[JimmieLynn]

SO I MADE A LIST OF MY WEIGHT LOSS GOALS AND WAS WONDERING IF THEY SEEM REASONABLE TO ANYONE ELSE. THEY SEEM LIKE IT TO ME, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT A HEALTHY/REASONABLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT IS TO LOSE WEEKLY OR MONTHLY. I DON'T WANT TO SET MYSELF UP FOR FALIURE...

START DATE: FEBRUARY 14, 2008
START WEIGHT: 281 LBS. (YIKES!)
CURRENT WEIGHT: 269 LBS./LOSS OF 12 lbs.
ULTIMATE GOAL WEIGHT: 180 LBS.

FIRST MINI GOAL: ST. PATIRCK'S DAY 2008 (MARCH 15)
260 LBS./LOSS OF 9 LBS. (21 LBS. TOTAL)

SECOND MINI GOAL: APRIL FOOL'S DAY 2008 (APRIL 1)
255 LBS./LOSS OF 5 LBS. (26 LBS. TOTAL)

THIRD MINI GOAL: MEXICO VACATION WITH MY PARENTS (MAY 3-9)
240 LBS./LOSS OF 15 LBS. (41 LBS. TOTAL)

FOURTH MINI GOAL: BEST FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY (MAY 31)
235 LBS./LOSS OF 5 LBS. (46 LBS. TOTAL)

FIFTH MINI GOAL: INDEPENDENCE DAY 2008 (JULY 4)
22O LBS./LOSS OF 15 LBS. (61 LBS. TOTAL)

SIXTH MINI GOAL: MY 22ND BIRTHDAY (JULY 27)
215 LBS./LOSS OF 5 LBS. (66 LBS. TOTAL)

SEVENTH MINI GOAL: HUSBAND'S COUSIN'S WEDDING (SEPTEMBER 6)
199 LBS./LOSS OF 16 LBS. (82 LBS. TOTAL)

EIGHTH MINI GOAL: HALLOWEEN 2008 (OCTOBER 31)
194 LBS./LOSS OF 5 LBS. (87 LBS. TOTAL)

NINETH MINI GOAL: THANKSGIVING 2008 (NOVEMBER 27)
190 LBS./LOSS OF 4 LBS. (91 LBS. TOTAL)

ULTIMATE GOAL: CHRISTMAS 2008 (DECEMBER 25)
180 LBS./LOSS OF 10 LBS. (101 LBS. TOTAL!)

TO ME THIS ALL SEEMS DO-ABLE, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I'M WISHFULLY THINKING OR BEING REALISTIC. I AM TOTALLY OPEN TO ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS. THANKS!

[mandalinn82]

Well, I have a couple of thoughts. First, it is unrealistic to think that you'll lose 6-10 lbs a month consistently. Your losses will slow (significantly!) as you get close to goal...it's just the way our bodies work. So while you may hit those goals at the beginning, it may be harder and harder to hit them as you get close to goal...toward goal, you might hit a plateau, or you might lose less than half a pound a week - it is all a normal part of the process. So I think it is incredibly unlikely that you could maintain that rate of loss throughout.

Second, I generally don't think hard and fast deadlines/dates associated with goals are always constructive. The reason? Some people will lose 8 lbs by a certain date, when they had hoped for/made a goal of losing 10 by that date. Does that mean you failed? OF COURSE NOT...a loss of 8 lbs is a major success, but having that date associated with the goal can make some people feel like a failure.

So as long as you're making progress, I wouldn't worry about making particular goals for certain dates. Just keep moving ahead and, before you know it, you'll be at goal.

[ANGUILLADREAM]

I agree with the mod. Dont want to set yourself up to be frustrated, but dont want you to be too disciuraged to start either. Just dont be too hard on yourself and take it a day at a time.

[JimmieLynn]

Thanks so much for the input!

[3Beans]

I totally agree, and to add to it, I suggest that you focus more on what you're doing TODAY to progress toward your goal, rather than what you'll weigh a year from now.

If you post a food or exercise plan here, you'll get a lot of constructive feedback!

[Hat Trick]

Setting goals is fine and all but they can backfire. I had set xx lb loss by xx date and missed it by a few lbs, got frustrated because I 'failed' to reach my goal and ate myself back up the scale. Underestimating your goal is good. You have a goal of a 9 lb loss by 3/17, which is about 2 1/2 wks from now. Reassess that goal, maybe make it 4 lbs by then, which is more likely to happen. If you surpass it, fabulous! I did this when I was in school. I set my sights on a 3.5 gpa and anything above that was icing on the cake. So when I ended up w/a 3.72 I felt terrific. I'm trying to do the same thing this time around w/the wt. loss goals. Wt loss is simply not linear, it fluctuates and stumps us all the time!

