Summer '09 Goals (Support & motivation thread)

Hey, thought I'd get a thread going for those of us with specific goals we're trying to hit by Summer '09. Of course it goes without saying that lifelong healthy living should be the ultimate objective but for the sake of this thread, let's keep the focus on what we all want to achieve in the next 2-4 months. Let's face it, it's pretty common for most of us to have specific goals we want to hit by the time summer arrives; you're hitting the beach, are less concealed by bulky winter clothing, etc. Let's share our goals and keep each other on track!

My original goal last Fall ('08) was to lose 30lbs - I was 205lbs at the time. I dropped 10 lbs in October and then fell off the wagon for 4 months. Kept the 10lbs off though :)

I got back to counting calories on February 16 of this year with a goal of losing the remaining 20lbs by May 1 for a destination wedding (Mayan Riviera) that my wife and I are going to. I've been working out a couple of times a week as well to gain some muscle definition for the 'beach bod' haha.

According to the BMI tool, I need to get to 183lbs to put me just within the high end of the healthy range and 175lbs would put me right around the middle.

Stats:
Male, 26, 6'0"
Starting weight (Feb.16): 195.8lbs
Goal weight (May 1): 175lbs
Total weight loss target: 20.8lbs
Timeframe: 10 weeks

Current weight (Mar.11): 190.2lbs
Lbs lost to date: 5.6lbs
Lbs remaining: 15.2lbs

Jeff

I'm with ya...

F, 23, 5'9/10"

Start Weight (Nov 08): 220

Goal #1: Be back at pre-pregnancy weight by son's first birthday: 175 by May 29

Goal #2: Be back at happy weight by end of July: 160 by July 30

Current weight: 198 (Lost 22 lbs; 23 to go to 1st Goal; 38 to go to 2nd Goal)

I've been swimming a few times a week, I am so sick of working out at the gym. Calorie counting has always been very effective for me and it's proving itself once again. I'm aiming for 2 lbs. a week in loss. I know the more I lose, the more difficult it will be to maintain that goal. But so far I've been able to hit it. I'm an accountant and this time of year I have no free time, so hopefully, after April 15 I will be able to step up my workouts and won't have too much of an issue maintaining my 2lbs/wk goal.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining :) Calorie counting seems to be an effective approach for me so far as well and one that I find much more accomodating than specific diets that identify foods / meals you're meant to strictly adhere to. Sounds like you've got a more realistic timeframe for your goals than myself ! I'm hoping that it's possible to drop my remaining 15lbs by my deadline without compromising on doing it properly so that it's truly fat coming off.

I've used calorie counting off and on since high school. I agree with you, I think this is a much healthier (physically and mentally) approach to weight loss than cutting out entire food groups.

I think you have a very realistic goal. I consider "properly" (thanks to CC) being 2 lbs or less per week. If you lose 2 lbs/week from now until May 1, you'll lose between 14 and 15 pounds.

By early June, I aim for a 30 lb loss. 6 down, 23 to go. Just in time for summer softball, so I can be in better shape for it.

Well I've been on and off the dieting bandwagon, but I've never gained back any the weight I've lost since about 2 years ago which, at this point, is about 56lb. I'm on the home stretch and want to lose about 10 more, maybe 15, and I want to do this by early May. So when I started losing weight I was 16 and weighed 196 lb. I'm 18 now and weigh on a normal day between 139 and 141.

Stats:
Female, 19, 5' 3"
Starting weight (Feb. 20-somethingth): 135 lbs
Goal weight (August 11 my bday!):115lbs
Total weight loss target: 20 lbs
Timeframe: 25 weeks...ish? I forget when I started

Current weight (Mar.11): 133.5
Lbs lost to date: 1.5
Lbs remaining: 18.5

Its been kind of a slow start. I've had very unhealthy dieting practices in the past. Last year I lost 12 lbs the wrong way, and somehow managed not to gain it back. This time I am trying to do this the healthy way, which meant getting my metabolism back where it should be. I am now back to my old jogging routine, something that I didn't have the energy for when I was undereating.  I feel so great now. This diet hasn't been a hardship at all. I feel so full of energy and life, its amazing! And I can't wait to be wearing an itty bitty little bikini this summer and not feeling embarassed about it.

I'd love to join.

I started on this site on September 18th of 2008 at 221.8 pounds.

As of today I weigh 187.6 pounds.

My goals 4 summer would be:

1. To weight 160-165 pounds by June 1rst.

2. To tone up my body all over.

3. To be able to buy a super sexy swimsuit for summer.

4. To just overall look better.

I like your goals babiurbeautiful.

1. To weigh about 135lbs (as I do now) but drop to about <18% body fat
2. To gain at least 3-5lbs of muscle (or replace the fat in it's place)
3. Buy the super sexy swimsuit I buy every summer - but actually have the gaul wear it this summer
4. To overall look better :) 

Nice goal kelly, great that you have a sport you do in the summer to keep you motivated to get fit. Bet it's an extra kick in the pants, over and above just wanting to lose weight and look better, to have something like that to work towards where fitness is going to equal better performance :)

Nightraine, congrats on the success so far (56 lbs) ! Sounds like you and I have a similar weight loss goal by early May. However, like Emily mentioned, it's going to require an average loss of 2lbs per week to hit that 15lbs target and unfortunately I've been hovering up and down by about a half pound for over a week now. Rats!

Dana, Babiurbeautiful and Malynda,

Despite varying weight loss / fitness goals, I'm hearing a common theme: beach bod! haha :) Count me in! I'll probably catch some heat as a guy whose focus, at least in the short term, is how I look in a pair of swim trunks. Probably just comes across as vain. But the way I look at it is that right now, I know I don't look and feel the best that I could. I'm not reaching my full potential from both a health and esthetics standpoint, and, as far as I'm concerned it only makes sense to strive to be at your best... that, and I guess I'm a little (a lot?) vain, haha

Alright motivation people...

Today's my birthday, I want to cheat so bad! I want a big lunch and a big dinner...I'm down 27 lbs, 33 to go.

I can see the precedent...holidays and birthdays are going to be tough...I can't make excuses for all of them...but is just mine okay...probably not...if I start with mine, what's to say I won't start saying all celebrations are reasons to cheat...and if I have to call it cheating doens't that mean it's bad anyway?...

sorry to ramble...happy birthday to me

Em,

No way! You decide your fate girly! You have done awesome so far... so from here on out you decide: will eating a fat slice of cake, a yummy dinner, and a great lunch make me gain 27lbs? How about 5? -> Nope! It's not that easy to put it on just like it's not that easy to take it off. If you diet today you will forget about your bday quick. Go out, have a gladd of wine, let yourself loose and enjoy your new weight/body.

Then tomorrow step on the scale, check out the 2-3lbs of water weight, let it give you motivation, and go on a nice long 500 calorie burning walk - or better yet go lift at the gym :).

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

I realize this is too late but hope you had a great birthday! All of your long-term work isn't going to be undone by one day, just like Malynda said. You're clearly a very determined person to have made it this far so I hope you enjoyed your birthday without worrying about sabotaging your efforts to date and are now back to doing what you've been doing. Successfully I might add! 

My goal is to be able to lose 10 pounds by the end of the summer. Woohooo Lord please help me !

I have a summer goal that I am super motivated about that I would like to share. I have been trying to work on my nutrition and weight loss off and on for several years. I have never been able to keep myself motivated so I decided to start riding a bicycle in charity events. My first one will be this summer and I have commited to ride 14 miles. I am currently 42 years old and need to lose 80 pounds to have a healthy BMI.