Realistic goals

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tequilasunris3
tequilasunris3 Posts: 197
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 20 years old, 5'3 and weight 195lbs. Would it be realistic for me to expect to have lost 20lbs by christmas time?
My calorie intake is 1300 - 1500 and I walk every day (barely any public transport where I live)
I don't wanna set myself unreasonable goals and become disheartened.
Any positive feedback is welcome :)
Please note- I'm a weight loss beginner so please, no harsh comments.
If it seems like I don't know what I'm talking about, I don't know what I'm talking about haha.
:)

Replies

  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    That's more than reasonable. Stick to it and you'll succeed.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
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    Probably. That's 16 weeks, so you'd need to lose an average of 1.25 lbs per week.

    It's possible to hit a plateau along the way, but I think your goal is reasonable if you can navigate around the potential hazards of Thanksgiving and a series of Christmas parties!

    The good news is that you should be well into developing healthier habits and strategies to deal with social eating situations before the holidays pop up, making it more likely that they won't throw you off track.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
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    Definitely reasonable. Log everything and be patient there will be weeks where the scale doesn't budge, but as long as you stick to it you are in good shape. Good luck.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
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    I don't want to get your hopes up, but if you eat clean (I mean it - no take out, fast food or anything "bad") and actually walk or exercise 5-6 days a week you could even lose more than 20 by Christmas. The heavier you are, the more you lose at first. It's not uncommon for heavier people to lose 10 lbs in a month. the healthy weight loss is 2 lbs / week, and that would set you at 32lbs under by Christmas if all the right moons are in place ;-)
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Sounds like a reasonable goal to me.
    Really, though, your goal weight isn't the most important thing - making changes to the way you eat and exercise that you can keep up for the rest of your life is a much better goal.
    If you make some positive changes but get to Christmas and you've "only" lost 15 pounds - that is still a win!
  • tequilasunris3
    tequilasunris3 Posts: 197
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    Thank you all so much. The support and advice you get here is amazing :)
  • camelgirlmn
    camelgirlmn Posts: 226 Member
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    Be positive, eat healthy and exercise and you will achieve your goals.
  • clarissa08
    clarissa08 Posts: 31 Member
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    Well, welcome to myfitnesspal and congratulations on taking the plunge! This is a great way to start. Firstly, start out by doing things you know you can stick to. My method was telling myself I was going to make one decision better today than I did the day prior. Secondly, figure out what your basic metabolic rate is, (myfitnesspal has a tool for that) and try to stay above that at all costs! Thirdly, EAT YOUR CALORIES! Myfitnesspal automatically sets your caloric goal 500 calories lower than your current intake depending on the information you provide myfitnesspal. Finally, have fun and be patient. It's like growing your hair out - you won't notice a difference day to day, but one day it will be so long and through out the process you'll be able to try and wear all different types of styles!
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,280 Member
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    The only thing I warn you about is not to get stuck on the numbers. I know for me that if I put too much "weight" into the numbers and I don't reach them, then I really get depressed about it and it makes things worse. I would focus on cleaning up your eating and working out. Log everything. Don't just depend on the scale. Take pictures, keep an eye on your clothing, and take measurements as well. Some weeks you might not lose a pound, but you might lose some inches. Just remember that the scale and that number is not the be all, end all.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I think it's totally realistic. But I think a better goal would be more behavior-based, like, "I will track my calories on MFP every day until Christmas," or "I will work out 3 times a week every week until Christmas."

    Sometimes, you can't control the number on the scale -- plateaus, water weight, etc. But, you can always control your behavior, so it's better to focus on behavior-based goals instead of time-oriented scale goals.

    If you add new and consistent behaviors to your life, then over time, you have built a new lifestyle, which will eventually (who knows when) lead to reaching your scale-based goals.

    Good luck! It's a dynamic process and you'll always be learning and changing to get where you want to be.
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
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    Im 23, 5ft 3 and weigh 215. To give you an idea on what I do - My cal goal is 1300 a day I eat as clean as I can, less carbs more protein is the route Im on at the minute. I go to gym about 3 times a week for an hours session and I see a PT once a week who has set me up my routine. So far Ive lost 25lbs. I want to lose around 26lb by christmas so what you've set out to do is very similar to me!

    Just make sure you watch what you eat, while you might be under your 1300 cal goal you might still be unbalanced in the types of food you eat and thats where I went wrong for so many months until I started looking at the ratio of carbs / protein / fat.

    Feel free to add me and I will help where I can since we seem to be on a similar journey :)
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
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    haha your cute! lol

    have you had harsh comments back before? poo on them if so!! anywhoo.. umm 20#'s by christmas is def do-able!! thats just shy of 4 mo! since were fresh in sept and xmas is end of Dec!.. so thats averaging 5#'s a month (roughly) and if you stick to mfp and track u should be fine!!
    i have a goal to be under 200 by nov 3rd... i started mfp 7wks ago at 231 and am now 216 and am really hoping/pushing to make my goal.. so 17#'s over next 9wks........................
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
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    I think it's totally realistic. But I think a better goal would be more behavior-based, like, "I will track my calories on MFP every day until Christmas," or "I will work out 3 times a week every week until Christmas."

    Sometimes, you can't control the number on the scale -- plateaus, water weight, etc. But, you can always control your behavior, so it's better to focus on behavior-based goals instead of time-oriented scale goals.

    If you add new and consistent behaviors to your life, then over time, you have built a new lifestyle, which will eventually (who knows when) lead to reaching your scale-based goals.

    Good luck! It's a dynamic process and you'll always be learning and changing to get where you want to be.

    bump ^^^^ gr8 advice!! this process is soooooo mental.. not just physical!!! mind over matter....
    and lookie her profile..113 pounds lost! thats amazing! :drinker:
  • tequilasunris3
    tequilasunris3 Posts: 197
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    It's like growing your hair out - you won't notice a difference day to day, but one day it will be so long and through out the process you'll be able to try and wear all different types of styles!

    :)

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