Question for people who set themselves goals

BernadetteChurch

I've been poking around the forums today and come across a couple of threads about losing x amount in x no. of days, or losing x lbs by Christmas. Dozens of people want to join in and do it together.

Many of these goals sound unrealistic to me and I'm wondering what lengths people go to to achieve them, whether they are successful and what happens if they're not. Also what happens afterwards, whether you've been successful or unsuccessful?

I'm not making any judgements here, I'm just fascinated by how people think and feel about weight loss and the lengths they'll go to to achieve it.

Jennloella

I guess since I don't know exactly what x amount of weight in x amount of days means I can't offer any insight. A good thing to be sure of is that you are looking at the original date it was posted, and not thinking someone wants to lose ten pounds by Halloween (tomorrow) that they may have started in August to lose it. In general getting a group to check in and do it together can add the competitive component to it for motivation. Ie, I want to lay on the couch and drink hot chocolate, but I don't want to be on the bottom of the list this week so I'm going to get up and go for a run. Nothing extreme.

saraphim41

I set what looks now like an unrealistic goal. When I set it, it was to lose 2 lb/wk, and I knew it would be hard. But I did it because I think it would make a measurable difference in my health and reduce the amount of medication I have to take. (I lost 30 lb. this year, and reduced my meds a little bit.)

What happens if I don't make it? I set a new date, and go on. If I do make it? I set a new goal.

It's a tool.

BernadetteChurch

OK, the examples I've seen today are 18 lbs in 50 days (doesn't matter when it was posted) and 20 lbs by Christmas (posted a few days ago).

I understand the joining a group part of it, for motivation and support, etc. But my questions still stand. So really I'd like to hear from people who've actually set themselves similar goals.

I'm not talking about goals like fitting into my wedding dress again, or reducing my blood pressure. I'm talking about the type of goals that I've mentioned above.

seaview3

Hi,
I've been doing this consistently for a little more than 2 months. I've lost about 10 lbs. I've learned that some weeks I don't lose, other weeks I lose a little, like 1/2 pound, but this past week I've lost 3 (I was also sick so that always means a bit more of a weight loss). I've set myself some long-term goals but like yourself, I have at least 50 pounds to lose. It's important to me to keep it all in perspective. I've learned quite a bit in the past 2 months about how much I need to eat eariler in the day and not "save" calories for later in the day. It really helps me to maintain my metabolism. I've learned to exercise more frequently, that 3X week is not enough for me. I've cut back 1/3- 1/2 on my alcohol intake! Wow! Those were a lot of empty calories I was consuming. The results are: I've lost at least 10 lbs, I sleep better, I have more energy than I've had in years, many of the annoying little health problems I was starting to have are gone. Had I known this was possible - in such a short time - I would have made it a goal but it's a benefit of my hard work and dedication. Every day I tell myself, "I can do this." and it's working. My ultimate goal is to be at a healthy BMI by the time I hit 49 (December 2013). I think that's reasonable. And I plan to live like this for the rest of my life. That's my ultimate goal.

bufger

I have lots of goals that have no time limits. I have the motivation without the stress and possible dissapointment if my goal is unrealistic.

Goal 1 = Lose weight every month until at target (if done weekly i can sometimes stay the same or fluctuate)
Goal 2 = Finally do a pullup. Then once thats achieved do more! (nearly there now)
Goal 3 = Comfortably fit into Euro size 36 jeans (tight at the moment but can do them up!)
Goal 4 = Play 1 sport, do one gym cardio session and 2 gym strength sessions during a single week (basketball mondays, gym wednesdays, fridays and sundays)
Goal 5 = Complete P90X (this is a future goal, i dont have it yet!)
Goal 6 = Read every packet of food for calorie, sodium and carb content unless i know the content already (this is a fun one, i learn so much)

I think thats all of them I have. I also have mini goals within my sports. I'd like to be better at layups in basketball so im practicing more. I'd like to lift heavier. I'm aiming for 30 minutes rowing on resistance 10 (i can do 20 fairly comfortably now). etc etc

jealous_loser

I know what you are referring to OP. I don't get it either. I am a lone wolf I guess, ahahah. I like to have goals, but no specific deadline. As long as I am still trucking along, we are doing good. I don't think weight loss is a competition, and I don't think that is a good way to look at it.

JeanetDK

We all have different things that motivate us - and keeps us going when we really just want to give up. For me that is setting goals. I can't really say anything about unrealistic goals but I know that I try never to set a goal that will require more than a 2 lbs weight loss a week.

_kannnd

I think people who make those kind of goals set themselves up for failure. Most of the time it's a really big amount of weight, and unless you are a large person, you don't tend to lose the weight that fast. At least not in a healthy way. They will either do a yo-yo diet or take pills, but they'll just gain it back shortly thereafter. Most people look for quick ways to lose it without realizing that it a LIFESTYLE change.

