Timeline

evangemz90
evangemz90 Posts: 107 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Do you put a timeline on your weight loss.What are the positves & negatives.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    It's good to have a realistic time frame for weight loss. A pound of fatty tissue equals around 3500 calories, so that is the required deficit to lose that amount of weight. You'll also need to eat enough, to avoid getting hungry, hangry and sick, so the minimum amount of time it takes to lose X pounds, will be determined by the deficit your body can sustain at any given moment.

    Outside of that, it's just about patience and correct and accurate tracking of intake and results, and if necessary, to adjust actions accordingly.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,615 Member
    When I started, I decided to stick with it for 16 weeks ... and whatever I lost, I lost.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    For me, I have to have a timeframe and a goal to achieve. This means I can moderate my input's to achieve the goal. If I don't lose the Xlbs required one week, I can adjust my calories or exercise.

    This method works well if you don't get upset when things don't go how you plan, know what/how to change as you progress and have an end plan. There is no point dieting hard to lose 2lbs a week for 10 weeks if you will then go back to bad habits and gain that weight back.

    Everyone will work in different ways though as you'll see from the variety of answers already.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Personally, I'm just an "I'll get there when I get there" sort of person. It's allowing me to develop all the habits I need for maintenance as I'll always have to keep my eye somewhat on the ball.

    This sounds like me. The only time I have a timeline is during the weight loss challenge at work where we have 12 weeks to drop 3, 5 or 7% of our body weight.
  • ShammersPink
    ShammersPink Posts: 215 Member
    I have a timeline. I think I would just drift without one. But I don't get too neurotic if I don't precisely make it, as long as I'm making progress. If you are the sort to get pressured and upset by self-imposed deadlines, it might not be appropriate for you.

    If you have a timeline, you do need to make sure that your goals are realistic for you, and maybe adjust them as time goes by, and as you see how your body is responding to your changes in lifestyle.

    If you set your goals too aggressive, you could get very discouraged when you fail to make them, or spend all your time weak and hungry. Actually, I tend to have a range of options: realistic, best case scenario and minimum acceptable loss, and have those in a spreadsheet.

    My first "realistic" goal was BMI<25 by my birthday at the end of November, which I've made with time to spare. My next goal is BMI<24 by Christmas, then, depending exactly where I've got to at New year, down to ~22 in the first few months of 2017.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I don't use a timeline as in "I will lose X pounds by Y date." Instead I say "I will cut calories for 6 weeks and then take a 1 week break and then do it again, until I get to my goal."

    When I set out in January 2014 to lose weight, I happened to be 202.5 pounds and I did think that it would be nice to lose a pound a week that year, taking me down to 150(.5). But that's more because I like numbers and 52 lbs in 52 weeks appealed to me in a matchy-matchy number sense.
  • janetennet
    janetennet Posts: 143 Member
    I like to think I'm very realistic about my goals and their time-line, and so in saying that yes, I do give myself a time-line.
    My first goal was to drop 7kgs in 3 months, then further to that my goal at the moment is 2kgs away, to be hit in the few weeks before Christmas. I've managed to do this but at some point I understand this will slow down.
    I have also checked my goal with a dietician to see whether they thought this would be achievable (this was solely coincidental as I was having a medical check that included nutrition/ a dietician visit)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I don't have deadlines. I have in the past and they caused me a lot of stress and frustration. I would be negative if I didn't meet my goal by x date even if I had made progress.
    Not having a deadline means I am not as critical of myself or my progress. I feel good about what I am doing. I stick with it.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I don't have deadlines. I have in the past and they caused me a lot of stress and frustration. I would be negative if I didn't meet my goal by x date even if I had made progress.
    Not having a deadline means I am not as critical of myself or my progress. I feel good about what I am doing. I stick with it.

    Your thoughts are the polar opposite of mine. Goes to show how individualised this is.
  • Meghanebk
    Meghanebk Posts: 321 Member
    Not a strict timeline, but I do tend to set time goals. Like 5 pounds by Jan 1. I don't get attached to them though - doesn't matter if I miss one as long as my weight is going in the right direction. I'm a turtle anyway, very slow weight loss expected rate.
  • MaybeLed
    MaybeLed Posts: 250 Member
    edited November 2016
    I think it's very personal. Every time I've tried to lose weight before for an event I've put too much pressure on myself, had a bad day then....

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    But this time I've realised that time will go on whatever I'm doing, so might as well be doing the right things with no time frame. I'm realistic that this will be a 2 year journey at least.

    The only loose goal I have is to have a BMI of less than 40 by the time I'm 30 so I can join the Anthony Nolan register (and to do that I've got to lose about 4lb in about 4 months so pretty do-able).

    Edit: typos..... :tired_face:
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I like working toward a goal date, but I make sure it's realistic. I'm holding at maintenance through the rest of 2016, but my goal for next year is to lose 12 pounds. 12 pounds in one year, I think that's pretty realistic!! If it happens by July -- even better.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
    evangemz90 wrote: »
    Do you put a timeline on your weight loss.What are the positves & negatives.

    No not really a time line . I just focus on hitting daily calorie goals and see weight drop weekly ..
    For now that's working . Not suRe how long tho ..


    For me if I put a time on it that would mean to stop and eat they way I did .. I would just gain it back .. it's really not fair .. when I was young I ate everything and never gained .. now that I'm older it doesn't seem to work that way .. so I will have to monitor what I eat the rest of my life .. no big deal I just need to eat what I need not what I can

    Good luck
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