How should I set up my goals?

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familyblacksheep
familyblacksheep Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I want to loose 80lbs!
I have have been loosing 5lbs a week, but I know what every week will not be like that, so what are some realistic weight loss goals? I am 209 now, I have lost 11 lbs and still have 69lbs to go.
I thought

Oct 18th 199lbs
Dec 25th 175lbs
Feb 1st 160lbs
Mar 1st 140lbs
GOAL!!!
Does that seem resonable? Or am I pushing it? Let me know what you think my goals should be. Also how are people posting them as their signature? I would love to be able to do that.
Thank you

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Essentially you should set a goal of 1 to 2 lbs per week. MFP will only allow you to go up to a goal of 2 lbs/week as anything more than that is considered "unhealthy" although some weeks you may lose more than 2 and other weeks less, the average should be about 2.
  • princesslmc2
    princesslmc2 Posts: 264 Member
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    First, to set up the weight loss progress tickers, you can go under the "Tools" tab and select "weight loss tickers" and follow the instructions.

    As for your goals, I honestly think they are a bit too high. I'm currently sitting at 222, with a goal of hitting 199 by December 31st. That's 8 pounds a month (2 pounds/week), which is entirely reasonable. "They" say your goal should be 2-4 pounds/week.

    Plus, I don't want to lose my weight so quickly that I have extra skin hanging off of me. I want to give my skin time to readjust to the lower weight so I will look healthy after I drop yet another 62 pounds.

    I started my quest May 1st and had a very slow summer (my body is so damn stubborn!!).... But figured 1-2 pounds/week would take me till about September 2011 to get to my goal weight. Slow, yes... But I'm building a lifestyle. :)

    GREAT JOB on your progress thus far!! Good luck!!
  • jenjust6
    jenjust6 Posts: 13
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    I think a realistic goal if you're being careful with your diet and working out religiously is 1% of your body weight per week. Obviously, that goes down as your weight does. So if you're 209 now, you could aim for 2.1 pounds lost this week. But remember it's gonna get a lot tougher as you get near your goal; I would allow a "plateau week" for every 10% you lose...

    Good luck!!!!
  • chinilotho
    chinilotho Posts: 6 Member
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    I began on Aug 13 with the goal of 2 lbs per week. It's worked so far and I don't want to ruin a good thing. It is hard to give advice because so many factors play into how you plan to lose the weight. If you're netting less than 1200 calories per day, then that's probably unhealthy - and even though you might lose a lot at the beginning, your body might kick into starvation mode and quit losing all together. Then there's the balancing your nutritional content - so that you're getting enough nutrients to your body. If you're exercising, your body will need the fuel to sustain itself. I plan to see my doctor in 6 months for a physical to make sure I"m not deficient of anything important because of my self-invented diet plan that's mostly calorie counting!

    I think 2-3 lbs per week is the healthiest way. Also, while the goals are necessary, a life-time change of eating/exercising habits is even more important. Like you, I also have my end goal of 165 lbs (not until April 2011) which accounts for a couple of setbacks but otherwise losing 2-3 lbs/week - but then I will keep my skills acquired to MAINTAIN that ideal weight. I will still keep track of what I eat and increase my calorie intake so that I can still exercise and not lose any more pounds! If not, my old habits will come back and I will gain back all I've lost.

    I'm rambling, but hopefully something I've said proves helpful :) Good luck and congrats on what you've already lost - it's inspiring!!
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    i agree with the above responses....5lbs a week is a VERY LOFTY goal to maintain for the long haul.....especially once the weight starts coming off....i have personally set my goals to 1lb per week with a 4 or 5 lb goal for the first saturday of each month depending on the number of saturdays from month to month....once i reach the first saturday of the month if i have met my goal, or surpassed it or missed it, i adjust accordingly.......i DO NOT think you should aim for 5lbs a week....you are setting yourself up for discouragement and eventual failure when/if you dont meet that goal each week....it is better to aim in the middle and feel soooooo very successful when you pass the goal and adjust than miss the goal and feel like a failure month after month because you have set your sights too high.....i have been working on this process and trudging along on this journey to change my life for just under 3 years....i have "only" lost 44.4 lbs BUTTTTTTTTTTTT i have kept that weight off, changed my body to a way fitter individual who completed a 1/2 marathon in just over 3 1/2 hrs, drinks 100+/- oz of water a day, cut back on my diet soda intake, plans my families dinners weekly in advance with healthy recipes, packs my lunch and skips fast food/drive thru food, indulges in fruit and light snacks for treats - basically CHANGED my life in a way that i can live with forever without feeling like i am missing out on the "good" stuff.......making goals you can attain is the number one priority in this "game"....you have to feel successful in order to continue to be successful.....yeah i could have been at my goal weight a long time ago and of course i wish that i had been and was maintaining right now BUT i'm not and i'm very happy with my progress and i will continue like this for as long as it takes to get to whatever number it is i decide is where i want to be....
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
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    I started out at 182lbs on the 5th of May this year, so its taken me 6 months to loose 25lbs, so around the 1lb a week mark. Its not always been constsitant, some weeks I've lost 2lbs (or more at the begining) and others nothing. But idealy you don't want to loose too much too quickly or it will just go back on again afterwards. Slow and steady wins the race. Think tortoise not hare:flowerforyou:
    Good luck!
  • familyblacksheep
    familyblacksheep Posts: 13
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    Thank you all for your helpful information. :)

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