[DMNewman]

My goal was/is to lose 25 pounds by July 20th. I have lost 16 pounds so far since May 12th, so my question is, is it possible to lose an additional 9 pounds in 20 days? I'm going to be so mad at myself if I don't meet my goal

[rockinrobin]

Why would you be mad at yourself? What if you were to lose *only* an additonal 6 lbs? or 4 lbs?

You're off to an incredible start . Losing another 3 lbs a week for the next 3 weeks, though possible, is highly doubtful. If you keep to a healthy eating and exercise regimen, then what would you possibly have to be mad at yourself for? Even if you should have a slip up, well, those happen too! Come now. Don't be so hard on yourself.

Stay the course and the weight WILL come off. Patience. Patience. Patience. Consistiency. Consistiency. Consistiency. You'll get there. And sooner then you think. Time flies. You'll get there.

[yoyoma]

Sadly, I have a lot of experience with dieting (I'd much rather have experience with *maintaining*!). But one thing I have learned is that setting a scale number as a goal, even without a time limit, is a road to frustration for me. My goals work out much better when they are actions I have control over -- calorie restriction, exercising, etc. That way, I know I *can* make my goals. When I make my goals for a certain number of weeks, I give myself a non-food reward of some sort.

I figure that seeing the numbers go down is itself a reward. I don't need a pep boost when the numbers go down. I need it most when I am doing my best, putting one foot after the other, and the scale refuses to acknowledge my efforts.

OK, all that said. I don't think it is possible to lose 9 lbs of *fat* in a healthy sustainable manner in 20 days. The recommendation for a healthy rate of weight loss tops out at 2 lbs/week so at most it would be more like 6 lbs. Of course, it's possible to lose that much water weight or possibly mass (fat and muscle) in a less healthy manner in that time frame.

You are doing great! Think in positive terms of all the effort you've made and maybe even plan a little non-food reward for yourself.

[DMNewman]

Thanks, I guess I meant disappointed instead of mad. I was really hoping to meet my goal and maybe I set my goal to high? I wanted to be down 20 pounds by the 4th of July and down 25 pounds by July 20th. Hopefully I'll at least be down 20 pounds by July 20th Thanks for kicking my butt back into gear lol

[fiberlover]

I wouldn't even be disappointed. You are losing weight, and that is the important thing, and you are doing great!. How long it takes is irrelevant.

The body does what it wants to when it wants to. Putting a time/weight goal on something you cannot force a result on is what brings the disappointment.

[4star]

Please don't be too disappointed. You're only going to be off by what maybe a pound or two? Look how far you've come!