Temporarily changing goals

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mamamiau
mamamiau Posts: 36 Member
I've been very rebellious the last month or two and finally decided to lower my expectations in hope of finding it easier to keep on track. I changed my weight loss goal from 2 pounds/week (which I have not been meeting) to 1 pound/week. This gives me nearly 200 calories/day more to work with. Has anybody else tried this as a strategy? I'm thinking I may keep it at this level through the end of the year, counting on the usual New Year's motivation to raise my goal back to 2 pounds/week and buckle down a little harder in 2016.

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  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,754 Member
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    I think that is a perfectly fine way to finish the year out. If you don't have a plan you can stick with, you won't. So plan to enjoy life a bit more :). Some research even says we should take a break from dieting every few months, for at least two weeks and up to a month. So just lowering the bar for a while might be just what you and your body needs.
  • mamamiau
    mamamiau Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks! I don't trust myself to take a complete break, but I am hoping this will help a bit with my inner teenager.
  • janmoulder2
    janmoulder2 Posts: 133 Member
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    I've got that rebellious teenager too. So far I've been able to keep her in control. I was aiming for 2# a week initially and came to the conclusion that that may be too aggressive for me at this age. So I need to keep reminding myself that this is not a race and 1# a week is just fine. Only thing that matters is that the numbers go down and not up!
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Great idea, mamamiau - we have to stay on course somehow, and that does indeed mean finding what course we can actually hold to! ~ Kathy ship-022.gif
  • sharondtd
    sharondtd Posts: 549 Member
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    We each find what works for us. There's no wrong way, unless it is based on bad nutrition, which counteracts the underlying purpose of getting healthier. ;-)
    I got a kick out of the blog post that had the link to the cookie monster. He reminds me of me! I was proud of his resisting the plate of cookies. But at the end, he scarfs down the whole cookie without tasting it. Silly puppet. His table manners haven't improved since our girls were little! ;-D -- Sharon
  • mamamiau
    mamamiau Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks for all the encouragement!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,754 Member
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    mamamiau wrote: »
    I've been very rebellious the last month or two and finally decided to lower my expectations in hope of finding it easier to keep on track. I changed my weight loss goal from 2 pounds/week (which I have not been meeting) to 1 pound/week. This gives me nearly 200 calories/day more to work with. Has anybody else tried this as a strategy? I'm thinking I may keep it at this level through the end of the year, counting on the usual New Year's motivation to raise my goal back to 2 pounds/week and buckle down a little harder in 2016.

    Thought I would check in with you and see how you are going. Hope all is well.
  • njp0306
    njp0306 Posts: 10 Member
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    I lost at 2#/week in the beginning. But 300+ days in that's not the case anymore. Some weeks its nothing some weeks its .5#. But its OK. I'm within 5lbs of my 3rd goal. And have lost about 35#s. It's now more a lifestyle. I shoot for 1200-1300 calories a day. I walk average 12000 steps/day. Some days I eat as much as 1500 calories. It's sometimes healthy food and sometimes I eat whatever I want. I try to be accountable to myself always. It's all OK because if I maintain here or lose I'm so happy to have been successful. And I can't keep buying smaller clothes!! I will be 64 in Marxh. I'm barely 5'3" and today weighed 137.4lbs. I'm a happy girl. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,754 Member
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    njp0306 wrote: »
    I lost at 2#/week in the beginning. But 300+ days in that's not the case anymore. Some weeks its nothing some weeks its .5#. But its OK. I'm within 5lbs of my 3rd goal. And have lost about 35#s. It's now more a lifestyle. I shoot for 1200-1300 calories a day. I walk average 12000 steps/day. Some days I eat as much as 1500 calories. It's sometimes healthy food and sometimes I eat whatever I want. I try to be accountable to myself always. It's all OK because if I maintain here or lose I'm so happy to have been successful. And I can't keep buying smaller clothes!! I will be 64 in Marxh. I'm barely 5'3" and today weighed 137.4lbs. I'm a happy girl. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!!

    That sounds like very good results to me. Congrats. I am 5'3" and still working on getting under 141.
    I'm glad you didn't quit a while back, you were so discouraged. Now see what you have done.
  • njp0306
    njp0306 Posts: 10 Member
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    You are so right. My advise just keep plugging along. It's a lifestyle change not a diet. Good days, bad days. From Aug5 until Oct10 or so I gained and list the same 2#s. But that was summer fun and it was OK. Pulled the boat in October and I'm showing loses maybe .25# at a time but now 4lbs down. I'm Thankful and looking forward to the Holidays. It's a journey. Retirement rocks! My husband retires in May!! That will be interesting, fun, Challenging, exciting. Can't wait. Just keep praying and stay healthy.