Unrealistic Goals?

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2

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  • kirstyg1980
    kirstyg1980 Posts: 302
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    Remember the story of the hare and the tortoise????

    Slow and steady wins the race :D
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
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    I don't think having a small child is an excuse - it's a great workout opportunity! Take your kid to the park and play with them. Walk around the zoo. Play tag and get some cardio. Go to the pool and get in splash fights - water provides great resistance for strength training. Engaging with children IS a workout!

    I agree. I workout with my children running around me like crazy. I have a 3yr old and a 6yr old. They know workout time (i do p90x) is time to either A) leave me alone B) join me or C) cheer me on. LOL They often ask "can I do it too?" and I don't mind. They are learning healthy habits from me. They are learning that we exercise and eat right to take care of our bodies and be healthy. :)
  • GodsGirl37
    GodsGirl37 Posts: 348
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    well lets put it this way it took me 7 months to lose 40 pounds. in January when I began I weighed 220 pounds. I am now 181 pounds. so to expect to lose that much in a short of time is very unrealistic.
  • missconceitedme
    missconceitedme Posts: 26
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    Yes, this is unrealistic & unhealthy. When I first started, I wanted the same thing. I figured 20 a month and I'd be where I wanted to be in no time, BUT even if you did see those kind of results, you probably would NOT be happy with the results. Losing that kind of weight that fast would result in a lot of extra flabby hanging skin. And 10-1 you would be losing muscle, not fat. There is no quick fix to losing weight, you either work your butt off and get in shape or stay lazy and overweight. Even if you don't like exercise, there are a lot of non invasive exercising you can do. Try walking, jogging, climbing up and down flights of stairs. You would be surprised how well you will actually feel after exercising and a good diet!
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
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    This is a joke.... You obviously can't be real.

    So here is my unrealistic reply to your unrealistic question:

    You want to lose 80lbs in four months but hate working out? Eat nothing but celery. At the end of each month, chop off a limb. In four months, that is four limbs and a lot of celery. You may have even hit your 100lb mark!

    Please don't forget to post progress pics on the forums, we love those!

    VERY RUDE-next time perhaps you should keep your "unrealistic reply" to yourself. This offered absolutely NO help to the op.

    With the amount of "trolls" that come on to the message boards and forums saying things like this, it gets old. Very old.
  • kiwipez
    kiwipez Posts: 144
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    This was always one of my problems! I wanted the weight gone and gone fast.

    In the 90s I joined Diet Center - it came off quickly, I eventually put it back on and a little more.

    Tried Jenny Craig, lost, looked great at my wedding, then it slowly came back on, again with a little more

    After my child was born in 2003 I went back to Jenny Craig - it worked once didn't it - lost quickly again. This time I put it back on quicker.

    Ok, what's that one on TV that Marie Osmond did?? Nutrisystem - failed again.

    Time to get serious! MediFast - a friend got me into it. Fantastic! I lost 45lbs is not time at all. You will never believe what happened!! I put it back on in even less time, with even more.

    I am 45, the heaviest I have ever been, and I FINALLY get it!! Don't diet, change your habits and get your butt off the couch! It will take a bit longer, which still sucks, but I will be working towards a lifestyle change instead of a quick fix.
  • jsj024519
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 Member
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    Impossible
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    well lets put it this way it took me 7 months to lose 40 pounds. in January when I began I weighed 220 pounds. I am now 181 pounds. so to expect to lose that much in a short of time is very unrealistic.

    You could be my twin! I started in December at 230, and I'm at 190 now! Lol - congrats to both of us on our 40lbs :)
  • LatinaButterfly
    LatinaButterfly Posts: 192 Member
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    Liquid Fasting (http://www.allaboutfasting.com/liquid-fasting.html) or doing a Juice Fast (http://www.jointhereboot.com/plans/) can take 20 pounds a month off your body. Find a holistic nutritionist to help you with supplements during your fast and to teach you what to eat to maintain your weight loss when your fast is over. (http://wholistic-revolution.com/who-am-i-0) Best Wishes :)
  • issystclaire
    issystclaire Posts: 113 Member
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    Not to continue the nay say, but yes, 80lbs in 4 months is extremely unrealistic and you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment if you strive for this.

    I have previously lost 25lbs. I am 5'4", was 24 at the time, and at the time I went from 150lbs to 125lbs. This took me about 7 months to do at a loss of about 1.5 - 2lbs per week and aside from eating well, I was doing 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week.

