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Old 11-21-2006, 04:58 PM   #1  
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Default For those that have reached goals...

How long did it take you to reach your half way point, or at least your first mile marker? I know the road ahead is long, I just sit and stare at the calendar and wonder, Hmm, by the end of January, I should be down 30 pounds?? I don't know, dreaming? Hopefully not. On the myfit site, for me to reach an ultimate goal of 135-140 it says I need to lose 2.8 pounds a week. That should be do-able, right?

Have I mentioned I love this board!!! Love it, love it, love it!!!!!
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Old 11-21-2006, 05:36 PM   #2  
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While I know it's fun to dream, how about just eating right, moving more and letting what happens happen in its own good time? You'll eventually get to your goal weight no matter how long it takes if you're persistent enough. And, frankly, losing it is the easy part--maintaining that loss is where the real work begins.

I worry that people who want to lose a specific amount of weight each week will give up if they don't meet those goals. A healthy weight loss is 1/2 to 2 lbs. a week. Some people lose more the first week, and some people have different weight loss patterns--it's so individual. So. . .I'm just trying to caution you that setting high goals can backfire on you. You want to win the race, and I'm betting you remember the tortoise and hare story, right?!?
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Old 11-21-2006, 05:42 PM   #3  
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I got serious about trying to lose weight in early Nov of 2005 (Nov 7 to be exact). I was down about 5 lbs by the end of December 05. At that point I was noticeably thinner and my clothes were lose. I lost another 10 pounds by the end of February 05 and had dropped two sizes (from US size 14 to size 10). I got down to my current weight around August 06 and have pretty much been maintaining since then. I'm now wearing a size 4, sometimes a size 2 (esp. in regular sizes, as opposed to petites). So that's from a size 14 to a size 4 in less than year.

I lost about 1 pound to 1.5 pounds per week. But because you are starting at a higher weight than I did, you may be able to lose at a higher rate in the beginning. I don't think you'll be able to maintain a 2.8 loss per week all the way until you get to your goal, however.

Once the weight started coming off, I was surprised at how quickly I saw a noticeable difference in how I looked and how my clothes fit. Just keep at it and you'll be surprised too!
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Old 11-21-2006, 06:09 PM   #4  
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Sheila: I understand everything that you said and agree. I just can't help myself from daydreaming about what will life be like a month from now, 2 months from. I keep thinking if I were focused right after my last son was born, then I would have reached the goal by now. I'm sure maintaining is hard. Even though I never had weight issues until the kids came along. But then again, I had more time to work out, LOL. I will try to be patient and let what happens happen in its own good time. Great advice.

BlueToBlue: Woo-Hoo for you!!! 14 to a 4 in ONE YEAR! That's AWESOME. Good for you!! You must be VERY VERY proud. I love hearing about all the success stories here. I know there will be very very hard days ahead and I know there will be the weeks where nothing comes off and heaven forbid the weeks where I gain...I know its going to be a struggle. But dreaming helps motivate me for some reason!

Thanks !!
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Old 11-21-2006, 06:26 PM   #5  
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I started in July 2004 with a broad goal to weigh less by Christmas (when I was going to visit my mom). I never tied specific goal weights to dates, I figured that would be frustrating. If I didn't make a goal by a date, I didn't want to be discouraged.

For my personal journey, it looked something like this:

July 2004 - at least 195, possibly more (I was too scared to weigh myself at my top weight, started weighing around 2 weeks into the process and the scale said 192). Tight 18 pants.

October 2004 - I had a fun event in New Orleans and I weighed about 165 lbs. I bought a new pair of size 16 pants (they were already kind of loose).

December 2004 - I weighed around 155 when I went to visit my mom, I bought a new pair of size 14 jeans (they were already kind of loose)

Late March 2005 - I started plateauing at 140. I wore a pair of size 10 pants.

I plateaued so long at 140, I thought my body was done losing weight. Imagine my surprise...

