Is changing your goal 'cheating'?

BigAnnieG

I fell off the wagon for a couple of weeks after a great start to the year, because a calorie goal of 1450 was so hard to stick to (I'm a 6'2 lady, work out c. 3 times a week for an hour, office job, current 17st 6lb). So today I changed my goal from losing 2lbs a week to losing 1lb a week...but now I feel guilty. Is that cheating, or do you think it's more realistic for a long term weight loss? I know I CAN stick to the 2lb a week limit - because I managed it for two months almost - but it makes me cranky.

Have you ever changed your goal to a lower loss per week to make it manageable, or did you just push through? I feel lazy for doing it, but also sort of know that if I'm to keep off weight loss I need to make it 'easy' i.e., realistic lifestyle changes rather than massive unsustainable calorie restrictions.

What's your take on this?

CassidyScaglione

No. It's opting for slower weight loss, and most people do it eventually... the 2lb/week goal is pretty hard to pull off.

BigAnnieG

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who finds it tricky at the 2lb a week level! I know I didn't put the weight on overnight, so I'm not desperate for a 'quick loss' solution. However, felt a bit of a failure by dropping the level back!

StealthHealth

CassidyScaglione wrote: »

No. It's opting for slower weight loss, and most people do it eventually... the 2lb/week goal is pretty hard to pull off.

^^agree completely.

In the past I've used maintenance for a couple of weeks to "catch my breath" or help balance family events etc.

SingingSingleTracker

BigAnnieG wrote: »

I fell off the wagon for a couple of weeks after a great start to the year, because a calorie goal of 1450 was so hard to stick to (I'm a 6'2 lady, work out c. 3 times a week for an hour, office job, current 17st 6lb). So today I changed my goal from losing 2lbs a week to losing 1lb a week...but now I feel guilty. Is that cheating, or do you think it's more realistic for a long term weight loss? I know I CAN stick to the 2lb a week limit - because I managed it for two months almost - but it makes me cranky.

Have you ever changed your goal to a lower loss per week to make it manageable, or did you just push through? I feel lazy for doing it, but also sort of know that if I'm to keep off weight loss I need to make it 'easy' i.e., realistic lifestyle changes rather than massive unsustainable calorie restrictions.

What's your take on this?

It's not cheating at all!!! 1 pound a week is much more doable and realistic. 2 pounds a week requires much more management (as in bumping up the exercise to help increase the deficit = and then you get grumpy or "cranky", as you say).

Dump the guilt and move on. You made a good choice.

SusanKing1981

Not cheating at all, whatever works for you. Could do 1 week at 2lb a week and then 1 week at 1lb a week.

Machka9

Is changing your goal 'cheating'?

No ... why on earth would it be cheating?

When I reached my first weight goal ... I decided to change my goal and go for something lower. I've changed my weight goal several times that way.

And when I reached my first weight goal, I had been losing at a rate of 1 km/week. After reaching that first goal, I decided to slow the loss to 0.5 kg/week and reach my second goal at a more leisurely pace.

One of the reasons I did that was because I wanted to eat a little bit more,
Another reason was because I wanted my skin to catch up. I'd gone all marshmallow-y ... and figured a slower loss would give my skin a chance to tighten up before I lost to much more weight.
Another reason was because so many people at work were having panic attacks over me and I was getting tired of hearing it. I figured a slower loss would give everyone a chance to get used to my return to being slender.
Another reason was because I was increasing my exercise and it is a bit of a balancing act to get the fuel right.

I might go back to the 1 kg/week after Easter for a month or two just to shake off the last few kg. I'll see. But I've got the option to lose as much or as little as I want.

BigAnnieG

Phew! This is just the reassurance I needed - thanks guys and gals! I particularly like the idea of changing goals on a week-by-week basis depending on commitments etc - if I knew a 2lb goal week was just a week, that would be more tolerable than thinking that was the long-term-only-option. Mixing it up could work well - thanks!

BigAnnieG

Machka9 wrote: »

Is changing your goal 'cheating'?



One of the reasons I did that was because I wanted to eat a little bit more,
Another reason was because I wanted my skin to catch up. I'd gone all marshmallow-y ... and figured a slower loss would give my skin a chance to tighten up before I lost to much more weight.
Another reason was because so many people at work were having panic attacks over me and I was getting tired of hearing it. I figured a slower loss would give everyone a chance to get used to my return to being slender.
Another reason was because I was increasing my exercise and it is a bit of a balancing act to get the fuel right.

I might go back to the 1 km/week after Easter for a month or two just to shake off the last few kg. I'll see. But I've got the option to lose as much or as little as I want.

All of these reasons make perfect sense. Except my co-workers panicking - I'm so tall, it takes more than a stone before anyone even notices any weight loss, so there's no worries there especially agree with the balancing act re exercise - I think I was exercising too much and not eating enough to compensate, so had no energy, and got grumpy, and then exercised more to get those happy endorphins, which only made me more tired, so I got grumpy... you see the pattern!

I'd like to be nice to be around and I'm not sure a 2lb/week loss does that...!

Ninkyou

It's not cheating. It's being more realistic.

girlinahat

not at all!!! In fact I'm surprised you can survive on so few calories. I'm over a foot shorter than you, which means I can only have a very small deficit, so I am aiming at something as small as 1-1.5lbs PER MONTH weight loss. It means I can have days where I can eat more, and days where I don't feel like eating so much, and as long as I stick to an average and my weight slowly moves down then that's just fine.

and yes, far better to be a nice person to be around than be grumpy, half-starved, and skinny.

kristen6350

I can't lose at a higher rate than .5lbs a week, it's not cheating at all. If I eat less than 1500 a day with exercise I'm a cranky, hangry monster. This isn't supposed to be a punishing process. You didn't do anything wrong. Treat your body right and take your time.