    Now, if your starting weight is very to extremely overweight, in the beginning you will start by loosing a larger amount each week, but eventually you should even out to about the same 1-2lbs a week lost, with the maximum really being 2lbs. Anything more than this, really isn't a healthy way to do it. Keep in mind, 1 pound of fat equals 3500 calories.

    I think realistically you can hope to loose 15-20lbs max in 4 months, but in order to do this you must be extremely strict on your eating and exercise.

    I think one of the most important things to do when loosing weight/getting fit is to make realistic goals, then as you reach them, you will become even more energised and encouraged to keep going.

    I do wish you the best of luck in your endeavours!
  • RachelRunner78
    RachelRunner78 Posts: 62 Member
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    I don't think having a small child is an excuse - it's a great workout opportunity! Take your kid to the park and play with them. Walk around the zoo. Play tag and get some cardio. Go to the pool and get in splash fights - water provides great resistance for strength training. Engaging with children IS a workout!

    Agreed! I include my children!! They need to learn now what I didn't have an opportunity to learn when I was a small child.

    I saw my mom do the starvation diets and then fall off and gain weight. I don't think people realize how much children comprehend concerning how their parents take care of themselves. We need to take responsibility and teach our children to be active and choose healthy means of weight loss if it is needed.

    I say, if nothing else, your child should be your encouragement and responsibility ...not what is holding you back. Just my 2 cents worth...
  • tara_seay
    tara_seay Posts: 171 Member
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    The only time I see thingsl ike this happen is on Biggest Loser.

    I still think it's really unhealthy...
  • Cokamo
    Cokamo Posts: 51
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    If you starve yourself and work out a lot, it may be possible, but you probably won't like the results when you're done. You will have lost significant muscle mass and your skin won't have time to respond to your weight loss. That will make you lighter, true, but you won't have attained the look you may hope for.

    Unfortunately (and take it from someone who has lost and gained weight several times), slow but steady wins the race. This time around, for me, it's taken me around a year to loose 45 pounds and I have about 10 to go. That is the longest it has ever taken me to take weight off, but this time it will be permanent.

    When you make changes slowly, you are reasonable with your expectations and you add reasonable exercise, you learn to incorporate your new attitude towards eating and exercise into your new life and that way, you can sustain your loss and maintain it after you reach goal. If you see weight loss as something to begin and then finish in a short period of time, you will find that once you "finish" you may rebound because you haven't done it in a way that teaches you how to live your life in a way that can sustain a healthy weight.

    For me, it works to remind myself to eat and exercise in a way that I would be willing to do for the rest of my life...understand that events and family gatherings will happen, plan for times when I may need something healthy in a situation where there won't be anything or plan on a little splurge, have other days where I watch my diet more closely knowing I have a splurge event coming up, spend a few more minutes in exercise to have more calories to eat if needed, etc...it's about balance, not continual deprivation and then relief when it's over.