I have a goal. I set it at 30lbs back in March, but I didn't give myself a real deadline. I'm 18lbs down in 7months with another 10-12 to lose. While I'd love to lose it by Christmas, I really don't see it happening...and I'm ok with that.

SunKissed1989

When I started using MFP 'religiously' as it were, I set myself a goal but I didn't set myself a time to achieve said goal.
I want to reach a certain weight and develop healthy eating and exercise habits I could continue after I reached my healthy weight. I recently moved away from home for the first time for uni and started developing these habits before moving and I'm happy with where they've taken me.
It isn't about the desitnation...it's about the journey (so cliche'd, I know, but it's true) - what's the point in undertaking something if you're not going to enjoy it? The longer it goes, if you're enjoying it, and it works, the better - that's just me though

adbmama

I set a goal to be down to a particular weight by my birthday, which meant I would have to average nearly a 4 lb/wk loss. It was twice what I usually averaged and seemed far fetched. However, like someone else mentioned, it made me a more aware of my choices leading up to the date. I was working out 3x a week and added cardio 2x a week. I got within 2 lbs of my goal and while disappointed, I was also quite thrilled to have gotten so close. My next goal is to lose 25 lbs by Jan 1st, which gives me about 16 weeks to achieve it. I stalled right after the goal mentioned above (losing only 1.4 lbs in 23 days). Thinking of my Jan 1st goal and frustrated with the stall, I re-evaluated what I was doing and discovered I was not accounting properly for the calories I was burning with the cardio I added in and some days my net calorie intake was under 1000. Last time I went below 1200-1300 calories I stalled as well. I have adjusted my eating now to account for the cardio burn and have lost 4.4 lbs in the past 6 days. I am now only 8 lbs away from the goal I had set for Jan 1st!

I'm not doing anything extreme or outrageous and with the extra cardio, I have found myself feeling even more energetic than before. My daily calorie goal is set to 1500 but on cardio days, I get about 1300-1400 and non-cardio I get up to 1700 on occasion. I do strenth training 3x/wk and as of this week, am doing cardio 4-5x/wk.

Overall, if I make a goal - great! If I don't (like above) - well, I just keep trying. It's not like I'm going to quit or give up. I made a lifestyle change 10 months ago and regardless of actual goals & deadlines I set, I know I will get where I need to be in good time.

kdzi

I think it depends on whether you have a goal-oriented personality type or not. I would have a difficult time with "I'll get there eventually" thinking. I have big goals (with dates) and mini goals (and rewards) in between. I guess some might say my goals are "aggressive"--but I've seen successful people in the success story forum who have done what I'm planning to do, so I think they are realistic goals.

The rub is what do you do if you fail to reach a goal? Me, I would just keep the goal and push it out into the future. I guess some people would throw in the towel, and there are many responses in between. I realize there will be stalls and setbacks...but the idea that if I stick to what I'm doing I *could* get where I want to go by a certain date helps me make better choices in the here and now. I'm at the start of my journey, though...and I'm motivated by the success I've had so far.

YcatsFursworth

I set myself goals. for example to be down 15 (now 13 yay!) by xmas. if I reach it then YAY! if I don't I'm not gonna eat any Christmas candy (would only eat one or two anyways). When I reach 200 I'm gonna by a FitBit, when I reach 175 a weekend away in a hotel with my hubby, 150 the tattoo I've always wanted to get... stuff like that

Yes I set days to be at them. it keeps me motivated and moving. if I reach them? yay! my reward! if I don't reach them by that day? darn... time to double the workouts and the reward just has to wait.

If I don't set goals I do yo-yo dieting and just get burnt out and leave... starts seeming like what's the point I'm never gonna make it down those 60+ pounds I'm only 4 down now... it's pointless..... the goals keep me moving in the right direction and excited for the next level.

Aeriesified

Personally, I like to set the bar really high. It's not that I'm aiming to hit that, but I'm aiming to get as close to it as I can. If I make it too easy, I'll slack off. I read something once when I was in elementary school that has always stuck with me. "Always shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you'll be somewhere among the stars." Although technically speaking, there are no stars between us and the moon, the general meaning is pretty clear. Even if I come up short, I'm still miles ahead of where I was.

T1mH

Many people like to compete. The extra motivation is sometimes beneficial. Stretch goals are great. They can give you that bit of extra motivation to get it done. I'm not a fan of easy goals. I don't know what people do when they don't hit their goals. It's not always about competing, sometimes it's about accountability. If your part of a group trying to accomplish the same thing you have other people looking at your food diary or checking in on how much you exercise. Some people don't want that, other people want all the help and accountability they can get.

