I would really like to lose 30 pounds by 3/13/2006. I am 5'6'' and weigh around 160. That gives me about 4 months to lose this. Is this a realistic goal...could I acheive this kind of weightloss in this time period??
It's a reasonable goal. It's a little less than two pounds a week so you'd just have to know how much you need to burn through eating/exercise and really stick with your goal. Good luck!!
Ditto to what happydaisy said. I'm currently trying to lose 2 lbs a week to lose about 30 lbs. If you want, you can join my buddy and I. Our thread is titled "Question". We just started so feel free to jump in!
It's not UNreasonable, but I think it may be difficult unless you go to extremes. Losing almost two pounds per week when you weigh only 160 is actually a fairly steep climb. Then, as you get closer to your goal, you will lose less and less per week. That also doesn't take into account any bumps in the road, either through your slips or just your body's stubborness.
Personally, I think setting deadlines for losing any amount of weight is usually more harmful than helpful. I know a lot of people find that having timetables help keep them on track, but just be sure you're not setting yourself up to make this a pass/fail test.
I agree with funniegrrl, both about the rate and about the deadline. Think of it this way, would you rather lose the weight by the deadline and then gain it back because you didn't learn good habits, or lose it at what works for your body (which may or may not make the "deadline") and keep it off for good?
I think many of us have ideas of where we'd like to be at a certain point in time, but I think if we think of them as fixed, it just makes us more likely to quit if we don't reach that goal by that date...
Ditto--while 2 pounds per week sounds reasonable enough, I have heard countless stories on here (and in life) about how difficult it is to lose the last 10 or so pounds to goal. Honestly, 160 on a 5'6 frame is not horribly overweight, and I bet even if you didn't lose another pound, you would look amazing if you just stepped up the exercise, maybe incorporate some weight lifting if you're not already doing so. Point is, don't think that scale will be friendly, because it will lead to disappointment. Rather, start eating healthier (whole grains, low-fat/fat-free dairy, lean meats, fruits, and veggies) and incorporate exercise where you can, and I bet you'll lose inches much faster than pounds. Good luck!
Just my opinon,
but I think it's a bad idea to have a goal to lose a specific amount of weight by a deadline, especially if it's not extremely generous. Goals really should be something you have control over. You have control over how many calories and what kinds of food you eat. You have control over how much and how hard you exercise, but you have no control (without a chainsaw) over how fast your body loses the pounds.
In high school I remember only eating on weekends to lose weight by prom, and I've done far to many more stupid things because of weight/date goals over the last twenty years, than I care to repeat.
Is this realistic??
