Unrealistic Goals

2

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Not that I've accomplished that, but I don't think that your goals are unrealistic. You are basically trying to lose 52 lbs in one year, which makes around 4.3 lbs per month. Very doable :-)

    +1
  • SEAFOODMAN
    SEAFOODMAN Posts: 342
    depends how bad you want it..............just don't rush it
  • CariS001
    CariS001 Posts: 169 Member
    Not at all!!! I am 36 and never weighed below 120 in high school and early 20's. I'm now 115, working on getting below 110. It's totally possible!

    Know that the last 15 lbs or so will be HARD and very sloooowwww going. But they are worth it! :)
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    I'm 40 and 5'1.5", was ~ 115-120 in high school... My heaviest I was at ~186 (201 pregnant). I dropped down to the 140-150 range after pregnancy and that is where I stayed until MFP. When I began here I set the goal of 125, thinking in the back of my head that it was unattainable. About a year in I hit that goal. I stayed there for about a year before deciding to take my cycling to another level and start racing, yep at 40. I am at 111 right now, but I am in a training phase for competitive cycling so I am being quite specific with my diet and exercise...

    125 was attainable with deficit eating and exercise, and maintainable as well... Good luck!
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    I'm not too sure why age and growth frame is a question here on weight goal? it ALL depends on your height and bone structure as to what you should weigh, I am 5' 2" and 56 years old, I should, by the charts and my Doctor, weigh 125 lbs. There are ranges for each height I suggest you google it and see what the weight goal for your height should be.

    because by definition puberty means that your body is growing and that certain hormones that you use as an adult kick in to their fullest.

    trying to go back to a weight before your body had completely stopped coming into puberty (especially if you were at an ideal weight at that time, i'm not talking about the kids who were overweight when puberty started) is an exercise in futility and a good way to make sure something like osteoporosis catches up to you

    I am very aware of what puberty is! Are YOU aware that there are set groups of weight by bone structure for certain heights/sexes? This is what they should be checking, not worrying about what was or might not be ok today vs. at 20, this would be real medical advise or better yet get a check up which everyone should get before starting a fitness/diet program they will chart you and tell you what range is good for you.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,677 Member
    It's not unrealistic at all, is quite doable,

    but it's also pretty aggressive.

    You can do it

    --heck, I'm both lighter AND stronger at 31 than I was at 18-20 and I was in competitive sports back then--

    but goals may change during body transformation. Life may sidetrack you at some point. You may find yourself at 140 looking FINE and happy with it, you may find yourself at 125 still feeling like you've got a ways to go. You may hit 125 months early, if you go all out. You may hit it a year behind the schedule you set ...

    It's taken me, personally, 3 years to lose the 30lb I thought I'd lose in 1 year. Then I started lifting and am considering actually putting weight back on. If me now told me then that i'd be considering GAINING weight, i never would have believed it.

    So set your goal. Get excited about it! But don't be rigid about it. If things change along the way, flow with it. You never know where life and where your body will take you.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    I'm 5'3.5 and now (age 26 - so appreciate I'm not exactly full of experience and wisdom) weigh a few pounds less than I did when I was 17 (I was 125 back then, and 120 now) but, funnily enough, don't look the same. No more taut belly/skinny arms. Having put on and lost some weight, changed my muscle make up, means my body composition is different and I appreciate that even if I lost even more weight I won't look like that again. It's not about a number on the scale. It's just about being happy and healthy in my own skin.

    I would say have a scale number vaguely in mind, but go by how healthy you look and feel.

    I would urge you to consider weight training while you're losing as it'll help retain your muscle mass (when we lose weight we typically lose both fat and muscle) which will make you look healthier in the long game (also supposed to help with skin firmness I am told)
  • Mrs_Bones
    Mrs_Bones Posts: 195 Member
    125 is kind of my "dream goal" also. How I swing it is that I make mini goals along the way. So I set a new goal every 10lbs or so! That way you're constantly working towards something attainable and once you reach it, you have more confidence that you can get the next 10 :)
  • Rogue_Girl
    Rogue_Girl Posts: 36 Member
    I'm 5'3.5 and now (age 26 - so appreciate I'm not exactly full of experience and wisdom) weigh a few pounds less than I did when I was 17 (I was 125 back then, and 120 now) but, funnily enough, don't look the same. No more taut belly/skinny arms. Having put on and lost some weight, changed my muscle make up, means my body composition is different and I appreciate that even if I lost even more weight I won't look like that again. It's not about a number on the scale. It's just about being happy and healthy in my own skin.