June 2005 - 138

Sept 2005 - 135

January 2006 - 128, size 6

It took me 7 months to lose the first 50+ lbs and it took me 9 more months to lose the last 15. My weight loss really slowed down the closer I got to my goal weight.

Honestly, I think a 2.8 goal is a very aggressive goal. I lost 1-2 lbs a week (some weeks, I didn't lose any weight at all). I had a lot of goals that weren't related to the scales and that helped me stay motivated. The scale is a cruel, evil, fickle thing and I really really needed other successes to keep me going.

I just worry a tiny bit, because I hear a little of "old me" in your posts. I used to dream and dream about being thin, but I could rarely stick to any sort of diet plan, I just dreamed. Less dreaming, more action! Focus on DOING!!! (and if I'm projecting any of my feelings on you, I apologize, it just struck a chord! we are all different in our weight loss journeys).

The biggest advice I can give is not only be thinking of reaching your goal weight but MAINTAINING your goal weight.
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Old 11-21-2006, 06:33 PM   #6  
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You can see my weightloss timeline in my signature. I met my halfway mark (47 lbs) I think a week ago (almost 6 months in). I'm a different case, though, because my starting point was the day I gave birth to my daughter, so of course I lost a lot of weight right away.
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Old 11-21-2006, 06:59 PM   #7  
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I started at 234 lbs. and had lost the first 60 lbs. in about 6 months. It took me 6 more months to lose about 30 more lbs. to reach my goal. The last 10 lbs. was terribly slow and I thought it would never come off. But,, it finally did. I will add that I am finding maintenance very difficult. Seems my body wants to either lose or gain, but not stay the same.
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Old 11-21-2006, 07:13 PM   #8  
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Glory: yes, point taken, there IS a lot of "old me" in my posts. It's painfully hard to accept that I'm "fat". I am 41 years old and was thin for so long this is just so new to me. I will try to forget the old me and try to think about this me. But I honestly am focused on doing. My thyroid levels are still high, which is a struggle, but now that our move is over and things are starting to settle, I found a doctor in our new town and am jumping in. I didn't like my blood test results and since I had my babies when I was older, I get very worried about my health. I want to get to that pre-baby weight for them, for myself...for the right reasons. I also understand the maintaing thing..which goes back to the "old me", I didn't really have a hard time maintaining before and now that I'm older I'm sure it will be very hard, I don't doubt that. This is a change of life. No need to apologize, I'm sorry that I struck a chord, but that's great for both of us!! Thank you for taking the time to share your story I really do appreciate it and hope to learn from you and the others here

mtp_and_hmp: Thanks for sharing your info...I wish I started right after the birth. I don't know if I mentioned that both my guys were on life support at birth and that I almost died with our 2nd one, Oprah recently had a segment on some of us are filling a void or something..? perhaps that is my hole...the traumatic births? But then again, that goes back to having an excuse, and I do not want to have an excuse for being over weight, the fact is simple, I'm very over weight, plain and simple. I will change my goal date...which had been our 8th wedding anniversary. I guess I should change it to a year from now instead?

lilybelle - thanks for sharing your story too. That is good info for me...maybe my half way point will be in 6 months. Only time will tell right? And I am here on this board to STAY...I do not want to fall off this wagon. I want to be accountable to all my new friends, I want to post when I lose and when I gain and I know I will be inspired by all of you and maybe one day I can provide better support to the newbies

Thanks so much everyone!!!!
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Old 11-21-2006, 07:24 PM   #9  
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There's nothing wrong with having a long-term goal. I had set mine at 1 yr. to be at goal. It took 1 yr. , 1 week and 5 days and that was pretty close. It just gave me something to work toward. The short terms goals for me were to try to lose 10 lbs. per month the first 6 months and 5 lbs. a month the last 6 months and that is how it worked for me. I also had goals to reach certain sizes. To decrease my blood pressure meds. Exercise goals, to increase the length and intensity of my workouts.
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Old 11-22-2006, 03:34 AM   #10  
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I didn't really set any specific goals for myself along the way in terms of weight, inches, etc. This is primarily because I am hugely afraid of failing and compensate by not setting goals (if you don't have any goals, you can't fail).

