What’s a Healthy Weight Loss Goal?
How many pounds should you try to lose?
You may be wondering what your “ideal” body weight is. If you've surfed the Web to find out, you may have come across suggestions that you need to lose a seemingly impossible number of pounds to reach an ideal body weight. If you are very overweight, this figure can reach 50 to 100 pounds. Even if you look at target body mass index ranges, it may take a lot of weight loss to shift from the “obese” to “normal” category.
Ideal body weights are often determined based on height. Doctors used to advise patients to lose enough to reach their ideal weight. So a person who was 5-foot-eight-inches and 200 pounds might be advised to lose 50 pounds—25 percent of their body weight. Because such large losses were the goal, patients were often put on extremely strict, very low-calorie diets. Although massive amounts of weight could be lost for a short time, it often came back as soon as a person stopped the liquid diet or other extreme regimen that they were following.
Aiming for dramatic weight loss is problematic. First, it’s a little self-defeating. If it’s tough to drop—and keep off—10 pounds, how does your psyche wrap itself around a goal of losing 50 or 100 pounds? Second, it may not be realistic to lose large amounts of weight right now. It takes a full-fledged commitment to changing your lifestyle long-term to lose the weight, then maintain that loss. If you don’t have the time or motivation for an all-out effort, you may make a feeble attempt and then quit—and feel less motivated than ever.
Today, thankfully, more conservative and healthier approaches are popular. Baby steps are the way to go. A small, short-term weight-loss goal is realistic and achievable: You will get the results you aim for. And once you’ve lost a little, you can set a new, but still realistic and achievable goal. Over time, it is possible to lose large amounts of weight.
Rethink your expectations
When planning a weight loss program, the first step is to set a goal. But before you can do that, you may need to readjust your expectations. Some people who wish to lose large amounts of weight find small losses a disappointment.
A 1997 study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology by obesity researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that 60 obese women who underwent a weight-loss program hoped to lose around 32 percent of their body weight. (A 220-pound woman might aim for a 70 pound loss, for example.) The women’s goal weights were nearly three times what they were actually able to lose over nearly one year on the program. Even though the women lost, on average, about 35 pounds—no small feat—they reported feeling like losing this amount of weight loss was not a success. They were even disappointed and unhappy with a 50-pound weight loss.
But any weight that is lost and maintained should be considered a big success—losing weight is not easy to do. Most people gain year after year, so even just maintaining current body weight—and preventing gradual weight gain—is an accomplishment.
So throw out your visions of a Barbie doll figure or a Sylvester Stallone physique for now. That’s not to say that you can’t get there, but first you need to learn how to make healthful lifestyle diet and exercise changes fit into your daily life forever.
Junkfood101,
When you crave junkfood, think hard about what exactly you are craving.. is it the salty? cheesey? crispy? Then make a list of healthier options like cheesey broccoli made with low-fat cheese or salty veggie stir-fry that will still satisfy that craving.
If it really is just a specific junk-food like mozzerella sticks you are craving though, invest in low- cal mozzerella sticks from the grocery store and keep them in the house (though not part of your planned diet, which you should have). That way, you'll know you always have an alternative if your spinach and grilled chicken salad just isn't hitting the spot.
Be careful not to make a meal out of the junk food. Eat your salad first and if you STILL crave the junkfood, have a small portion of your back-up food and skip desert that night.
Knowing that you will lose out on a planned desert (small vanilla cone or equal calories is desert) might be enough motivation to rethink whether that mozz stick is really worth it now.
They key is not to deny yourself anything, but to use a barter system in your diet to regulate your intake overall.
Lady of the house,
hobbies! Recently I undertook sewing mine and my boyfriend's halloween costumes from scratch, (hand stitched!) It was relaxing and took as much effort to do as if I was just sitting in front of the T.V. (perfect for nighttime activity!) but it kept my hands busy and away from the snack bowl. Plus, it made me feel so accomplished to see the finished product whihch raises my faith in myself that I CAN complete huge projects that I set my mind to (familiar weight loss story?).
If sewing isn't your thing, try painting, drawing, write a novel, play dress-up, have sex! Food is an addiction and my technique for weightloss (50 lbs so far!) is substituting the harmful addiction for a productive addiction. (Farmville on Facebook is good too.)
Also, never underestimate the power of the internet. Currently, I'm using this blog as a distraction from the kitchen because I've already eaten dinner and I know the cravings I feel are only out of boredom. Congrats and good luck!!
I have enjoyed reading all comments but would like to second those comments about why someone who is so perfect is even reading on site such as this. To brag or insult the rest of us that are here for much better reasons. I am a middle aged married women w/two grown children, 4 grandchildren and a stressful and demanding management position.
Food has always been my friend, mostly due to my insecurities throughout my life. Food does not judge you or let you down. As most everyone else noted here, I am struggling to lose a lot of weight. Currently down 30 pounds from my high of 334, it has been a real challenge to find other ways to deal w/my stress and loneliness in the evenings. My husband retires early due to his job and I am often spending too much time in front of the tube, snacking and then feeling lousy about it.
Many health issues prevent me from too much exercise. Even an evening stroll takes its toll on my foot and knee chronic conditions. And, losing weight is the only way to improve those issues, but my resolve just is waning.........what do others do when they are lonely and bored in the evening........I read a lot but have not found something satisfying enough to make a difference.
Join the Fifty Million Pound Challenge. I did and have lost 28 pounds so far. On my way to lose 12 more pounds which will put me at 140. I walk at lunch everyday for 30 min, take the steps and do aerobics once a week, trying to do twice a week. I cut the sugar ( but still have my Oreos and Ben & Jerry's) once in awhile. I do my ab core training every night.
The Fiftymillion pound challenge can be found at www.50millionpounds.com. It was started by Dr Ian Smith b/c as a Doctor he was tired of seeing the effects of obesity on African-Americans. Plenty of support at the site.
Good Luck.
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