So I know I've been patient this whole time and never put a date on my weight loss before, but I WANT to be at my goal by my birthday!!!! So that means 30 lbs by June 21st (I think I'd settle for 20, but I really want 30!). So not counting this week I have 11 weeks. If I lost 2 lbs a week (which I don't I've lost 19 lbs in 13 wks so about 1.5lbs/wk) I'd only lose 22 lbs by my b-day. So I'm thinking this goal is unreachable, but maybe someone has some ideas to help me achieve it.
I don't know what I can really do to my exercise schedule, I have a toddler that has to come with my on all my runs and so that can limit the distance sometimes and I live somewhere really hot (110 degrees most of the summer) and it's already in the high 80's so I'm going to have to move my runs to after dinner when I'm got a full stomach and tired so that might even hurt my intensity. I currently run/walk 5-6 miles 5xs a week. I might be able to substitute the runs 2xs a weeks with some strength training.
I'm very happy at my current calorie level and don't think I'd be up to any drastic changes there. I'm zig zagging 1650cal and still hungry sometimes (my diet is pretty balanced) so I don't think a reduction would be practical for me and I don't see any reason to increase either. I drink loads of water 60-100 oz a day. I get about 6 hours of sleep, don't think I can improve upon that with my schedule. I'm pretty stressed and not sure I can change much of that either, but running tends to help my stress levels and I'm in the process of decreasing the size of my morning cup of joe.
You've done such a great job already. Maybe you should reconsider the June 21 goal, and just keep doing what is working, knowing that you will get to goal in a good and healthy way. Don't set yourself up for an all or nothing. Rejoice in your sustained success. Fine and easy for me to say. i am NOT patient, but if someone were telling me what to do, I think I would consider my words. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't, but either way, nobody can take away what you'e already done and you are keeping on doing. Be kind to yourself.
Yes, there is good chance with my husband's schedule and my reduction in hours at work that I'd be able to fit in the gym Monday's and Tuesday's and then run Thursday, Friday and Sunday. I also do a leisurly walk with my girlfriends Saturdays (but I count this as rest).
You've done such a great job already. Maybe you should reconsider the June 21 goal, and just keep doing what is working, knowing that you will get to goal in a good and healthy way. Don't set yourself up for an all or nothing. Rejoice in your sustained success.
I agree completely, but I really really want this by my birthday I'm going to be 31 and I don't feel like I gave 30 justice so I want something big this year.
for ME, time based goals are always a problem. i had a major one for my last birthday and resulted in a failure... by 1.4 lbs. instead of focusing on how much id lost, all i focused on was not making goal. i understand you want it, but just do your best and hopefully you'll get there!
I agree with the deadline goals being counterproductive. Especially nearly impossible goals. I don't want to be a bubble buster, but I guess I'm just a realist. That's over 3lbs, closer to 4lbs, per week. That's not even necessarily healthy weight loss, even if it is achievable. Especially as you get closer to goal, your weight loss will (and should) slow down a bit. I was losing 1.5-2lbs/week, now I'm losing .75-1lb/week, and I'm happy with this.
Since you're steadily losing, I'd just keep doing what you're doing instead of changing it all up to try to get faster results. Why fix what isn't broken?
If you set a goal like this, that you know isn't achievable (realistically in a healthy way), then you're automatically setting yourself up for failure, even if you succeed in losing any weight at all. I personally would set a much more realistic goal
For the record, I think this is a bad idea. I think what you are doing is working, and if you want to have a shindig to show off (a totally normal impulse), have a Labor Day bar-b-q. That said, if you really want to do this, a few things occur to me:
Could you swap babysitting with anyone, like "If you watch Suzie for an hour early AM, I'll take Bobby one weekend night"? Then you could exercise sans stroller.
You could go down to 1200 calorisa day. It wouldn't be fun and this whole process would be much less pleasant, but it might work--you'd have to try it for 3 weeks to be sure.
Could you swap babysitting with anyone, like "If you watch Suzie for an hour early AM, I'll take Bobby one weekend night"? Then you could exercise sans stroller.
You could go down to 1200 calorisa day. It wouldn't be fun and this whole process would be much less pleasant, but it might work--you'd have to try it for 3 weeks to be sure.
i always just worry that losing like that will lead to a regain and a possible stall.
Thanks all, I think you really smacked some sense into me. I think I'll just forge ahead and where I am at my bday is where I am. There is really no reason to rush it.
Here's a hug! You will be beautiful on your b-day and you've already been doing something BIG...even if it doesn't feel like it's beig enough. You've had successes already that some of us are still dreaming of :-)
Yes, there is good chance with my husband's schedule and my reduction in hours at work that I'd be able to fit in the gym Monday's and Tuesday's and then run Thursday, Friday and Sunday. I also do a leisurly walk with my girlfriends Saturdays (but I count this as rest).
It would be best if you could alternate your cardio/strength training days. You may too sore to do ST on two consecutive days.
Any chance to run early in the morning, when it is still nicely cool, rather than after dinner on a full stomach?
Also, you may want to remind yourself that as you are getting closer to your goal weight, the weight loss may slow down considerably and 2 lbs a week could be, IMHO, quite unrealistic. But then I am very much against xx pounds by yy date plans.
I agree completely, but I really really want this by my birthday I'm going to be 31 and I don't feel like I gave 30 justice so I want something big this year.
How can I do this? 30 lbs by June 21st...
I'm going to be 31 and I don't feel like I gave 30 justice so I want something big this year.