When I started in November 05, however, I did set a goal of sticking with the program until Feb (when I had a trip to Mexico planned). I was not convinced that the whole calorie counting thing would work, so my plan was to give it until February and if I hadn't lost any weight by then, try something else. Luckily I never had to figure out what else I would try because by the time I got to February, counting calories was clearly working. It did really help to have this long-term goal, even if it wasn't to get down to a specific weight.

When I first started, I also wondered if it would be really possible for me to lose weight. I had been unhappy with my body since junior high (that's about a quarter of a century ago) and just couldn't imagine ever being happy with how I looked. I remember asking my SO if he thought it would really be possible for me to actually be happy with how I looked. We had just joined a gym and the staff at the gym seemed so confident that I would be able to lose weight; until that moment I had all but given up on the idea. I know it was all a sales pitch but it really got me thinking.

Now, one year later, I think about the 25 years worth of energy I put into trying to find clothes that would disquise my shape and I wish I'd put that energy into gettting into shape instead. It is possible to change your life. You may not lose 2.8 pounds per week, but if you stick with it, you will lose the weight and you will get to your goal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Bthinagain View Post
Woo-Hoo for you!!! 14 to a 4 in ONE YEAR! That's AWESOME. Good for you!! You must be VERY VERY proud. I love hearing about all the success stories here.
Thanks! Yeah, I'm pretty excited ! This is the smallest I have ever been in my adult life. My sister came out to see me in August and almost didn't recognize me at the airport.

I also love hearing all the success stories and I love looking at people's progress pics. It's sort of become an addiction! It is very inspiring and helps give me confidence that I can maintain my loss (if Meg, Mel, Glory, and others have done it, surely I can too).

Last edited by BlueToBlue; 11-22-2006 at 03:40 AM.
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Old 11-22-2006, 10:11 AM   #11  
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Blue:
I know exactly what you mean. I've always had issues with my figure and when I gained the weight and tried to buy those clothes to hide it my size 2 sister in law said "you know, that doesn't help. You still look like a size 16" She took me shopping and helped me pick out some pretty clothes. I never felt good enough to wear trendy and stylish clothes and she said it didn't matter, that fat looked like fat no matter if it were hiding under a large sweatshirt or a cute trendy fitted sweater. And she was right. Although I still rarely buy clothes. DH keeps talking about our first family vacation next summer, and I don't know if we'll really go or not but I'd like to lose the weight and have energy and enjoy my time. The past 2 years disappoint me very much. I don't know why I've always had self esteem issues. Even when I was thin I thought I was fat. Now that I really am fat, I can appreciate a scale that looks back at me and says 140, LOL
Thanks for sharing your story. I will just do what everyone has said, just stick with it and not focus on the 2.8 a week. I want to post my status on here, but at the same time I worry about looking each week. How frequently does everyone check? Once a week? Once a month? Every day?
Happy Turkey Day everyone!!!
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Old 11-22-2006, 10:27 AM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Bthinagain View Post
I will just do what everyone has said, just stick with it and not focus on the 2.8 a week. I want to post my status on here, but at the same time I worry about looking each week. How frequently does everyone check? Once a week? Once a month? Every day?
Happy Turkey Day everyone!!!
Definitely look at weight loss over time. Lots of people like to weigh themselves everyday or multiple times a day, the variations just made me miserable. I couldn't handle the emotional roller coaster - when the scale was down, I was euphoric and committed to weight loss. When the scale was up, I felt like a miserable failure, I was working so hard and not losing weight, I might as well quit.

During my last (and hopefully final weight loss attempt) I only allowed myself to weigh weekly (same time, same situation every week). This really helped me see some consistency in my weight loss (although there were some weeks where I did not lose weight).

