Is this a good plan?

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AmberMarie09
AmberMarie09 Posts: 70 Member
in Motivation and Support
I want to lose 70 pounds in 1 year. Goal weight being 130 start weight 200
Start date officially will be April 17th, 2013.. End date is April 17th, 2014
I have set up 8 mini goals for dates that have some meaning to me..

1. By June 26th, (10 weeks from start date) I want to lose 15 lbs.. Bringing me to 185
2. August 7th, (6 weeks from last goal) I want to to lose 10 lbs .. bringing me to 175
3. September 1st, (3 weeks from last goal) I want to lose 5 lbs.. bringing me to 170
4. October 30th, (9 weeks from last goal) i want to lose 10 lbs.. bringing me to 160
5. November 20th, (3 weeks from last goal) i want to lose 5 lbs.. bringing me to 155
6. December 25th, (5 weeks from last goal) I want to lose 5 lbs.. bringing me to 145
7. February 14th, (7 weeks from last goal) I want to lose 7 lbs.. bringing me to 138
8. April 9th, (9 weeks from last goal) I want to lose 8 lbs.. bringing to my goal weight of 130

These goals may change depending on my weight loss but i just want to know if these goals are realistic and attainable
I just did this today and then i am going to make a daily goal chart next :)

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    I've found goal weight dates to be pointless. Either you weigh that much or you don't. Just do everything you can to lose weight and stay on track. I still have a goal weight, I just don't have a date attached to it.
  • skparker2
    skparker2 Posts: 132
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    Goals are always good, but don't let it get to you too much if you don't hit that exact weight loss at a certain time/date. You know what I mean? I don't have specific timelines to lose my weight, which removes the pressure, but I let it come as it goes. It's taken me forever to see any results & just now over the past couple of weeks, I'm finally losing some weight. I was losing inches but the scale wouldn't budge.

    NO MATTER WHAT--don't give up! I see that you have already lost 3 pounds. I bet it you put your mind to it, you could probably exceed your 15 pounds before your goal date!
  • stackhead
    stackhead Posts: 121 Member
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    Without trying to bring you down at the beginning of your journey, I've found (from my own personal experience) that attaching dates to goals just sets yourself up for disappointment,

    Weight loss isn't that straight forward, you may be doing everything perfect for a couple of weeks and the scales won't move which will mean that the dates for the goals you set will come and go and you'll "fail". And trust me its incredibly difficult to keep going if you think you've failed. N just take each week as it comes and don't pressure yourself with dates!

    X
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    That's not a plan - it's a list of goals with dates - which you might not reach, because 70 pounds in one year is a bit ambitious....
    What is you plan in regards with exercise? Plans in regards with food, calorie goals, macro's etc.....
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    1.5 pounds / week x 52 weeks = 78 pounds lost.

    Just set your goal to 1.5 pounds/week* and you'll get there in less than a year.

    *VERY do-able imo.
  • Ashshell
    Ashshell Posts: 185
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    I set a weekly goal for myself. I didn't in the beginning, but I was able to after I saw my typical weight-loss pattern. I find that having a weekly goal helps me stay on track because I only have 7 days to meet my goal so I don't want to mess up. There's nothing wrong with having a long-term goal and I think that could be helpful as well.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    I don't think it's bad to make mini goals but I would do them one at a time as you see how your weightloss is currently going. Especially looking at your last goal to get you to your final goal weight. Nearly a pound a week with zero rooms for stalls, is definitely quite ambitious. I am about 10 pounds away from my goal weight as experience weeks where the scale just sits there and does nothing, or I lose 0.2 of a pound, mixed in with weeks where I lose a pound or so. Weight loss isn't linear.
  • shibbeymon
    shibbeymon Posts: 6 Member
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    It's doable...but remember to enjoy yourself while your losing weight. :) It will help you keep your goals and keep your spirits up! Just don't forget that the weight doesn't come off in even increments like we always want. Some weeks you'll lose 1 pound and others you'll lose .5, but then the week after you might lose 3.

