Fat Loss Timelines

peachvine29

Do you find that having a timeline/time-based goals/deadline helps or hurts your rate of progress?

I know for my initial goal I wanted to weigh 135 lbs. by November 29, 2018.
I was 153 by that time, and didn't reach 135 lbs. until May 2019 which I still am today.
Now I am wanting to be 125 by Summer 2020, but that is giving me some pressure.
Maybe I should drop the time restrictions?

cmriverside

peachvine29 wrote: »

Do you find that having a timeline/time-based goals/deadline helps or hurts your rate of progress? I know for my initial goal I wanted to weigh 135 lbs. by November 29, 2018. I was 153 by that time, and didn't reach 135 lbs. until May 2020 which I still am today. Now I am wanting to be 125 by Summer 2021, but that is giving me some pressure. Maybe I should drop the time restrictions.

Um. It's still 2019 where I am...

cmriverside

It took me about nine months to lose that last 15 pounds. I was hungry, it was two steps forward and one step back. You'll get there. One day at a time.

wmd1979

If you set your rate of loss at half a pound per week there is no reason you shouldn't be able to hit that goal by then. I don't see any issue with having a timeline as long as the goal is reasonable and not overly aggressive. With your proposed timeline, it allows for slip ups and the occasional diet break if needed, so I say go for it. Sometimes it does help to have a timeline goal to keep you on track and accountable.

iheartmyyorkie

My psychic Madame Zelda has predicted the earth will collide with the moon in 2021, so it won't matter what you weigh. But speaking of disaster, trying to be at a certain weight at a certain date is a recipe for disappointment. I say ditch the time restrictions.

Go_Deskercise

This is why I started doing dietbets/stepbets with my sister. Just having the goal or deadline didn't matter because there was no consequence for not making it. With the dietbets, I've consistently met my goals because if I fail, my money is on the line. If I make the goal, I get my money back plus part of the pot from the people that unfortunately didn't make their goals. The stepbets mean I have to be more active to win so they in turn help with the dietbets.

**Not promoting anything to be clear. This is just what worked/is working for me

sardelsa

wmd1979 wrote: »

If you set your rate of loss at half a pound per week there is no reason you shouldn't be able to hit that goal by then. I don't see any issue with having a timeline as long as the goal is reasonable and not overly aggressive. With your proposed timeline, it allows for slip ups and the occasional diet break if needed, so I say go for it. Sometimes it does help to have a timeline goal to keep you on track and accountable.

^This. While I don't usually have a strict date, I have a goal month where another goal starts. Otherwise I find I am not as consistent and say " meh I look good enough" (to add: especially when it comes to vanity lbs which is also in your case)

Shortgirlrunning

I’m trying to let go of the idea of a deadline for my weight loss. It can be incredibly discouraging at times when I should just be happy the scale is going down but instead I’m unhappy that it’s not going down fast enough to reach my deadline.

There is a podcast I listen to (We Only Look Thin) that talks a lot about how there is no finish line to the weight loss journey. This is a forever, lifestyle change so putting deadlines on your weight loss (which can cause unnecessary stress, disappointment even when we’re losing and making progress, and feelings of failure, again, even when we’re losing and making progress) can be very unhelpful. Even when you reach your goal you have to keep doing everything you’re currently doing to be able to maintain that weight so does it matter if it takes you 6 months or a year? Not really. The important thing is that you keep moving forward.

peachvine29

cmriverside wrote: »

peachvine29 wrote: »

Do you find that having a timeline/time-based goals/deadline helps or hurts your rate of progress? I know for my initial goal I wanted to weigh 135 lbs. by November 29, 2018. I was 153 by that time, and didn't reach 135 lbs. until May 2020 which I still am today. Now I am wanting to be 125 by Summer 2021, but that is giving me some pressure. Maybe I should drop the time restrictions.

Um. It's still 2019 where I am...

Gah, sorry! Fixed.

NovusDies

peachvine29 wrote: »

Do you find that having a timeline/time-based goals/deadline helps or hurts your rate of progress? I know for my initial goal I wanted to weigh 135 lbs. by November 29, 2018. I was 153 by that time, and didn't reach 135 lbs. until May 2020 which I still am today. Now I am wanting to be 125 by Summer 2021, but that is giving me some pressure. Maybe I should drop the time restrictions.

HURTS!

The more relaxed I am about my weight loss the easier it is. Making it easier increases my adherence and lessens my need for motivation, inspiration, and discipline.

RelCanonical

Hurts. I do terribly under pressure and tend to self-sabotage. The more I allow myself to fail, the more I actually succeed. Yes, that sounds weird, but it's worked for me, lol. I recall mentioning in another thread that I also keep all my fat clothes just in case, for the same reason.

NovusDies

RelCanonical wrote: »

Hurts. I do terribly under pressure and tend to self-sabotage. The more I allow myself to fail, the more I actually succeed. Yes, that sounds weird, but it's worked for me, lol. I recall mentioning in another thread that I also keep all my fat clothes just in case, for the same reason.

Works for me too. I do not worry about intentionally or unintentionally going over my calories as long as it is rare. I even have my permission if I have a bad day to eat more if I feel like it will help. All of this makes it easier for me and I rarely go over my calories unless it was an honest mistake or it was intentional like a special occasion.

This is what happens to me when I feel pressured by a deadline:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10762903/how-i-went-from-sustainable-to-unsustainable/p1

RelCanonical

NovusDies wrote: »

RelCanonical wrote: »

Hurts. I do terribly under pressure and tend to self-sabotage. The more I allow myself to fail, the more I actually succeed. Yes, that sounds weird, but it's worked for me, lol. I recall mentioning in another thread that I also keep all my fat clothes just in case, for the same reason.

