Health goals - Which is better, big or small?

AwesomeOpossum74

During your weight loss progress, is it better to cut your goals into smaller steps, e.g. 5-10lbs, gradually working your way down, or just go whole hog for the big goal?

malibu927

It’s whatever works best for you. I can’t do small goals because my brain only sees what’s at the end.

kroe4

I think it depends on how much you have to lose. When I started with a little under 150 to lose it seemed like sooooo far away. So I set little goals for myself, like losing 10% of my weight. Having to lose 32 lbs. was a good starter. Then after that I hit that goal I found that I was only about 18 away from being in the Obese BMI category instead of Morbidly Obese. Now my next goal is to get closer to 200 than 300 (so 249.) It's nice having smaller goals that lead to the ultimate goal. Gives you more things to celebrate Just celebrate by getting a new outfit or having a date night, not by eating lol Good luck!

allisonlane161

My philosophy was a big goal with many little milestones. Worked to the tune of 96 pounds lost. Now my goal has changed so I've got the little milestones to get me there.

OhMsDiva

I agree that it depends on what works best for you. I did not even start with a goal. I just took it day by day. I just knew I had to lose weight. 200 lbs later, that is what worked for me.

rainbow198

I guess it depends on what works for you. For me I had a lot of weight to lose and my goal seemed so far away at the beginning.

Celebrating those small NSV's such as losing an inch here and there. Seeing my face slim down. Being able to add on another mile to my workout and transitioning from doing push-ups on my knees to my toes really kept me motivated.

85 pounds gone, 5 years of maintenance and not having many struggles during weight loss or maintenance shows that this worked for me.

Best of luck!

stanmann571

geoffbbuchanan wrote: »

During your weight loss progress, is it better to cut your goals into smaller steps, e.g. 5-10lbs, gradually working your way down, or just go whole hog for the big goal?

While having intermediate goals is a good idea, and having a pace/chunks is also a good idea. Your Goal weight should be based on a weight that you believe you'll be able to settle for.

So if your goal is 145 and you're 245, You may have an intermediate goal of losing 10 lbs in 3 months. but your goal isn't to be 235 your goal is still 145.

ChaelAZ

AwesomeOpossum74 wrote: »

During your weight loss progress, is it better to cut your goals into smaller steps, e.g. 5-10lbs, gradually working your way down, or just go whole hog for the big goal?

In my experience the success rate of people who try to do everything at once is rather low for the first attempts. You will see them going from very little exercise and over-eating, to using terms like "beast mode" and talking protein, clean eating etc. They all start with a huge run, and make quick progress, but it is not a lifestyle that is easily maintained and most fail quickly and fall back. You will see some that it clicks and works for, but not many. The main mentality I see there is, they took years to get out of shape and want to get back to the "way they were" in months. It usually becomes all or nothing though.

What I do see working, and the success stories will flesh it out, is those people who make the better eating choices and add moderate exercise consistently, day in and day out, and do it over months or years to accomplish their goals. They hit mile markers along that show progress, but they do have an ultimate goal in there too. So it isn't all or nothing, but tempered, solid progress.

Just my .02.

kbmnurse1

Smaller goals are best. Larger goals can be overwhelming and set you up for failure.