    As an example, my gf and I starting losing weight March 15th of last year. By August I had lost 50 pounds and she had lost 40. When she compared her yearly weight she's lost 58.8 pounds in exactly one year. But she also attended tons of work conferences out of state and ALSO had 3 ligaments repaired in her left ankle which side lined any type of fitness for over 3 months.

    You CAN do it :).
  • joolsabel
    joolsabel Posts: 3
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    Weigh EVERYTHING and write EVERYTHING down in a daily food diary so you can track what goes into your mouth!

    Aim for 1250 - 1600 kcals a day and you will do it.

    Its really hard - ive currently lost 2 stones (19 stones to 17 stones) and need to lose another 3 but I feel fab, fitter and healthier than anytime in the last 30 years from watching what I eat and regular exercise.

    Don't forget that its not ALL about weight loss - you will see a big difference in your body shape after a few weeks, clothes will start to fit you better and that will inspire you to go on. I have just managed to get rid of my fatboy clothes and my wardrobe is a bit bare and I cant wait to go shopping to get some off the peg new clothes. I have gone from an xxl to an xl shirt and from a 44 to a 38 waist and its still going down.

    You really can do it but you MUST give yourself the greatest chance of success. You may need to give up the alcohol for a while (if you drink it) and the curries and all the stuff you currently enjoy but when you have lost a couple of stones you can have the odd treat without feeling guilty, knowing that you can just adjust your eating for a day or so and you will be back on track.

    If you set yourself targets like that you are creating a huge amount of pressure for your self which you dont need. As said before aim for 1.5 to 2 lbs a week which is very achievable and if you put on a few pounds one week, dont sweat it. Your body takes time to process the new regime and it will sometime retain liquid and sometimes expel it.

    Good luck.

    Oh yes, plenty of water too!

    And if you can get it, the Hairy Dieters recipe book!! Do exactly what they say and you WILL lose weight!
  • tlruffino
    tlruffino Posts: 28
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    I set out to loose 86lbs a year ago. Started in mid April 2012. My goal was to be down 50lbs by end of 2012. Didn't happen. Ended up only loose 23lbs. Refocused in Jan 2013 and at the 1 year mark I am down 31.5lbs. I work out 5 to 6 days a week and do both cardio and strength training. Just go slow and take if off slow. That's the only true way to take it off. Everyone hits plateaus.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    It depends on what kinds of motivation work for you. I find that mini-goals work well for me, but sometimes I met them and sometimes I didn't. I started about a year ago with roughly the same start and goal. I thought I could do it in about a year. Unfortunately, that wasn't true for me. However, I'm more than half-way there, and I think I've made some habits and lifestyle changes that I can keep up in the long run. During this year, I've watched what seems to work for myself and tried to learn from others.

    Some people have lost faster -- and for some of them it worked, and I see them maintaining now. For others, they "crashed" to get there, and didn't learn healthy or sustainable habits, so they just gained it back (often with extra). Still others couldn't meet their mini-goals and even though they'd made progress, they considered it a "failure" and just stopped. There will be times when your progress is slower than you want... even when you meet your goals... and you can't let those times or feeling derail you.

    So, for you, is it better to have ambitious goals, which you can meet most, but maybe not all of the time? If so, your plan looks good.

    Also, keep in mind that the percentage of your body weight may matter more than the number of pounds. Losing 10 pounds or 5% of your body weight is easier at 200 lbs than 10 pounds or 7% at 140 lbs. But while (at least for me) the speed of weight loss has slowed down, in same ways it's easier... I've learned more about the food I eat, I'm more fit and used to exercising almost every day, etc.

    Some more suggestions, if you want them... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/how-to-use-myfitnesspal-427993
  • AmberMarie09
    AmberMarie09 Posts: 70 Member
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    This is just me starting off.. For me, when i have detailed goals i know what i need to do.. i like everything to be planned out.. If i dont lose the weight that i planned then the rest of the goals will be adjusted accordingly. These goals will be changed if i feel there is too much pressure.. as far as food and exercise.. i am working on that now.. and i have a good start for the first few week. the more detailed something is for me the more i am able to follow it.

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