Works for me too. I do not worry about intentionally or unintentionally going over my calories as long as it is rare. I even have my permission if I have a bad day to eat more if I feel like it will help. All of this makes it easier for me and I rarely go over my calories unless it was an honest mistake or it was intentional like a special occasion.

This is what happens to me when I feel pressured by a deadline:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10762903/how-i-went-from-sustainable-to-unsustainable/p1

Oooh, I'll check that thread out.

I give myself permission to eat at maintenance everyday, even when I just feel like it (like today, there were cookies in the break room). This has helped a ton, and I've very rarely unintentionally gone over maintenance (i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas don't count).

apullum

Weight loss doesn’t happen at a linear pace. Sometimes, especially when one is close to their goal weight, the scale will not move for 4-6 weeks at a time. Bodies do not always work on the schedules we demand of them, and the number on the scale reflects more than just fat.

My advice would be to get rid of the deadlines and just make certain you are in a calorie deficit. If you’re not losing at your expected pace, tighten up your logging: weigh ALL your food and make certain your exercise calorie estimates aren’t inflated. Be patient and consistent. The weight will come off.

PAV8888

If you manage to successfully put in place and adhere to a flexible process that will eventually get you and keep you there, then you will actually get and stay there!

corinasue1143

A timeline viewed much like a weight averaging app might help. A strict one probably not so much.

lgfrie

I find goal timelines, "x pounds by date xx/xx/xxxx", etc., to be very counterproductive and destructive. I end up missing some target due to family or work stress or just the slowing pace of weight loss or any number of other things, and that brings forth bad behaviors. I'm on much stronger ground just grinding it out one day at a time, hitting my numbers most of the time and missing them occasionally. I strongly prefer to have no dates and no final weight in mind.

Duck_Puddle

It hurts me. I can’t really control exactly how fast I lose. I can do the work-and provided I’m doing the work, it will all balance out eventually.

But What happens if end up taking an unexpected trip, or need to up my calories to keep up with a training schedule, or I get sick/injured/need surgery and can’t stick to the targets necessary to meet the time goal? Did I fail? Do I regroup?

I choose to set my goals to be to do the things I can control-which means sticking to my calorie goal (whatever it happens to be at that time) and my training plan.

The rest will fall into place. I’ll get there when I get there.

peachvine29

Thank you for the feedback everyone! Very helpful. It seems that all of us are different when it comes to this.

Duck_Puddle wrote: »

It hurts me. I can’t really control exactly how fast I lose. I can do the work-and provided I’m doing the work, it will all balance out eventually.

But What happens if end up taking an unexpected trip, or need to up my calories to keep up with a training schedule, or I get sick/injured/need surgery and can’t stick to the targets necessary to meet the time goal? Did I fail? Do I regroup?

I choose to set my goals to be to do the things I can control-which means sticking to my calorie goal (whatever it happens to be at that time) and my training plan.

The rest will fall into place. I’ll get there when I get there.

This is what I most resonate with I think. I struggle with consistency with these vanity pounds, some days I don't have a good enough reason not to eat more and I am working through that. I thought a timeline or deadline might help but I don't know if it is. Lately it has been one step forward one step back, I know it is only up to me to commit to my deficit and do it. By the end of December I planned to be at 132.5 average pounds (I use Happy Scale) but am averaging 136, I'm not sure it's possible to get to 132.5 losing half a pound a week and with the holidays and my birthday coming up, and that disappoints me.

I have heard that it is better to focus on what you can directly control, not your weight, but your daily habits that support your weight, such as getting 8 hours sleep, working out, hitting calorie goals. I may start to focus on that!

cwolfman13

RelCanonical wrote: »

Hurts. I do terribly under pressure and tend to self-sabotage. The more I allow myself to fail, the more I actually succeed.[/b[ Yes, that sounds weird, but it's worked for me, lol. I recall mentioning in another thread that I also keep all my fat clothes just in case, for the same reason.

Doesn't sound weird to me at all. I'm a very process oriented person and I'm all about progress over perfection. This is exactly how I approached my nutrition and fitness and exactly how I've approached my recovery. If I didn't give myself grace, I can guarantee you I'd either be in the same place or worse than I was 4 or 5 months ago. I've seen way to many of my brothers and sisters in recovery have a bad day or week or whatever and just give up because they are overly striving for perfection. The very thought of that stresses me out and actually makes me want to run off the rails.

IDK if I'll ever get to the point of never having a drop again...I'm for sure not there in the process yet...and really, at this point 100% sobriety is some kind of vague and hazy concept in my mind. But what I do know is that I've made a hell of a lot of progress and I'm in a way better place than I was 4-5 months ago. Even when I do succumb to my compulsions, it is not to the extremes that it used to be...I haven't blacked out in quite awhile and that used to pretty much be a nightly occurrence...win. I haven't been able to string 30 days together, but I've been able to string multiple days and a couple weeks together...win...considering before I started my recovery I hadn't had a dry day in years. Last night I went to my home group meeting...I usually feel really strong after those, but I wasn't last night...I told myself that it was ok and I would have a couple glasses of wine when I got home and gave myself grace. I got home and my oldest was snuggled on the couch in a blanket watching the football game...I decided instead that I'd make a cup of tea and join him...I gave myself grace to "fail" last night and ended up with a win.

Every little thing is a small part of a larger journey and process. My journey towards health and wellness started over 7 years ago and has evolved considerably in that time. Just when you think you have one thing worked out, you realize there's more to do. I guess that's why I feel like timelines are sort of meaningless.

Be blessed.

etherealanwar

I've tried setting a weight loss by a certain date multiple times only to have it backfire and disappoint myself. It's hard to predict weight loss out over an extended period of time and I learned this the hard way. Best to focus on your day to day goals and let it happen on its own pace.