Monthly goals - should you exceed them or maintain?
I've been wondering whether to just keep on keeping on losing weight (hopefully) or to try this:
Overall, I have 8lbs a month to lose for 10 months.
Of course, even although it's my 53rd attempt at dieting, I haven't done it for a while, so I've lost the first 6lbs in the first week.
Would it be better just to keep on, taking the plateaux with the plunges, or try getting to the 8lb off then maintaining for the rest of the month, and trying for another 8 in September?
I thought that might
a) stop my body hitting plateaux too often
b) start training my head to maintenance - I have twice in my life lost massive amounts, only to bounce myself straight back up again by going mad once I'd done.
If I were you I would not try to switch to maintaining just because you lost the weight you had "planned" for the month early.
You'll see that weight loss will probably slow down as you continue to drop. This is normal and natural. So to hit a target 10 months from now, you'll need to AVERAGE 8 pounds a month. Some months may be higher, some lower.
Right now I would say that you need to focus on losing. By thinking you need to "train your head to maintenance" at this point, you're getting way ahead of yourself.
Stick to your program for losing. I hope it's a healthy one!
I think that if you feel well motivated and not tired or hungry then you should just carry on with what you are doing as it is clearly working! If you feel tired or hungry then spend a few days just maintaining since you are well within target.
Just my opinion!
Take care!
Think of it as being ahead of the game of weight loss. What type of diet are you doing if you don't mind my asking? Or did you just incread your exercise or both?
I kick-started with a Rosemary Conley diet I found in a magazine - whole menus & recipes printed out, so it was easy to remind myself how little I need to feel full. I've gone onto calorie counting now and lost 7lbs in 2 weeks.
I Must increase my exercise - but I hate it!
Hey! Sounds like you're on the right track... As for exercise, don't think of it as "exercise"--think of it as movement, activity. Take a walk. Try the Walk Away The Pounds videos. Do some stretching exercises. Ease into it.
I like the term movement activity, too. I realized that when I wasn't in motion, I really barely moved! Now, not only do I try to engage in "movement activity", I try to be more zippy. I buzz around like a bee getting things done. I make a list of things to do and zip, zip, I do them quickly. I think it is not just the lack of exercise that gets us, it's the completely sedentary lifestyle. So, I am more active in general, or I try to be each day. No more curling up for days on end with a novel...or three days of movies and popcorn...at least not for now!
Sheri
I once read a suggestion that you lose 10% of body weight, then go on maintenance for three months, then lose another 10% (of the new weight) then maintenance etc etc. The idea was twofold...
1) Your body gets a new setpoint and your metabolism doesn't slow down as much.
2) Along the way you learn the skills of maintaining weightloss.
I always think that's what I am going to do, then when I have lost 10% I don't want to stop!
This time I am trying to lose slowly eating the way I will continue to eat and increasing exercise.
I echo JayEll that weight loss is not a straight line activity. Averaging 8 pounds a month for 10 months seems very ambitious to me!
Stick with what you are doing...don't set yourself up for failure by establishing unrealistic goals, but enjoy the early successes...it will slow down all too soon.
Monthly goals - should you exceed them or maintain?
