Do you have an "end goal"? well you should!

Tamishumate

If your just starting out, I HIGHLY suggest you have an end weight goal. Why you ask? Because. If you are just starting out, and you do not have a goal weight, but you 'plan to stop when you feel good'. Chances are you will not get to a healthy goal weight , AND you are selling yourself short. and while losing any weight is better for your heart and health than not, it is important to get to a healthy weight.
Here is what I think. if you have 50, 75, 100, 150 + pounds to lose, you of course will feel good after you lose 20,30,40 , 50 pounds. You will ALWAYS feel better than you did before you started. When you are eating healthy , exercising on a daily basis, Of course you will feel better! So dont just say you will lose till you feel better, pick a goal weight, and AIM FOR IT!! Dont give up, reach the healthy weight you so deserve to reach!

Just my Thought on this topic . :drinker: :flowerforyou:

Jena_72

:flowerforyou: Thanks Tami!

goaliema

Makes perfect sense! Making an actual final number goal will keep lingering in your mind as your reach your mini goals. It makes you take ownership of your destination as you are the only one driving the car...so to speak! Why settle for less than we can be!

Your accomplishments and life changing transformation is amazing! Congrats on the dedication to yourself !

Goaliema

kendf60

I totally agree! I have a goal for a specific weight. When I reach that weight, I will re-access my fitness then. It may be that I'll still need to lose more weight, or I may just need to maintain the weight and make other fitness goals such as strength or endurance. There's a saying that, "success breeds success". If you don't have a specific measurable goal, how will you really know you've reached it. It also helps to set short term goals to help develop patterns of success.

StuAblett

I agree, I've lost 48 pounds and I feel so much better than before, but I know I have another 75 pounds to lose.

I have intermediate goals as well, some I met, some I had to miss, but I still have them, these too are important way stations along the road for me, but I want to live at 175lbs, I've not been there since i was about 14 It think :noway: Need to get back to that weight, with a strong healthy body as well.

Great topic Tami! :drinker:

beautyqueen1979

Great advice. You always need to aim for something - or you'll either stop too early (like you said) or perhaps won't know when to stop and go too far. I have a goal weight and also use mini-goals to keep me motivated.

What I am curious about is HOW people choose their goals?

I have a goal weight of 150lbs, and I chose it because it just puts me into the healthy BMI range. I have NO idea what I will look like - at roughly 176lbs I'm the lightest I've been since I was a child.

How did everyone else choose their goal weight???

lovetowrite73

What I am curious about is HOW people choose their goals?

I have a goal weight of 150lbs, and I chose it because it just puts me into the healthy BMI range. I have NO idea what I will look like - at roughly 176lbs I'm the lightest I've been since I was a child.

How did everyone else choose their goal weight???

I chose my goal weight just to give me a weight to achieve by a certain period of time. I don't really view it as my end goal though. Like someone else said earlier, I will reassess my fitness once I reach that point. I feel that if I decide to make my goal 120, it will take me forever to reach and may discourage me from getting to that point. So, I guess to answer your question, it's more of a psychological thing for me.

Tamishumate

Great advice. You always need to aim for something - or you'll either stop too early (like you said) or perhaps won't know when to stop and go too far. I have a goal weight and also use mini-goals to keep me motivated.

What I am curious about is HOW people choose their goals?

I have a goal weight of 150lbs, and I chose it because it just puts me into the healthy BMI range. I have NO idea what I will look like - at roughly 176lbs I'm the lightest I've been since I was a child.

How did everyone else choose their goal weight???

I also picked my goal weight because it put me in the healthy BMI range. on the charts, I have had a healthy fat % for a while.

ctraill

Just to play devil's advocate, I don't know if I totally agree with this. I think a ball-park figure is important so that you are within a healthy range but obsessing over a magic number isn't the solution either.

A lot of people aim for weight loss that is much higher than they can reasonably maintain and when they fail, they start the yo-yo dieting cycle all over again. I think it is much better to stop at a goal that may still be a little high but is one that you can maintain for a long period of time.

Focusing too much on the numbers sends the wrong message about weight loss, personally. You should want to lose weight to be healthy & active. You can reasonably starve yourself down to 100 pounds and be thin but not healthy and 180 pounds and healthy but not overly thin.

Just my two cents! Again, I agree a basic goal of being within a healthy range is important but I don't know think this advice will necessarily work for all people.

Kkmama

Thank you for posting this topic Tami. I have in the past been just set a big number to lose- 60 lbs or so. And everytime I have been unsuccessful and then internalize it as I am a diet failure! This time it is different... I still want to lose 60 lbs... but have broken my goal into month segments. I am aiming for 5 lbs a month. That gives me 12 times to celebrate my successes. I have built into my "Project 170" a day at the Spa every 10 lbs so that I will always have something to treat myself with to keep up motivation as I know motivation is very difficult to keep going day after day. Christmas 2011 I hope to be close to my goal. I think my goal is a healthy one- it will put me at the top of myhealthy range for my height. I am not looking to be skinny- haven't ever been and realize that it will never happen, and I am okay with that. Healthy and self confident is what I really want during this journey. I think remembering that it is a journey and not a destination and everyday is a chance to make your hopes and dreams a reality.
Good luck everyone!

Linshizzle

Thank you for the advice!!! Wow I was really feeling down today and after reading and seeing you've LOST 186 POUNDS!!! I feel like i can jump right back on the bandwagon! I went to your page and you have given me soooooo much inspiration!!! YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS AMAZING!!! YOU LOOK AMAZING AS WELL!!! * 40?? NO WAY!!! Not only do i wanna lose weight, I want to inspire people- like you have!!! I cant imagine the feeling you must feel to have accomplished so much and have others look up to you!!! CONGRATS AND THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!

kendf60

I chose 190 as an initial goal after discussing it with my Dr. who is also a personal friend. After I reach that goal, my goals will be more about good nutrition and exercise habits and my weight will probably end up being between 175 & 190. 63.5 down & 10 to go

Tamishumate

Goals are awesome, you keep having something to reach for. When you have alot to lose, that final number seems so out of reach, but keep reaching for it, and dont settle for "just feeling better " go for it, go for your healthy goal weight. You will feel so awesome when you reach it! Best of luck!