Your target weight is expected to be reached on Apr 05 2011!! OMG!

"Your target weight is expected to be reached on Apr 05 2011!!!!"

I cannot even imagine dieting for that long!

Does anyone have any hints and tips on dieting for such a long time?

How do I keep motivated? 

I really really don't want to fail again!

Any help will will be greatly appreciated!

It has to be a lifestyle change and not a diet I'm afraid.  The changes that you make have to be permanent, otherwise you will just slide back to your old weight.

So if you change your lifestyle, you won't be on a diet until 2011, you will be a few years into lifelong habits of healthy eating and exercising.  You will reach your goal weight and be able to maintain it.  The difference between losing and maintaining isn't very big in terms of calories.

So say goodbye to dieting and welcome  your new healthy active permanent lifestyle change

Good Luck

Ax

I'm not expected to reach my goal until Dec. 2010...

BUT I think it makes that your goal date because it probably expects you to only lose 1-2 lbs a week. You'll probably lose more depending on your exercise, diet, and whatnot. So don't be discouraged by that date.

Take your weight loss as a weekly thing and shoot for a reasonable goal.

Don't give up!! Keep positive people around you and just keep thinking about your goal and how good you will feel once you get there.

I have 3 pairs of pants all different sizes hanging on the back of my door and I want to eventually fit into the smallest one! Every time I open my door I see them and it just reminds me to keep on track.

Good Luck!

Inshapexonethirty - thanks for that and I think your idea of hanging the smaller pants where you can see them is excellent - I have a smaller pair I might do that with too!

Th calculation is a conservative one - don't think about it! I started CC this Feb, and it initially told me I would reach goal in Nov 2010.  However, as you start to lose weight, the date adjusts closer. Mine now says goal will be reached in March 2010. However, by my estimation is will actually be closer to Dec of 2009. 

My recommendation is to basically block out the 'big' numbers - -the total amount you need to lose, how long it will take overall.  Instead, focus and celebrate each mini goal - losing every few pounds, breaking into new numbers (i.e going from 220's to the teens, etc., losing every 5% of your initial weight, fitting into new sizes of clothes, imagine what you will look like next month and how much you will weigh in a few weeks.  It really helps to make this feel manageable and become a real lifestyle change.  Good luck!

You need to re-adjust your mentality.  You should NOT be dieting.  You should be making permanent lifestyle changes that will allow you to reach a healthy weight by 04/05/2011 and that will allow you to maintain that healthy weight for the rest of your life.  If your are dieting then you will ultimately fail.

As Makphl mentioned: mini goals! It makes a big difference to have small achievments all the way through your weight loss rather than give up at the beginning because the main goal is so distant.

Also, think about how better you'll look even just a quarter of the way to your main goal! it's a continuum and you'll look better and better as time goes past even when you still have months to go.

And it's true that CC is more like a lifestyle change than a diet. There are no forbidden foods, you just need to find the right balance, one that you can ideally keep for your whole life. So even though your goal seems very far away you will probably successfully maintain your goal weight afterwards, which is very important.

I am fairly new here, I just started this July 26th and Like you when I saw my target weight would take two years to reach...I freaked out!  But my sister, who is also losing weight, explained that I first need to realize I am making a lifestyle change...not dieting.  And that I need to think of it as small goals at a time, instead of that I have to lose 150 lbs.  So, my first goal is 10 lbs. and I am taking it 10 lbs. at a time.  I have lost 7.5 so far! If you break it down like that, it's alot less overwhelming I think.

4-5-11 will come soon enough - but can you image how you'll feel if you don't do anything?   Weight will creep on (as it does) and your hill will be even higher to climb.   That's how I think about it.   And remember the journey has lots of wonderful successes along the path: the way you feel about yourself, trading a big size for a smaller one, improving health, etc.   Good luck!

Plus, one thing to think about: won't it feel better to be your goal weight by 2011 than to give up and be your current weight (or higher!) by 2011?

But yeah - it's all about lifestyle changes. Taking a walk now and then, or the stairs, or choosing light italian dressing over heavy ranch, or having only one piece of cake at a party...nothing is "forbidden," nothing is a "diet." Just healthy eating and living!

Good luck!

Don't worry about how long it will take. Think of how happy you'll feel when it starts coming off! I started my lifestyle change in Jan/Feb (seriously in feb). I gave myself this WHOLE year just to lose 30 pounds. I know that sound like a little to people, but it still is alot of weight. So far I'm down 20 ad I've been lingering around the same weight offor a couple months, but I feel great and I'm losing inches, plus I'm not disappointed bc my goal is still 4 months away.

I thought "a year of losing weight is betther than a lifetime of staying unhealthy and miserable".

Stick to it! You'll see it becomes a part of you and it's a new lifestyle.

Also, keep in mind that your goal date doesn't focus on added workouts to your daily deficit. If you eat 500 cals less a day, walk for a half hour-hour.  It will come off sooner. After you've lost some weight, add more intensity. It'll feel good to know you can do it!

I as well am a huge believer in mini goals.  They give you something to shoot for that you can actually attain in a reasonable amount of time.  It you say "I need to lose 100 pounds," it's very easy to get frustrated because when you lose say 20 pounds, you're looking at it as if you still have to lose 80 when it would be better to celebrate losing the 20, and then the next 20 and so on.  With regard to the length of time CC says it will take you, remember that it's not locked in stone because you weight loss won't be consistent.  Sometimes the weight will seem to just fall off and sometime you'll stagnate.  Remember as long as your on the right track, dates don't matter very much.  You have to keep in mind that this is a marathon not a sprint and sometimes you're going to slip along the way.  Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue.  Also, don't fall into the trap of denying yourself everything you like on the altar of weight loss.  That's a sure path to frustration.  If you really want some french fries, by all means, have them.  Just make sure you allow for them by either having a cheat day or making up for the calories later.  The beauty of this plan is flexibility.  There are no forbidden foods.  You just keep track of what you eat and stay within your calorie allowance for the day.  If you have any questions, there's almost always someone around here to help you.  Good luck and happy losing!

