you think I can do this or am I setting myself up for disaster????

Thanks for reading.....I'm just pretty frustrated....

I'm sorry to say I think you're setting yourself up for failure. It gets harder to lose weight as you reach your goal, and the rate of weight loss tends to slow. I could lose lose 10 pounds a month (about 2.5/week) when I weighed over 250 pounds -- 2.5 pounds a week was just 1% of my weight. You're at a much lower weight, and losing over 2 pounds a week in a healthy way isn't going to really be feasible as you start to lose weight.

Can I ask why you have a deadline? I think the goal shouldn't just be about losing weight in a certain amount of time, but finding sustainable ways to KEEP the weight off.

Of course it's possible, but is it a good idea? I watch the biggest loser and obviously, if you workout 2 or 4 or 6 hours a day, you can lose massive quantities of weight, but I'm not sure if that's realistic or necessary. The key is to get there eventually. If you put that kind of pressure on yourself, you're really not being kind to yourself. Can you imagine telling your friend or spouse that they better lose 10 lbs. a month for the next 4 months or you'll be disappointed with them? Let's say they lose 20 lbs. in the next 4 months instead. You would surely be proud and excited for them. Why not give yourself the same level of love and kindness? You're doing a fantastic job. Also, as far as I've seen on this board, the people who lose weight and really truly keep it off are the ones that made it happen in a way that they can maintain for the rest of their lives...it was a life style change...not a quick fix.

Also, some people CAN lose 40 lbs. in 4 months, but some can do the same thing and weight the same amount and eat the same way and not. We are all different and we don't all fit into the same formulas. As you've probably heard, 3500 calories equals a pound...but for me, it must be untrue because I can burn that amount with my workouts (even if I slash the calories that the machine says I burn in half) and I can also burn that by creating a deficit in the calories I"m consuming, but it just won't be a smooth weight loss. I have bumps and I have frustrations but I just keep moving because the alternative is just not to lose any weight.

At the same time, there are things you can do to make you more efficient. Resistance training is a big one.....but realize that at first, you might not see a drop in weight because your body will likely be retaining some water as it tries to repair itself. Another thing you can do is High Intensity Interval Training. It burns a lot of calories and is super effective. I've read in Oprah magazine that it burns 3 times as much fat as regular training. You can do a google search on it. You could easily add it to your workouts since you're already running. It requires a heart rate monitor though if you want to make sure you're doing it right.

You might also want to watch sodium and eat less processed foods, unless you're doing that already. Sometimes, our bodies are more efficient when they actually recognize what we're eating.

I hope this is helpful.

I agree with Heather. Setting challenging goals for yourself can really motivate you. However, setting goals that are most likely unattainable might have the opposite effect. If you feel like a failure you might lose some motivation.

Like Heather said, 2.5lbs/week is quite a bit, especially for a full four months.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php <-- this is a useful tool. Plug in your current weight and goal weight, then on the next page, your gender, age, and height as well as your activity level. Then try leaving your goal date blank and see what it says. I believe it gives you the calories you need to consume to lose 1lb/week, and when you'd expect to get to goal. Of course, it's important to note that weight loss is not linear, and these numbers are simply an estimation based on a formula. But it'll give you a realistic idea.

Thanks all for your input! I guess I shouldn't beat myself up. I've put a goal because that starts my marathon training, and I would like to go into it being at my goal weight. I have been successful so far with my plan. I am already doing high level cardio..I run 25 miles a week and resistance train and follow a very strict nutrition plan. I'm seeing about a 1.5 pound weight loss a week, I wanted to see if I can move it up to perhaps a 2 pound a week weight loss...I guess I shouldn't obsess about a timeframe....

It's possible. I lost 80lbs in 5 months so you can do it!

FoodObsessed -- Yes, but was your starting weight a lot higher than the original poster's? (It looks like your starting weight was over 300 pounds). It's much easier for people to lose larger numbers of pounds when they are heavier. It's harder as you get smaller to lose at the same rate.

runaroundmama, my stats are similar to yours. I'm 5'2" and started out a little over 150. It took me about a year to lose 40 lbs.

Now, I wasn't pushing extremely hard and just kept making incremental adjustments along the way. I also didn't start out to lose 40 lbs - my first goal was to 125 and I kept adjusting downward 5 lbs at a time. So I wasn't quite as aggressive at going after the goal as you may be. I don't know your age, but I'm likely much older than you, which also makes a difference.

But, my 2cents is to accept a more gradual weight loss. Too much of a calorie deficit can also affect your athletic performance. 1 to 1.5 lbs a week is GREAT at your size. The smaller you get, the slower the weight loss too, you just have to expect that. But as you get closer to goal, you will look and feel great, so who cares if it takes a few more weeks to get to that arbitrary number on the scale?

This weight loss thing is a marathon and not a sprint!

I'd say continue what you're doing and enjoy it. It is true though, I lost more weight when I was my heaviest. When I got closer to my goal I was seeing the weight drop sooooo much slower and that was that I hadn't changed my diet or exercise. Though I was lowering my calories as I lost weight, whatever my "Lose it" plan would say. Two weeks would go by without any change or possibly half a lb.
You will hit your goal

I agree that the trick is not to focus so much on the goal, and losing quickly, as it is to think of this as a life long commitment to eating healthy. And healthy weight loss is typically no more than 2 pounds per week, depending on your size, more or less. Focus on how good you feel making healthier decisions, and realize that weight loss takes time. To force the issue will frustrate you and make you give up.