LivingtheLeanDream

You're not cheating at all, slow loss is more sustainable and you're a tall lady so you need more calories!

mjrkearney

Cheating what? Cheating who? If staying to that rigorous a schedule makes you cranky, dial it back a notch to a point where you can be relatively comfortable.

Also, you're 6'2 and eating the same amount of calories as my 5' sedentary *kitten*? Something is wrong there.

iofred

Sticking on an unrealistic goal, and quitting is selling yourself short.
Changing your goal should be read as updating/fine-tuning your goal. At least you realize that if you don't adjust you won't stick with it. Well done

SingingSingleTracker

BigAnnieG wrote: »

All of these reasons make perfect sense. Except my co-workers panicking - I'm so tall, it takes more than a stone before anyone even notices any weight loss, so there's no worries there especially agree with the balancing act re exercise - I think I was exercising too much and not eating enough to compensate, so had no energy, and got grumpy, and then exercised more to get those happy endorphins, which only made me more tired, so I got grumpy... you see the pattern!

I'd like to be nice to be around and I'm not sure a 2lb/week loss does that...!

I can relate to that!!!

Rest and recovery between the more intense exercise sessions, lots of coffee, and chewing gum all helps mitigate the grumps. Good reason to plateau a week or so every now and then to tame the grumps before the next dip during a cut.

macchiatto

I agree it's more realistic; not cheating at all. Setting yourself up for more success.

laurenjennifer1987mfp

I'm a foot shorter than you and eat that much. How can it be 'cheating' if you're opting to lose the weight slower? It's realistic, more likely to stay off long-term, you get to eat a bit more, better mental / physical adjustment. If you're patient and persistent you'll reach your goals, doesn't matter if it takes a few months longer than you originally anticipated.

CollieFit

To adapt a plan after having gleaned more information about a situation isn't cheating, it's intelligent decision making.

Duchy82

Nope it's not cheating it's being realistic about what you think you can stick to.

I've recently reduced my goal from 1kg a week to 0.5kg a week because I kept on going over my calorie allowance too frequently and it just wasn't doable anymore. Funnily enough I get to eat more and the scale is moving more regularly again where I was stalling a lot because of overeating before I can now easily lose that 0.5kg every week. I've actually lost a whole kg this week much to my surprise!

itskazzsjourney

no not at all....just do you....if a less aggressive goal works, but is more sustainable then it is a better option long term wise.

BigAnnieG

Thanks everyone! I've been on a higher calorie goal (1980) for a few days now - and strangely have been coming in just under most days, but am way happier with more energy! I think some of it was the mental block of not being 'allowed' because something would take me over the calorie goal - but now if I want something it's easier to work into the daily allowance. I haven't weighed myself in ages and am going to wait a few more weeks before I do again, but having more energy has meant I've been moving more anyway so think it was definitely the right thing to be doing! Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply

Morglez

I have mine set at a 1 pound per week loss. I haven't been successful at sticking to the 2 pound per week. It's definitely not cheating. It's still a calorie deficit!

WinoGelato

BigAnnieG wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I've been on a higher calorie goal (1980) for a few days now - and strangely have been coming in just under most days, but am way happier with more energy! I think some of it was the mental block of not being 'allowed' because something would take me over the calorie goal - but now if I want something it's easier to work into the daily allowance. I haven't weighed myself in ages and am going to wait a few more weeks before I do again, but having more energy has meant I've been moving more anyway so think it was definitely the right thing to be doing! Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply

I really think there is so much to this...

When I started I was set at 1200 (I'm 5'2 so a foot shorter than you OP) and could never hit that goal, it was far too restrictive. When I raised it to 1400, then 1500, it was much more reasonable for me, and knowing that I could stay within that goal kept me motivated and I was losing 1 lb/week eating back all my exercise calories as well.

Fast forward about 2 years when I had hit my goal weight but really wanted to lose a little more (just for even numbers sake). I plateaued for months and finally figured that my body was just telling me it was time to switch to maintenance. I did, and upped my calorie goal again, but suddenly found myself losing again. I was more active and found it easier to stay within my goal again. So now I'm actually 7 lbs below my original goal weight and happily maintaining.

So no, I don't think it is cheating. I think it is setting a reasonable goal that you will be able to adhere to for long term success. Good for you for realizing like many of us that this doesn't have to be a miserable process!

Good luck!

biscuitnow

Realistically, you aren't going to spend the rest of your life eating the same number of calories every day. Once you're in the maintenance stage, having a feeling of where you are at this week or month will be at least as useful as knowing how much food you can have for 1450 calories or whatever. I personally adjust my goals as needed, do maintenance weeks etc. It's just being honest with yourself.

Shrinking_Erin

I've changed mine several times. I started out eating 1450 (5'10 295lbs on Jan 1st..new year recommitment) and was losing like crazy, but I was so hungry and it lead to snacking and guilt. So up to 1780 now. Steadily losing and feeling good. Down 75 total and down 28 since Jan 1st

sllm1

A smaller deficit is healthier and easier to maintain, so you don't continuously fall off the wagon.