    I would say have a scale number vaguely in mind, but go by how healthy you look and feel.

    I would urge you to consider weight training while you're losing as it'll help retain your muscle mass (when we lose weight we typically lose both fat and muscle) which will make you look healthier in the long game (also supposed to help with skin firmness I am told)

    I think you may have more wisdom than some people I know who are in their 40's. Well said!
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Set it as a goal and just see what happens. You might find yourself liking a higher weight or even hitting 125 and wanting to go lower. Don't let anyone tell you that this is an "unrealistic goal". That's utter rubbish. The current state of your body, your tastes, will tell you how realistic a goal that is. There are older people who got back to their high school weight and BELOW. Now imagine if they'd asked those around them if going to or below their high school weight was realistic? I can guarantee you plenty of people that knew and loved them would scoff at that notion.

    I find that when it comes to weight loss even well meaning people tend to advise you to stay bigger than is necessary.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    the scale (weight) is a guideline... your focus should be on body composition as you travel this road. find someplace (a university/college) that can provide you an over all fitness assessment including body fat % strength , etc. (Most universities with a Kinesiology or Human performance program offer these services for a small fee.) SO that you can develop a better idea of where you are currently at. and read.. read... read... these forum posts can be very helpful and offer snippets of information that CAN be helpful and inspirational BUT also depend on your own research.

    relying on a scale will lead to disappointment you will fluctuate for the first 2-3 months.. sometimes dramatically... SO stick with it.. and find NSV's (non-scale victories) to help you overcome those scale disappointments... remember it is a lifestyle change.. NOT a diet... Best of Luck!!!
  • lizmedrano
    lizmedrano Posts: 123 Member
    For me the scale is a motivator. More important, though, is to be healthy and look good. I am going to the gym 3-4 times a week and have just started resistance training. Thank you for your input. :-)
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Healthy weight for women is 20-22% fat. You should probably aim for this fat % range, whatever weight that gives you.

    125 lbs may or may not be appropriate for you. You may have gained muscle or bone mass over the past 28 years, so your weight at ideal body fat might be 135 or 140.

    There are scales that can measure body fat (with questionable accuracy). Gyms often offer various body fat measurement methods for a fee (eg: $30).

    I suggest you pick a reasonable first target weight to start out--say, 150--then get your body fat measured at that point to estimate how much more you may need to lose. add: this will give you a nice, attainable signpost on your way to ideal body composition, sort of like stopping in Rivendell on your way to kill a dragon.
  • rhoule76
    rhoule76 Posts: 217 Member
    I would recommend setting small goals first, like 170lbs, then 160lbs, etc... and see how it goes.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    I don't think it's unrealistic. Just eat at a reasonable deficit and do some strength/resistance training to help you retain lean mass. It's important and very beneficial to your health to retain LBM as you get older.
  • Vupe
    Vupe Posts: 80
    I think it is do-able. I am determined to make my dream a reality as well.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    I'm 40 and 5'1.5", was ~ 115-120 in high school... My heaviest I was at ~186 (201 pregnant). I dropped down to the 140-150 range after pregnancy and that is where I stayed until MFP. When I began here I set the goal of 125, thinking in the back of my head that it was unattainable. About a year in I hit that goal. I stayed there for about a year before deciding to take my cycling to another level and start racing, yep at 40. I am at 111 right now, but I am in a training phase for competitive cycling so I am being quite specific with my diet and exercise...

    125 was attainable with deficit eating and exercise, and maintainable as well... Good luck!

    I'm 26-28 in the first 2 photos and 40 in the last 2...

    xdfmuc.jpg

    Then I got pregnant on top of already being heavy. I stopped smoking, drinking and taking anti-depressants. I only gained about 10 pounds because I started paying attention to what I ate. Top weight 196 pounds.

    1qln39.jpg

    Now I'm working to lower BF and sit around 111...

    330wzfp.jpg

    1jq642.jpg
  • lizmedrano
    lizmedrano Posts: 123 Member
    Thank you for responding!
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    Go for 167 and then move forward from that.

    I'm just trying to get to 230 (for crying out loud!) I need to stay out of the house until bedtime. Then I won't shovel *kitten* in my mouth.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,928 Member
    You might be estimating a bit low since 20 is very young and our bodies finish developing at 25. Mostly I wanted to comment that 1 - 2 pounds a week is unlikely once you get closer to your goal. 0.25 - 0.5 a week might be more likely.

    ETA: Never mind the above - you didn't say how tall you are. So we would have zero idea if it's reasonable or not..