Do you set Goal Dates?

KatsFitNow

I’m having trouble setting dates for goal weight projection dates. I’ve done it before it and it can sort of sabotage me if I don’t hit the goal. What do you do? Just take it day by day?

seska422

Goal dates add unneeded pressure.

Concentrate on following the process. The results will come when they come.

xelsoo

If something adds pressure, then it isn't for you. I usually just take my measurements and write them down in a chart-form with dates and track my progress with no particular goal dates in mind. I measure myself every two weeks or more (never less time in between as your body needs time to change!).

Machka9

Sort of ...

When I first started, I decided to stick with it for 3 weeks. At the end of 3 weeks, I'd stop and be happy with where I was.

But then, I had lost 3 kg in 3 weeks, so I figured I'd go to the 5 week point.

By the time I got there, I had lost 5 kg.

Spurred on by success, I decided to go for a full 16 weeks which also happened to be when I was heading off for a holiday. I lost 15 kg by the 16 week point.

I don't aim to lose a particular amount by a particular date ... I aim to stick with the diet until a particular date and see what happens with the weight.

I figure if I stick with the diet faithfully, I will have some results, and some results are better than none.

SabAteNine

I have too many deadlines in my life to pile weight-related ones on top In order for it to work for me it should be made as fun and easy as possible, not a chore, else I'll just say *kitten* and shove that XL chocolate Easter egg and then his brother.

Plus, what if by the deadline you'll be during your ToM and +5lbs heavier?

Setting milestones I find more useful. Not time-related, but weight / measurement related. The „once I get to there, then I'll do this” kinda thing.

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sardelsa

It sounds like that is not a good idea for you then.

I do set rough goal dates. I am not super strict with the weight because I do encounter setbacks like anyone else. When I am losing I focus more on aesthetics and bodyfat. When I am gaining I focus more on the scale and size. I do like to hit monthly goals because of how I like to schedule my bulk/cuts but I don't get discouraged when it doesn't work out. I just reevaluate my goals as time goes on.

SweatsOnSunday

I set goal dates, but truthfully, I am not doing as well as planned. I like @SabAteNine 's idea of milestones. May have to give that a trial run and see if I get better results.

tinkerbellang83

I set goal dates for fitness/health goals, not weight, it would just be setting myself up for disappointment, you can't control fluctuations and can't dictate what your weight will be on any given day/date. I have rough ideas of when I would like to lose a certain amount of weight by but I don't expect to be rigidly stuck to them, time will pass anyway and as long as I am getting stronger, fitter and healthier, the weight loss will happen along the way if I stick to the process.

SabAteNine

@SweatsOnSunday Let's set some milestones. Mine derailed with the quit smoking thing, but I think I may be better than that.

And @KatsFitNow, it doesn't have to be day-by-day. You can have the super-big picture in your head of the best, most kick-the-kitten way you want to look on the longer term, which you can then break down into small and manageable bits. 5 lbs here, this many cm there, etc. Work from vision to operational plan

Just make sure that those bits are steps to tread on and support yourself for the next small effort, not finish lines for which you always have to run to make it in time, and then run some more. Because that will be exhausting.

eminater

I don't. I mean I have set 5 goal-posts to mark my journey and I am just about to reach my first one. I have a vague idea of wanting to meet it by mid-April; and I was thinking I might meet the next one about middle of the year - but I have decided not to do that - not to think of a date - because I don't want to feel disappointed at my progress. As long as the weight is going down (and I am logging) ... that's a victory. How long it takes is no longer the focus for me. Just that I am loosing THIS WEEK. (and next week and so on).

I think you yourself mentioned Sabotage, so perhaps you should also avoid the whole time pressure and just take it day by day or week by week. Weekly goals can be good - but be a little flexible and be kind to yourself and keep thinking about the bigger picture.

88olds

I’m firmly against goal dates. I think they are a way to turn WL success, losses, into failure, not fast enough.

What’s needed is a downward trend and patience. I don’t see how a lifestyle change can be driven by the calendar.

amtyrell

No. Either I am ahead of schedule and thus it decreases my motivation or I am behind and that is sad. There is no upside for me.

88olds

Also, rereading this thread I’m reminded of a discussion on our GoaD board.

We can’t really control the scale. We eventually get the WI we deserve. But will that be this week or will 2lbs pop up seemingly out of nowhere? My body may have a body clock, but it doesn’t have a calendar.

However we can control the process. Instead of Xlbs by end of the month, how about 30 days of tracking everything? That’s something we can control. Call it a process goal.

Tacklewasher

I did, initially, and hit most of them, then slowed down my progress so I missed one by 10 lbs. I found I shrugged my shoulders and went Meh at missing it, so I stopped putting dates on the loss goals. They are in the back of my head (birthday coming up) but nothing I would write down or hold myself to.

alicia163425

I have like goal seasons I am aiming for but no particular dates really. I do hope to lose 30-40 pounds by Rockfest this year in July which I think is doable but we will see. I think for me it’s more important to reward myself for my consistency than being under a certain weight by a certain time. I’d just do what you think is best!

concordancia

I *hope* to have lost 10% of my starting weight by the time I return to my dr's, but my *goals* are to eat 5 serving of veg and under 75 carbs every day, move my body 80 minutes a day, including stretching and work on strength 3x a week.

ladyhusker39

I don't set dates for goals. I do however set my goals in 10 pound increments. For example, I'm in the low 180s now and my current goal is to get below 180. I'll fluctuate back and forth for a few days but over time I'll get below 180 regularly. Then my goal is to never see the 180s again.

It's kind of my way a reminding myself that I'm doing this for life, not just for now. So far so good. I started in the 210s.

h1udd

never a date ! .......

(1) Life gets in the way, why ruin a spontaneous 1 week vacation to meet a date or panic if you are sick one week
(2) Things can take longer for no other reason than they do
(3) Its fast track to an Eating disorder as you start to do extreme things to meet that date.

playing with fire IMO

__TMac__

The only goal dates I use are race dates. I know I have a race in April 28th, with a goal pace, so it keeps me on track with my eating and training plans.

I do keep track of weight-related milestones. My last one is a healthy BMI: 15 lbs from now. I’ll focus strictly on fitness milestones after that.

chellycakes

Nah, I have one goal weight and a reasonable date to have it completed by. I wanted to lose 50 pounds by the end of the year... I’ve actually lost 19 pounds since 1 Jan.

Machka9

88olds wrote: »

Instead of Xlbs by end of the month, how about 30 days of tracking everything? That’s something we can control. Call it a process goal.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, that's my approach.

Stick with the tracking and stay within my calorie limit for a certain number of weeks.

I know that when I do that, I will lose weight. How much weight? Who knows ... that varies. But if I stick with it for 10 weeks and lose 2 or 5 or 10 lbs, it's all good.

Also, I find that having a finish date like that is really helpful for me. If I think that I have to do this forever, that's just too much. But if I figure that I will do this for 10 weeks, and then I'll decide what I want to do next, that's much more manageable. And if I suddenly get a craving for chocolate cake or something in the middle of the 10 weeks, I just tell myself that at the end of the 10 weeks I can have the chocolate cake. Usually by the time I get there, the craving is gone.