I have a weight loss goal. It's the upper end of what my BMI is supposed to be. I haven't been that weight since high school. I don't have a time limit on it. I also have a bunch of smaller NSV goals. I get excited every time I tick one off then I try to add a new one. It's the progress that is most motivational to me.

I found that having a goal to run a 5K was a huge motivator. I picked a race a reasonable amount of time into the future and my goal was to run it in 30 minutes. The 30 minute part was a big stretch. Leading up to the race my best 5k time was 37.5 minutes. On race day I did it in 31.5 minutes. That was this past weekend. Missing my goal isn't going to set me back. Instead the big improvement is a motivator for me. My next 5k will be under 30 minutes, I'm sure of it. I want to be able to run a 10K in the spring. I haven't picked a race yet. I should because then I know I have a date that I need to be ready for it by. That is motivating for me.

EdTheGinge

I'd love to lose 22lbs by Christmas, is it likely no is it impossible no. I've set myself 12lbs which is averaging just over 1lb, which is more do-able. However in both cases I'm just going to keep things as they are. If I don't hit them then carry on until I do, nothing will deter me from getting there whether it's this christmas or next.

Having said that those with more to lose are likely to lose it very quickly with increased exercise and better/healthier food intake as we're all aware of.

sarahharmintx

When I was losing weight steadily, I set a goal to be in onderland by Dec 1st (which equated to 13-15lbs in 2-3 months). Then I platued 5-6 weeks ago. I know why I stopped losing but its been very hard to fix it.

When I started I refused to set goals out of fear that I wouldnt make it. Then I set goals and Im not going to make it. I think I am gonna quit setting long term goals and focus on today alone.

needamulligan

The 20 lbs by Christmas goal, at least the one I am thinking of, started with 15 or more weeks to go. This may have been hard but not unrealistic at 2lbs/week. Of course, now it would be unrealistic.

mell6355

I have read that losing more than 2 pounds a week is ok when you are obese (which I am) I should be 140 to 170 and started this journey at 236. I lost 3 pounds a week the first 3 weeks, then 1, 2 and then 3 again. Last week I lost almost 4. So that is 19 pounds in 7 weeks. I have cut my calories by a TON, I can't even think of how many I consumed on a day to day basis. I also added 45 minutes or more of cardio, and strength activities 6 or more days a week. Basically I went from a slug to a a little bit smarter and skinnier slug. But I will not be a slug anymore! I am in the biggest loser competition at work and will be done 11/16, I will run my first 5 mile charity event on Thanksgiving, and I will be under 200 pounds by the end of the year. That gives me 8 weeks for 17 pounds. I don't think that it is a crazy goal, just a goal. I have done everything healthy that I can without making choices that I can't keep up with. If I don't get to my goal I will be close, and I will thank everyone who helped push me and keep me going along the way!

I think that a lot of people who set goals have a lot of weight to lose, or are near the end of their goals and just need the goal and or the team challenge to stay accountable and really push through. There are plenty of days that I don't want to get out of bed, but I have a weigh in on Friday and I want that dang thing to show me a smaller number every week, so I push through, sweat and all! There is no failure because I haven't and won't quit!
(grain of salt- I understand some people haven't made the committment, haven't really made the sacrifice to eating better, or really changed their activity- I am speaking for myself and those who have)

Fat2Fit145

20 lbs by Christmas is not unrealistic..... averaging 2 pound per week... as of last week, is WAY doable...... i have set many goals.... and its very importat... some i've hit and some i didnt, but i keep going no matter what... you just have to make adjustments to your goals at times....this (weight loss) is a journey.... you may set out to reach at a particular time and encounter setbacks on the way, u dont give up, just keep going.

Zomoniac

I've stopped doing timed goals. I have my eating sorted, I have my training routine sorted. If in a few months I'm not seeing results that I like I'll take a step back and reconsider. I'm not going to make a drastic short term change so I can meet some arbitrary target.

trinityrecgirl

All along my journey I have had little goals. None with time limits, because it is too hard to pinpoint what my body will do. I used target goals. I looked ahead at the next drop and realized ..ok, if I lose 10 more than I would weigh as much as this friend, or 10 more and I would weigh what I did when I started my job 15 years ago..10 more and I would weigh what I did when I graduated from High School. 10 more and I would weigh the same as when I started High School. I found with small goals, I could focus only on the journey and the little celebration moments, and not worry about the big picture. The 2 goals I have left is 10 more to normal BMI, and then 5 to 10 more until my highest goal. If one has a large amount to lose, it can be overwhelming unless you divide up into manageable chunks, but it is a danger if you set too high of a goal and limit the time you have, because the body is a bit unpredictable, and what a bummer if you miss your target.:happy:

amytag

I set aggressive goals for myself. I am a competitor by nature, so this helps me stay focused. Weighing in as a supportive group on here each week is similar to Weight Watchers. It gives you support, focus, and weekly reminders of the behavior that will keep you on track.