The scale is evil (well, it was to me). There were weeks when I would do everything "perfectly" and not lose a pound. Then there were weeks (like Christmas that year) where I ate my mom's cooking, Christmas dinner AND had pie and still lost 2 lbs.

If you like to weigh yourself every day and it doesn't rattle your resolve, do that. Some people find the variations interesting - "Oooh, look, I ate Chinese and gained 3 lbs, how fascinating!"

If the variations make you miserable, consider charting your weight loss so you can see the gradual downward movement over time or just weigh yourself less frequently.

And again, another good thing I did was make my goals non scale related, I made sure I had lots of little victories that kept me motivated that didn't involve the scale - like working out everyday or packing my lunch everyday or trying a new healthy recipe once a week. I gave myself rewards for meeting scale goals AND non scale goals, that helped keep me motivated.

You really can not focus on 2.8 lbs per week, that is an unrealistic unsustainable weight loss level. You might have a few big losses, especially at first (and those are GREAT, they really get you going) but it would be unlikely you would maintain that pace.
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Old 11-22-2006, 11:29 AM   #13  
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D'you know, I didn't ever think of a "halfway point" I didn't ever set a definite goal (even now it's flexible). I know that 6 years ago I was about 60lbs heavier than I am now. I knew that I wanted to be smaller - ideally I would like to be 140lbs, but I doubt that's practical.

I just changed my lifestyle, changed the amount of fast food I ate, increased the exercise and it came off. Very slowly and very sporadically but it did come off. I think I was averaging 7lbs every 6 months, but those 7lbs would come off in a matter of weeks then I'd wait and keep doing what I was doing and I think eventually my body has settled here. I'd like to take off another 20lbs, but I don't know how much of an effort is required to take it off and keep it off. If I can stay here, be reasonably "normal" looking, fit into clothes off the shelf AND eat cake every so often, then I might just settle here! If losing the next 20lbs means starving myself and never eating cake again and LIVING in the gym, then perhaps I don't have the commitment to be 20lbs lighter.

So yeah what I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is not to set too rigid a time-frame on your goals. I remember trying to lose before and marking down when I'd be 140lbs if I lost 2lbs a week. Of course I'd stopped losing by the time that 140lbs was marked on the calendar and I remember feeling like SUCH a failure, even though I'd probably lost 30lbs already.
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Old 11-22-2006, 01:03 PM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Bthinagain View Post
Blue:
I want to post my status on here, but at the same time I worry about looking each week. How frequently does everyone check? Once a week? Once a month? Every day?
I'm a freak, so I check my weight twice a day, before I go to bed and as soon as I get up in the morning and I consider that restraint . Sometimes I also check it after working out. In the beginning I checked it so often that I had to make some rules about it (never weigh immediately after eating, never weigh with my clothes on, etc.). I just felt better knowing where I was at every day.

But this is way too often for most people. If you check your weight that often, you are going to see a lot of ups and downs and stalls that you won't notice if you only weigh weekly. For example, a month or so ago I went to a conference where I ate and drank a lot and put a couple pounds back on. Last week I finally managed to lose those pounds, but when I weighed myself on Monday, they were back on again. I had one day where I was over my calorie limit last week, but not enough to gain two pounds, so this was a little frightening and discouraging. But by Tuesday, they were back off and I've figured out that I was just retaining water (probably because I had some miso soup on Saturday, which is loaded with salt). If I only weighed once a week, I probably wouldn't have even noticed this little glitch. If glitches like that are going to discourage you, you are better off weighing once a week. You'll figure out what works for you.
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Old 11-22-2006, 11:10 PM   #15  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glory87 View Post
If you like to weigh yourself every day and it doesn't rattle your resolve, do that. Some people find the variations interesting - "Oooh, look, I ate Chinese and gained 3 lbs, how fascinating!"
That's me. I'm a freak.
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