How to set a goal date?

laughing_fire

Hey everyone! I have an idea of how much weight I want to lose (only 20 lbs) but I don't know how to pick a date to try to aim for. I know a lot of people have a specific event(like a wedding or a birthday) that they want to have it done by, but I don't really have one.
(I have my graduation but I'll be under a flowing gown and there isn't really any partying going on afterwards, so no excuse for a nice dress) Although technically I could feasibly have the weight off by graduation, I don't want to have the added stress of "I'm losing the weight by graduation so I look good around other people at grad." Because I'm not doing it for what other people there think of me, I'm doing this for my own health.

So how else would you pick a reasonable date to reach your goal?

shredder

A healthy weight loss should be between 2-3 lbs a week. Going with 2 a week loss, that gives you 10 weeks to lose it. Take out your calender and mark the date..
Good luck on your journey:flowerforyou:

kcdrake

Whoa, whoa, whoa, 2-3 pounds a week if you have a LOT of weight to lose.
It is recommended that you only lose 1 lb a week. You may lose more initially, but that is typically water weight. And to be honest, you'll probably hit a plateau or two. And the closer you get to your target weight the harder it is to lose the weight, so you'll probably be losing less than a pound a week (which is TOTALLY fine!!)
So, I'd say with 20 pounds to lose, your "everything goes perfectly" plan is that you'd lose it in 20 weeks. But in reality, it could be closer to 30 weeks (or more or less, depending on how strict you are/if you hit plateaus/how your body works).

I think you have a GREAT attitude about losing that weight. Just watch your food intake, get some exercise in, and you will see that weight come off. It may not be immediate, but it will last a lot longer than those dang fad diets!

sarahsmom1

If you don''t have a special occasion to lose weight for than you don't really need to set a goal I set a goal so I'll fit comfortably on a plane for hopefully watch my daughter at the Olympics in 2012 in London. And # 2 is to sit comfortably at the Charger games( the seats) very small to watch my nephew play. I've only gone to 2 games and he was drafted in 2007. But I have about 125 more pounds to go (a lot). So if you don't have a goal now you may decide on one later but it's up to you. Good Luck

FabulousFifty

You have the right attitude...you are not doing this for an event or someone else. You are doing this for yourself. I say just adopt this healthy lifestyle and stay within your cal limits. Let's see how long it takes for your body to set it's new healthy weight. It will if you adopt this as a lifestyle. Normally, this will happen at a pound or two a week...and some weeks nothing! Your body has to take a break and adjust to the new weight you've lost and may maintain itself for a week or two....plateau as they say. Glad to see you are taking good care of you! What a great graduation gift to yourself! :flowerforyou: