Deadlines on weight loss? yes or no? lets debate.

Mads1997

I agree I don't set deadlines, I think it sets you up for failure. I will get to my goal when I get there.

SteelySunshine

My deadline is before I develop full blow diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. I have one shot at not getting diabetes and that deadline is 3 months from now, so I have to make that choice. I am counting calories and exercising everyday now. I am not putting it on myself to lose a certain amount of weight, just enough to get my numbers back down to a healthy range even if they are at the top of the scale of healthy, just so long as they are in that range I'm good with it. It might not be recommended, but I am going to try for a 30lb loss in that 3 mos. I am being careful about it and I am under a doctor's supervision. Buy careful I mean I am not out jogging, I am walking just a little bit faster and I am not eating under 1800 calories a day, so I am pretty sure I can fit my nutritional needs in that. I won't be disappointed if I don't hit my weight loss goal. I will be if I still haven't gotten my blood glucose level down to a healthy amount.

bluefox9er

those who diet frantically to squeeze into a bikini/wedding outfits etc and actually make it fail to maintain it most times.

Treat it as a lifestyle...goals are important to set, and weight loss is more to do with actually achieving it rather than pressuring yourself to do it in a set time.


I often advise people who want to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks for a vacation/wedding etc to go visit a 3rd world country for 2 weeks and eat like the locals.

lwagnitz

What's that saying, "A goal without a plan is a wish". I feel like setting deadlines is part of that plan Without the deadline, what is to say you can't keep pushing it off?

why does a goal make a wish a plan? if you follow the daily goal(eatting your target) and do that consistantly is that just a wish?

No..that's part of the PLAN part.

By definition goal:
An observable and measurable end result having one or more objectives to be achieved within a more or less fixed timeframe.

So, to me, the end date is part of goal-setting.

Capt_Apollo

i think that signing up for a race and having that be a goal date, is much better than saying "i need to be at this weight on this date to fit into this dress."

JenniTheVeggie

I started out that way over a year ago. I realized it is a lifestyle change because I feel 100% better then I have in years. I never ever want to to back to "before".

KristysLosing

I agree with you OP. I have mini goals, but no deadlines.

Jessi_Brooks

Ive never set a deadline, but maybe would if I had a specific, important event I wanted to reach a goal by. Even then Im not sure I would want to cuz I could see myself setting a goal even just slightly unrealistic, then pushing myself too hard to reach it. Doing things the way Im doing it now, without a deadline, I know Im being healthy about it, and Im never disappointed to see that its such and such date and Im 'only' down 5 lbs or whatever.

Railr0aderTony

i think that signing up for a race and having that be a goal date, is much better than saying "i need to be at this weight on this date to fit into this dress."

I really like this idea, this would be something I would strive for.

lwagnitz

i think that signing up for a race and having that be a goal date, is much better than saying "i need to be at this weight on this date to fit into this dress."

:drinker: :flowerforyou:

TheRunningGuppy

For me, I don't have a set deadline for my goal weight. I do have a goal each month, but mostly it does not have to do with my weight. This month, my goal is to do Zumba and maybe even figure out some of the moves. Last month I did the 30 Day Shred 4 days a week and walked 50 miles. February, I walked 67 miles (had a goal of 65).
Setting these goals for activity and then posting to my Facebook friends about it, this is what keeps me motivated. Since mid January I've lost 26 pounds.

avababy05

I usually don't but I am at a plateau ( the dreaded last five pounds) due to an exercise slump over the winter.

I'm not weighing this month and hope to see that five pounds gone 5/1.

The plan is that will give me the incentive to kick it up a notch this month.

JustMQ

I personally don't have deadlines. Do I want to lose that last 7 pounds? Sure, but it'll happen when it happens. For me. Its more important to live a healthy, active lifestyle and I would never want to put a "deadline" on that.

ashlinmarie

I set goals and I would LIKE to lose these 40 pounds by New Year 2014, but I still am trying to figure out what works for my body and know it will probably take longer. Deadlines for weight loss always discourage me, so I set fitness goals. Sure, I would like to lose 15-20 lbs by summer, but I would like to re-finish C25K as well. Or last month I walked/ran 50 miles so this month I'd like to walk/run 60 miles. That way I know I'm putting in the work and it is up to me, not a finicky scale to determine how successful I am.

970Mikaela1

I set mini goals but no date. All i had was time and desire. All goals have been achieved so now just working on my body and maintenance, which for me has been more of a challenge as there is less room for error in counting calories . So however you go about it keep on because there is all kinds if successful peeps in this thread:)

Railr0aderTony

I will be the first to admit I have no end goal, I have no Idea what my best weight would be, i have never been there. I want to be healthy, I want to get to a Health body fat % and I still have quite a bit of work ahead of me. I have learned so much in the last year but even more in the last few months since I started trying to learn "why does this work" insead of "how many calories is in a cheeseburger", both approaches work but I am a technical person and need to understand why.

badtastebetty

I think it is important to set measurable goals. It`s how you can show you have succeeded.

I`m not a big fan of the "I want to eat healthy, and exercise more", or "I want to eat less junk". I don't really understand what that means in terms of goal setting. "I want to lose 10 pounds by June 1st, and be able to run a 5k in 30 minutes by July 10th" is a goal that I can better understand.

However, I think we get too in over our heads when we do set a measured goal. I prefer small victories that lead up to the end goal. For example, I want to weigh 165 by the end of April (currenly bouncing between 170 and 168), and do the 30DS 4 times a week for the month of April.

dakotababy

I think everyone is different. Some individuals need the mini-goals to keep them going, some don't. What I do not agree with are people who are like "I have a wedding to go to in a week, so I want to lose 10lbs by then...duuuuh....is this healthy? duuuh".

I enjoy the 'freedom" of not having goals...i just go at my own pace. I once tried to make a "lets get to 1derland by new years" goal...needless to say, i plateaued hard and that goal was not reached. I was disappointed and discouraged. Never again.

healthygreek

Up till now I only have had mini goals-no deadlines. When I reach a goal I evaluate how I look and feel and then set a new mini goal if that's my desire. At this point I'm pretty sure I only want to lose 5 more pounds. I have felt very relaxed about the entire evolution of my lifestyle change which has taken a number of years. If I had placed a deadline on myself I don't believe I would have been as successful with sustaining the changes I have made in my life.

zyxst

I have goals and I have yet to meet them. :laugh:

My first goal is to lose 173# by Jan 2014, which I felt was reasonable when I made it in Jan 2012. My second was lose 100# by Dec 31, 2012 (missed it by 8#). I felt bad about not meeting it, but I've learned many factors aid/deter weight loss (stupid ovaries being my main one).

For me, not having goals is opening me up to stop losing weight. You have to do what works for you.