[KforKitty]

I set myself mini-targets but I never make them time limited. For example my next target is to be under 200lb. I would be nice if I could do it by the time of my trip to New York at the end of May but it won't be the end of the world if I don't. As long as the trend is downwards I'm still happy

Kitty

[pintobean]

First, Good Luck on your goals I know I need to start setting up mini goals myself.
Like the mod said there's going to be days when you won't lose any weight and it can get frustrating but this will be as you reach next plateau. Not to mention when you exercise regularly you'll gain muscles and initially you'll gain little more weight cuz of it but it will start dropping as and when the fat starts burning.
Keep us posted and let us know about your progress.

[PhotoChick]

Everything mandalinn said ... yeah!

I try to set goals w/out time deadlines. I know it's hard - for example, I'm going to DC with my sweetie this weekend and I *really* wanted to be down to 165 by this week. Reallyreally wanted that goal. But I didn't make it. I'm at 168 right now. But I'm still looking on that as a success because it's the first time the scale has moved since December!

So I know that I'm making progress, even if it's not as fast as I want it. But had I set myself a hard goal of 165 by Feb 28th, I'd be disappointed and likely not enjoy my weekend as much because I'd have felt like I failed. I try not to set myself up for that ... hence, no firm date!

.

[Robin41]

I'm a big fan of mini-goals but yours concern me because it's a set up like a house of cards. If you miss one then you will probably miss every single one that comes after it. Doesn't seem like a very good recipe for success. Sounds pretty depressing, frankly.

From my signature you can see that I had a series of goals but I never came up with goal number two until I had reached goal number one. Then I sat down and came up with the next milestone I should work towards.

I love how much you are planning for this weight loss. The effort already shows. But remember that this is a long process and some stuff will work great and other stuff won't. Be Flexible or you'll go crazy.

[KrisR]

Oh Robin....I love your way of doing the goal setting! Why didn't I think of that?

I can't tell you how many lists of goals re: weight loss that I have made over the last 30 years - crazy schedules and charts and plans. Most of the time, I think it was just a waste of time. I'm not saying that goals aren't important - they totally are - and I'm a big believer in setting goals.

What I know for myself is that my time is better spent doing a hundred other things than planning and charting when I will hit a magic number on the scale. (Someone please remind me of this the next time I'm focused on a specific number of the scale, ok?!). Yes, my weight is important - and I am working so hard toward losing weight. But, more important are the small changes that I make to become the best, fit and healthy person that I can be.

Good luck on your goals. Success is possible and even more probable by hanging around here with all the support available.

[JimmieLynn]

I'll be honest, my very first thought after reading all this, was to be mad. I felt like i was being DIScouraged, rather than supported and ENcouraged. However, after about 30 second of thought, i realize that everyone here knows what they are talking about and just doesnt want me to set myself up for failure. so once again, i thank each and every one of you for your honesty and input. and i will rethink and revise how i go about my goal setting and keep you all posted.

[PhotoChick]

Definitely don't feel like we're discouraging you. Not at all!!!

It's just that I think every one of us has been there - setting that goal, not making it, and then saying "oh what the **** ... I'll never do it anyway!" and eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's!

I'd say set your goals one at a time, and set the FIRST one without a time limit. And go from there. But don't be discouraged - we're all here to help each other!!!

.

[Shy Moment]

I think it is a great idea for goals. BUT pounds on the scale are maybe not the way to do it.

Maybe start with, " I am going to lower my fat intake " Here is a what my nutritionist/dietitian told me and in no way might be right for you 1200 calories = 30 grams of fat. Add 5 grams for every 200 calories. When you get your fat to where you want it to be go to another goal. Maybe, " I am going to lower my carbs intake. " Here is another example, carbs are 180 for 1200 calories add 35 for every 200 calories. How about, " I am going to eat all the required amounts of the four basic food groups each day and stay within the general limits of calories, fat and carbs I have set for myself" ( mine happen to be 1200 to 1400 calories ) yours could of course be different. It is pretty easy, with the use of the net, to find out about the food pyramid and how much of each thing we need a day. Don't get tied to the scale so much. The scale is just another tool like fit day or the food pyramid to help us become more healthy, thinner people.