This "average" goal seems out of reach :-(

You'll find as you lose and get used to your new body that those far off goals become more attainable. You have to keep readjusting your diet, exercise and mindset to get there but it is achievable.

Honestly yes "average" seemed out of reach when I first started. I kept going anyway. Some days since my weight loss has slowed way down it feels like it is taking forever, but now I know it is attainable, I'm 10 pounds away from the top of the healthy range for my height, I just have to keep working on it and I will get there.

My first major goal was 170, I was up over 230lbs when I started.. I have only lost 20 but after reading how all these people lost 100lbs I have decided to drop it to 140... If they can do I can.

I just have to be realistic and know that it won't happen in 6 months might take more than year but I will get there..

It's easy to get overwhelmed if you only look at your final goal. Things are a lot more manageable if you look at your progress in little goals. View each 10 or 15 pounds as a success in itself (because it is!), and your journey will be a lot more sustainable.

Ii think that you should focus on short term goals and not worry about a possibly unattainable target that might just demoralise you and make you give up. Focus on small half stone goals and they will add up. Good luck!

Anything is possible.!! Just try not to focus on the end result cause you'll become overwhelmed. One pound at a time. Good luck to you.


I like this ! ^
Just keep on plugging on and see what happens! My best to you!

I started out at 163 and had my initial goal set for 145. I reached it and thought "i wonder if i can get to 135." i did that... then said "maybe i can get to 130." well... i did it! im at 126 lbs now and finished. its gonna be tough, but set mini goals. you can do it!

My heaviest was about 350. I couldn't even buy clothes at WalMart. My jean size was 54-56 waist. I slowly started making changes here and there, slowly adding more physical activity. I'm currently bouncing around 250. I seem to hit a plateau every 10-15 pounds or so. I take a small break with the diet and lessen the exercise a little for about a week, then start up again and usually lose 10-15 over the next month. It's taken a while to get to this point, and it'll take a while longer to get to where I want to be. But it's so worth it.

My advice would be to change things up. If you're used to biking, do a little weight training. Walking or running, try swimming. Keep your body guessing, even with your diet.

This is what works for me.

I know how you feel, when I started I was at 293 lbs, a healthy BMI for my height is between 112 and 150 lbs :noway:
I set my first goal to 200 lbs, that was still 93 lbs to lose but I though if I really try I should be able to get there and even though that was still obese it was a lot better than we're I was. Well I lost my first 25 lbs in about 2 months and that gave me the confidence to lower my goal to 175 lbs and put me in the over weight range.when I get there I'll see where I want to go from there.

Good luck to you!

While my high weight was around 260, I actually started at pretty much exactly 240 pounds. My first goal was to be under 200. Once I achieved that, I readjusted my goal. It's now to be 163 pounds (I'm around 190 now), which is right inside the upper border of the healthy for my height. When I get there, I will see how I feel and make a new goal.

If I had started at 240 wanting to lose 80+ pounds, it would have been terrifying.

You can do this!

When I started in May I had been over 170 for 20+ years, usually between 173 and 178. I was then 188 - my highest weight ever.

Hitting 170 seemed a long shot. 165 - my goal in 1994! - seemed crazy. And I thought I'd never see 150-155, my weight when I graduated from college. I set my initial goal at 170.

Now, without working hard at all, and just logging doggedly and making more intelligent decisions about food, I'm 162 with a goal of 150. I had hoped to make that by Christmas - I won't. But I think I will make it. In the mean time, I'm the same weight I was when I was 24 years old - 29 years ago. And I feel good.

It doesn't matter if you can make that 'ideal weight'. You almost definitely can eventually if you stick to it. Whether you stick to it or not is really up to you.

But working towards that goal slowly and without obsessing about it will move you in the direction you want and keep you from regaining all the weight you've worked so hard to lose. So go for it!

keep your eye on the long game, but you get there one day at a time. Don't obsess over the future, just don't lose track of where you want to be.... and one day you will get there

Firstly Congrats on your progress so far!
Have to agree with what most people are saying: it's all about the little sustainable changes not that great big number that is a long way down the road. I had great success with weight watchers (lost 40lbs, goal was to lose 30), due to life and all those other justifiable excuses I put some of the weigh back on and am trying to get back on track so I can not just survive the holidays but enjoy them. As a former athlete exercise is a quick win for me & any easy choice (for me); take the stairs instead on the elevator; walk instead of the subway; use my shake weight while watching TV; stand instead of sit - again these things work for me - you will figure out what works for you and what is realistic. In NYC it's easy to walk everywhere, in the burbs, not so much. Skim milk in your morning coffee instead of cream, salad in stead of fries, veggies instead of rice or potatoes.
Think very long term, as in life changing so your choices have to be realistic. Two great things will happen, you'll start to see the pounds shed and a month or two from now you'll abruptly realize - wow I haven't missed: "insert vice here" (just occurred to me I haven't had bacon in about a month).
Finally (yes I'm almost done) the longer it takes to lose the weight the longer it will stay off! Almost anybody can drop 10lbs in a week by eating nothing but grapefruit & rice cakes but that's not sustainable nor healthy - GOOD LUCK!

Well I dont know about average. My goal is ginormous and it is discouraging sometimes so I break it into smaller chunks so it's seems more attainable. My goal weight to end up 150 lbs is like a starting weight for lotsa the skinny girls on here. Overall I want to lose 180 lbs. I hope I can do it. I think I can because I'm like a dog with a bone when I set my mind to something. I think people around me are starting to believe it cuz they see I haven't given up and I work out like a maniac. But it it still very much uphill from here. I've lost 52, 128 to go. I'll be stoked when that "to go" number is under 100 lbs. Try making smaller goals to get you to your main goal. My goal for Dec is to lose 9 more pounds. That will take me outta the 270's and into the 260's and it will feel good to reach the 1/3 mark. Recent victories include dropping out of the 280's, reaching the milestone of 50 lbs lost, and passing the 25% mark to my main goal. Setting multiple goals gives you more to celebrate which keeps you motivated. If you don't feel like you can do it, you probably won't. So dont even let your brain go there!

I feel the same way! I'm only 5'1", so I would have to lose an additional 40 pds to be considered "healthy" (I've already lost 70 pds). I started out at 225pds in January. I feel very accomplished for what I have been able to do so far. But now that my scale is slowing down, I get discouraged that I will never reach my Ultimate Goal. We just need to keep our eyes on the goal and actually reflect on what we have accomplished so far