Goals

SFDonovan

Whats your opinion?

Is it better to set a goal that is harder to reach, or one that is easier. Losing 30 lbs in 12 weeks or 2.5 lbs per week, versus keep it realistic at 24 lbs in 12 weeks which is dropping 2 lbs a week? I like a challenge, but how hard would it be to drop 2.5 lbs every week?

Another thing...

I tend to think my sodium levels always screw me up when I'm trying to see progress on the scale. Does blowing your sodium levels by over 1000 really make you retain a bunch of water?

luckystars424

I like to set lower, easier goals so that I can definetly meet them and then hopefully blow them out of the water so I can feel really successful. That's how I roll :-)

bestmeicanbe1

I like doing goals that are reachable now because i am so close to my goal weight. I don't want to make a goal to hard, not reach it and then screw myself up over it. But at the beginning i would definitely make harder goals.

VeryKatie

I don't like setting goals much... I never meet them haha. I guess I have an ultimate goal weight, but I don't like associating it with a timeline or breaking it down into "I have to lose this much per week". I guess because I'm also close to my goal, I just don't see myself being enough of a stickler to actually make it happen. Example - I've mentioned I want to lose 5 lbs over 12 weeks for this challenge... it's not much!

jasonraygagnon

I can't really comment on your sodium question, other than you should probably tone it down if you're that high. With regards to your goals with this challenge set them high but attainable and don't sell yourself short.

I just checked out your stats and with diet and exercise you should have no problem dropping the 2 pounds a week in the first month. Therefore I would shoot to do 3 pounds a week in the first month (assuming you're serious about the diet and exercise).

Myself, I started at 220lbs. After the first week I dropped 5 pounds. The second week it was almost another 3 pounds. That's 8 pounds (6-7 days a week cardio and very good eating) in a short time.

You're a bigger guy than I am so you should be able to do better than me. I've only been at MFP for a very short time, but I'm planning to shoot for the stars and my vote is that you do too.

Good luck

PS - As I was typing I got thinking about your sodium question, and someone correct me if I am wrong... Since sodium retains water, if you get your intake down to manageable level and flush yourself out with water, you may see an even greater weight decrease with the water your body is story as a result of the sodium.

TerriRichardson112

I like to set reachable goals. It is better to under promise and over deliver as that provides more positive feedback.