When I started on May 1st, my goal was to lose 50 pounds by Halloween, and I've lost 55. My next goal is 15 pounds by the end of the year. This goal will keep me focused during the holidays. If I don't hit a specific goal, then I look back at my diary and see where I can improve, but it hasn't derailed me yet.

JasonDetwiler

Goals need to be SMART

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Bound

If you don't have all of those, your goal is BS. Most people struggle with achievability. They either go for way too much so that it's unrealistic or make such paltry goals that they don't have to work to get there, but they feel really good about themselves.

Specific to your question, losing x lbs in y weeks can be a really good goal, but too many times people will be so focused on the scale weight that they'll do silly things to make the number say what they want it to, like dehydrating on weigh-in day. OK, you made your goal, but you drink your water the next day and you really haven't made the progress you think you have.

It's important to have long and short term goals. Long term goals are not as specifically defined, like "I want to look like Stallone in Rocky 4." A short term goal toward that long term goal could be, "I want to reduce my body fat from 12% to 8% by 1/1/13." A series of well executed plans to achieve short term goals create progress toward successfully reaching the long term goals.

miadhail

To a certain extent, I agree that goals need to be SMART (as mentioned by JasonDetwiler above), and that many of the goals here may not be that. However, I am a strong believer in the motivation that one gets when one has a goal (be it SMART or not). People are generally a lot more motivated when they work towards something. Only downside is that if the goal is unrealistic, the person may get discouraged when the time comes.. But then if that's the case, then make another goal! A more realistic one and keep that motivation going. This goes for every other goal in life, sometimes it is not the goal, but the journey that is really enriching. You may not reach your weight goal by a certain time, but the true effort you put in exercising, eating right etc will show regardless and that's what matters; how you feel about yourself and not just the number on that darn scale.

In short, I am glad people are making themselves goals. People need purpose, and if they need some goal, SMART or not, to feel geared to changing their lifestyles for the better, then why not?

meshashesha2012

my goals are mainly fitness related goals but i do have some fat loss% percentage as well (not weight loss )

for instance between now and the end of the year my goals are to be able to run a mile outdoors uninterrupted, only need 1 band to do pullups in my crossfit classes (i currently need 2), increase shoulder flexibility, and lose another 2% body fat

T1mH

Goals need to be SMART

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Bound

If you don't have all of those, your goal is BS.

I call BS on that. We all have different ways of defining and working towards goals.

giraffe4life

I have a goal to lose a total of 70 pounds. I have no deadline. What keeps me motivated, even if the scale doesn't drop, is that my blood sugar has. I am recovering from a nasty flu bug and cut myself some slack during my illness as I was too sick to prepare my 'clean' food. Back on track now and still motivated, even though it's Hallowe'en and there is candy everywhere.

whitelaurel

Hm... I LOVE those sorts of challenges. I joined one to lose 10 pounds in October and I lost 8. I did this by consuming 1200~1800 calories per day and getting out for at least an hour of physical activity per day-- usually either by taking a long walk through hilly neighborhoods or jogging (depending on my intake). I don't think that sounds extreme or unhealthy.

I love them because I'm the type of person who works best with a tangible goal. If I decide to lose 2 pounds a week, I will work my hardest to lose 2 pounds a week. I feel accountable to the people I'm doing it with and to myself. It helps me to know that I'll be reporting to somebody at the end of each week. Although before MFP, I just reported to my calendar in bright ink. ;D Also, it helps to set a high goal, because I work harder!! Although I'm not disappointed when I lose less than that. Let's be realistic. I wouldn't even be upset if I lost 4 or 5 pounds in a month. I'm just more dedicated when I set the bar high. (I would be disappointed if I lost way less than that, because for me, that would mean that I probably betrayed my fitness goals on multiple occasions that month. I know how to get my body to lose 1~2 pounds a week and still feel good, so if I don't, I feel like I fell short.)

Also, I love thinking about how I can creatively lose the weight to reach my goal, and I don't really get that thought process if I'm in the mindset of "It will happen as it will..."

Because I've never starved myself, overworked myself, etc. etc. etc. to reach my goals, I don't have problems keeping it off. Developing good habits, exercise, and counting nutrients is big for me. I do gain it back when I stop thinking about nutrition altogether, although not as direly as it could be. I gained 30 pounds over a year when I lived in Kobe, Japan, which I blame on their famous breads and pastries and their heavenly desserts. They have these little things called "mochi" which are to die for, which are basically made of some rice product with the consistency of taffy and filled with 1/4~1/2 c. of sweet red bean paste. So basically it fits in the palm of your hand and packs more than 300 calories.

Anyway, I did challenges before then and I've done challenges since, and they don't inhibit my fitness goals in the long term. It's stimulating. You just have to do it right.