Karen -

I agree completely with the mini goal string. I lost about 95lbs 5 years ago and put on about 70 of that because of a bad accident. I will say that during the big weightloss I had, it was a complete lifestyle change and if you set mini goals, meeting and exceeding often becomes an addiction. I hope what will happen is that you will fall in love with finally challenging yourself and become your own biggest critic. Listen to yourself and do what you want, with the effort comes great reward, and if you are anything like me, the reward became a high greater than anything else I had felt in awhile. GOOD LUCK! KEEP IT UP!

Just keep this in mind:

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

- Confucius

YOU CAN DO IT!

The target weight calculator operates on the assumption of losing 1 pound per week.  Nothing can change that.  If you lose slower, it still thinks you'll lose 1 pound/week from then on.  If you lose faster, it still thinks you'll lose 1 pound/week from then on.  It's really not a whole ton of use - other than to force people to recognize that their goal of losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks is completely impossible.

So, ignore the target weight calculator.

That said, you will still need to be watching your calorie intake and expenditure in April 2011.  In fact, you'll need to do it forever.  Otherwise, you'll just gain back all the weight you lost and more.  So, you don't want to make any changes that you can't see keeping up with forever.  If you can't live without ever eating chocolate again, then don't eliminate chocolate completely from your diet; just watch the portion sizes.  If you aren't going to be able to go for a run every day for the rest of your life, don't expect yourself to go for a run every day now.  Find exercise you like and do that instead.  (If you like running, great, do that - but remember that you need rest days too.)

Question: so after you achieve your weight loss... then what? Are you going to go back and eat what ever the heck you want, whenever the heck you want? When you lose weight and get to the goal you want, you have to keep living a healthy lifestyle or else you will just pack on the pounds again... that's not something you want to do...

Karen - Two years seems like a long time, I know. But where were you at 2 years ago? Those two years will pass regardless - you have the chance to be at your goal by then! Everyone of us wants to be thin "yesterday". If we worked on it yesterday, we would have it today. Let's work on it today to be there tomorrow!!

Thank you to you all for your help and suggestions, but I want to answer Clarkwy and Giabash.

Three years ago my father died after I had nursed him through his cancer, I became very depressed and couldn't even go out to work.  I  quickly got a job at home but that was just compounding the issue.  I now have phobias of crowds, of going out alone, but worst of all to me I piled on the pounds. 

I know it's a lifestyle change, but as I am sedentary it doens't take a lot to pile them on anyway.

My goal, is not only to get to target but to get back to how I was when dad was alive, hiking, mountaineering, canoeing, abseiling but most of all LIVING!

Being this much overweight has more or less stopped my life, I cant get out and about to get over my phobias because I am too self-conscious - a nasty cycle!

I was never a fitness freak but I was active, what I want most of all is to be the woman I used to be!

Thanks again x

Original Post by demerara:

It has to be a lifestyle change and not a diet I'm afraid.  The changes that you make have to be permanent, otherwise you will just slide back to your old weight.

So if you change your lifestyle, you won't be on a diet until 2011, you will be a few years into lifelong habits of healthy eating and exercising.  You will reach your goal weight and be able to maintain it.  The difference between losing and maintaining isn't very big in terms of calories.

So say goodbye to dieting and welcome  your new healthy active permanent lifestyle change

Good Luck

Ax

I've been using CC to track calories in and calories used for the last three months. It is a powerful journal and I'm glad I found it. Occasionally I will take a look at a thread or comment. I am here to say that Ax's reply to this user's concerns has to be some of the best advice I've EVER seen on this site. You have explained so very eloquently just what the issue is. This is not a sprint with a finish line and the 'prize' is a hot fudge sundae. This is a journey that requires a entirely new map. A movie with a completely different soundtrack. We must be prepared to leave all the old ideas of effort and reward behind. I wish all who make the trip the best. I know that if you follow Ax on this journey you will not be lost.

Paul

I know it can be discouraging to see a long off date under the target, what the majority above me have posted is really good advice one should adhere to.  I have about 60 lbs to lose and although I know it can reasonably and conservatively take me a year to lose it, it can still feel discouraging because although I know I am making a lifestyle change, it's a bigger hill to climb.

Like others have said, mini goals help to take the focus on the big number, whatever it may be.  I have taken it as far as losing in 10 pound increments in the goals section of my account settings, although I keep my LTG in mind, the ten I lose from the 60 seems so much more doable! HTH!

2 thoughts have helped me stay focused for the long haul.

#1: Whatever you are doing now, you have to keep doing even after you reach your goal. (ie, lifestyle change). If not, you will only put the weight back on. (Trust me, I know...)

#2: April 2011 will roll around whether you diet and exercise or not, so you might as well be at healthy weight when it does. It will pass by fast enough. When I first started losing weight I was discouraged by the amount of time it would take. But this thought kept me going. Time passes anyway. If you don't do anything now, you will only be having the same conversation with yourself about weight loss a year or two from now.

Hope that helps and GL!

Oh also...set yourself some mini goals along the way to help keep you motivated.