    That's my plan, anyway. Good luck on your journey.
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
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    It's not impossible but not something you can stick with, like you want, it's a short term fix and you will gain it back like people said above. Let's say you don't care about your health but care about your looks only and even then, by losing that much in such a short time with little to no exercise, you'll be extremely saggy. Again, you won't be happy with the way you look.
  • Freyja2023
    Freyja2023 Posts: 158 Member
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    That is really unrealistic. even if you managed it you would most likely feel horrible the whole time you are doing it and when you are done all that weight will come right back. It took me three and a half years to lose 90 pounds, and I still have ten to go to reach my goal but when I am not in 'diet' mode I don't gain any weight back. I understand with 2 kids of my own and pets and so forth that making time to work out is hard, I had just decided that i had to make that time. I gave so much of myself to my family that it was time I did something for me, and it doesn't make you selfish to take over the living room and DVD player to get a good workout in. I even got my kids involved with my workouts and now they both love to excercise. And since I am the primary cook in the house I cooked what I needed to keep to my lifestyle and everyone in my house ate the same as me. I never made two dinners one for them and one for me. I figured that eating the same food as me was good for my family, and they wouldn't lose weight like I was because I was the only one watching my portion control. It takes time to change to make a new lifestyle and to get healthy. But in the end the results are worth it.
  • nbkw4fy
    nbkw4fy Posts: 2
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    I appreciate all the responses...except the rude one.
    I realize that it has to be a lifestyle change. My problem is that I go to extremes. According to my goals, in order to lose 2 lbs a week I can eat 1300 calories a day...however I have only been eating around 700 per day.
    I have thought about eating more but I just can't. I am afraid that if I give myself a little wiggle room, I will just go back to my old habits. It is very hard. I work in a work environment where people are always eating...and might I add, eating fattening things. The reason why I got to my size is because I never said "no thanks". Regardless if I was hungry or not, if it looked good then I would partake in the food.
    I know the right answer is to learn moderation. I am just scared that I can't. I have been eating one small (prepackaged) meal 3 times a day and allowing my self a snack once a day. I have also started to exercise at least 30 minutes a day by taking a brisk walk. I really don't have time to do more than 30 minutes a day.
    My issue is that all I think about now is food...and fattening food I can't have. I would love to be one of these people that can go to a restaurant and eat one piece of an appetizer. I can't. If it tastes good, I will eat the whole appetizer. I am not one to be able to have one slice of pizza. I will eat 4-5 pieces without even thinking about it...and if your response is that I just need more willpower to say no after one slice then I have to say that is unrealistic.
    People have told me that I need to eat to live, not live to eat. I don't know how to do that. I enjoy food toooo much. I enjoy the wrong foods way too much. Fried, cheesy foods are my favorite. I know they can not be anymore that that makes me sad.
    I don't know. I have lost weight in the past but it wasn't the amount I need to lose now. After my son was born, I didn't lose the baby weight and in fact have gained about 10 pounds since then. I know it is no excuse.
    It just seems daunting. According to my height, I need to lose around 120 pounds to even be considered normal size. That means I am twice the size I should be. I need to lose a whole person in order to be considered healthy.
    I can't believe I have gotten to this place. I can't believe I could possibly die and leave my son all alone because of my unhealthy choices.
    Not going to lie though, it would make it whole lot easier if I could see immediate results:wink:
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
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    I appreciate all the responses...except the rude one.
    I realize that it has to be a lifestyle change. My problem is that I go to extremes. According to my goals, in order to lose 2 lbs a week I can eat 1300 calories a day...however I have only been eating around 700 per day.
    I have thought about eating more but I just can't. I am afraid that if I give myself a little wiggle room, I will just go back to my old habits. It is very hard. I work in a work environment where people are always eating...and might I add, eating fattening things. The reason why I got to my size is because I never said "no thanks". Regardless if I was hungry or not, if it looked good then I would partake in the food.
    I know the right answer is to learn moderation. I am just scared that I can't. I have been eating one small (prepackaged) meal 3 times a day and allowing my self a snack once a day. I have also started to exercise at least 30 minutes a day by taking a brisk walk. I really don't have time to do more than 30 minutes a day.
    My issue is that all I think about now is food...and fattening food I can't have. I would love to be one of these people that can go to a restaurant and eat one piece of an appetizer. I can't. If it tastes good, I will eat the whole appetizer. I am not one to be able to have one slice of pizza. I will eat 4-5 pieces without even thinking about it...and if your response is that I just need more willpower to say no after one slice then I have to say that is unrealistic.
    People have told me that I need to eat to live, not live to eat. I don't know how to do that. I enjoy food toooo much. I enjoy the wrong foods way too much. Fried, cheesy foods are my favorite. I know they can not be anymore that that makes me sad.
    I don't know. I have lost weight in the past but it wasn't the amount I need to lose now. After my son was born, I didn't lose the baby weight and in fact have gained about 10 pounds since then. I know it is no excuse.
    It just seems daunting. According to my height, I need to lose around 120 pounds to even be considered normal size. That means I am twice the size I should be. I need to lose a whole person in order to be considered healthy.
    I can't believe I have gotten to this place. I can't believe I could possibly die and leave my son all alone because of my unhealthy choices.
    Not going to lie though, it would make it whole lot easier if I could see immediate results:wink:

    If you need help, try finding a nutritionist or someone to talk to about your anxieties. Food is not the enemy. Feed your body in a healthy way. Drink plenty of water. Get in exercise when you can. You will be teaching your son very valuable lessons. :)
  • SelkieDiver
    SelkieDiver Posts: 260 Member
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    I appreciate all the responses...except the rude one.
    I realize that it has to be a lifestyle change. My problem is that I go to extremes. According to my goals, in order to lose 2 lbs a week I can eat 1300 calories a day...however I have only been eating around 700 per day.
    I have thought about eating more but I just can't. I am afraid that if I give myself a little wiggle room, I will just go back to my old habits. It is very hard. I work in a work environment where people are always eating...and might I add, eating fattening things. The reason why I got to my size is because I never said "no thanks". Regardless if I was hungry or not, if it looked good then I would partake in the food.
    I know the right answer is to learn moderation. I am just scared that I can't. I have been eating one small (prepackaged) meal 3 times a day and allowing my self a snack once a day. I have also started to exercise at least 30 minutes a day by taking a brisk walk. I really don't have time to do more than 30 minutes a day.
    My issue is that all I think about now is food...and fattening food I can't have. I would love to be one of these people that can go to a restaurant and eat one piece of an appetizer. I can't. If it tastes good, I will eat the whole appetizer. I am not one to be able to have one slice of pizza. I will eat 4-5 pieces without even thinking about it...and if your response is that I just need more willpower to say no after one slice then I have to say that is unrealistic.
    People have told me that I need to eat to live, not live to eat. I don't know how to do that. I enjoy food toooo much. I enjoy the wrong foods way too much. Fried, cheesy foods are my favorite. I know they can not be anymore that that makes me sad.
    I don't know. I have lost weight in the past but it wasn't the amount I need to lose now. After my son was born, I didn't lose the baby weight and in fact have gained about 10 pounds since then. I know it is no excuse.
    It just seems daunting. According to my height, I need to lose around 120 pounds to even be considered normal size. That means I am twice the size I should be. I need to lose a whole person in order to be considered healthy.
    I can't believe I have gotten to this place. I can't believe I could possibly die and leave my son all alone because of my unhealthy choices.
    Not going to lie though, it would make it whole lot easier if I could see immediate results:wink:

    Sweetie, you are absolutely setting yourself up for failure. You're eating at such a low level of calories there is no way you will be able to continue. At some point your body is going to DEMAND you give it more, you will binge or at least over eat, you will feel like you failed an give up. I should know, I've put myself through this that many times! If MFP set you at 1300, eat 1300, plus some of the exercise calories you are earning. You will actually lose weight FASTER than the way you're doing it right now, you won't feel as hungry & deprived and so you will be more likely to continue and see the results you want to see. If you're losing fast right now, understand all you are losing is water weight and muscle mass. You need that muscle to help you burn fat.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I appreciate all the responses...except the rude one.
    I realize that it has to be a lifestyle change. My problem is that I go to extremes. According to my goals, in order to lose 2 lbs a week I can eat 1300 calories a day...however I have only been eating around 700 per day.
    I have thought about eating more but I just can't. I am afraid that if I give myself a little wiggle room, I will just go back to my old habits. It is very hard. I work in a work environment where people are always eating...and might I add, eating fattening things. The reason why I got to my size is because I never said "no thanks". Regardless if I was hungry or not, if it looked good then I would partake in the food.
    I know the right answer is to learn moderation. I am just scared that I can't. I have been eating one small (prepackaged) meal 3 times a day and allowing my self a snack once a day. I have also started to exercise at least 30 minutes a day by taking a brisk walk. I really don't have time to do more than 30 minutes a day.
    My issue is that all I think about now is food...and fattening food I can't have. I would love to be one of these people that can go to a restaurant and eat one piece of an appetizer. I can't. If it tastes good, I will eat the whole appetizer. I am not one to be able to have one slice of pizza. I will eat 4-5 pieces without even thinking about it...and if your response is that I just need more willpower to say no after one slice then I have to say that is unrealistic.
    People have told me that I need to eat to live, not live to eat. I don't know how to do that. I enjoy food toooo much. I enjoy the wrong foods way too much. Fried, cheesy foods are my favorite. I know they can not be anymore that that makes me sad.
    I don't know. I have lost weight in the past but it wasn't the amount I need to lose now. After my son was born, I didn't lose the baby weight and in fact have gained about 10 pounds since then. I know it is no excuse.
    It just seems daunting. According to my height, I need to lose around 120 pounds to even be considered normal size. That means I am twice the size I should be. I need to lose a whole person in order to be considered healthy.
    I can't believe I have gotten to this place. I can't believe I could possibly die and leave my son all alone because of my unhealthy choices.
    Not going to lie though, it would make it whole lot easier if I could see immediate results:wink:

    700 calories a day will work for awhile, but it won't in the long term. Read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    It's also dangerous. In college, I did an 800 calorie a day diet.....until I started getting dizzy and passing out. Not good. Your body needs a certain number of calories to survive (called a BMR) and I'm sure yours is higher than 700.

    And the deprivation you are subjecting yourself to is making you (by your own works) think about food all the time. That's not good.

    I agree that you need to talk to a doctor, nutritionist, counselor, etc to get your emotions about food sorted out.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I personally think you're setting yourself up for failer.. You're new to the working out thing, you don't like to workout, you don't have a lot of time to workout yet you want to loose how many pounds in 4 months.. Honestly, I think your goals should be smaller. Start slow and work your way up that way you'll not only get used to it, you'll maintain it. Good luck!

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