weight loss and realistic goals

I have covered this topic before but this week I had several new patients enter our program who set their weight loss goals at too stringent a number.

We must differentiate a weight loss goals that could be achieved vs. a goal that is maintainable. For instance, if you were a Hollywood star, preparing for a role in a movie, and that role required you be at your old high school weight, there is a good chance that you can get yourself down to that weight for purposes of the acting role. However, to maintain that weight forever would be near-impossible.

This week, I had several patients set their goal at their old high school weight and I informed them that this would not be a maintable weight for them. Obviously, metabolism changes and what was easy to maintain (easy? you didn't even have to think about it at that age!) becomes very difficult to maintain at a later age. Aesthetically, it also will not look great to be at that weight, as most people would now look unhealthy at their high school weight. Persoanlly, I was 155 pounds when I graduated. If I was that weight now, my patients would think I had developed some really bad disease.

Set your goals realistically based on age and other factors. That goal needs to be one that is "maintainable".

Setting short term and long term weight loss goals

When someone enters our weight loss program, we ask them on their entry sheets to list a "goal" weight loss in total and then a separate 12 week goal. I have discussed this previously, but I will do so again: Make sure your total weight loss goal is reasonable and practical and most importantly, MAINTAINABLE. We will have great difficulty getting back to our college weights (I weighed 155 pounds, had Neil Diamond hair and drove an AMC Hornet) so that is not a reasonable goal. There is no question that if someone were to pay you a million bucks to get to your college weight, you could do that. But, once the money was delivered, there would be little chance of maintaining that weight.

Concerning a short-term goal, challenge yourself to reach that, meaning that you must take into account your gender, age, height and previous "low" number. Obviously, being male, younger, more obese, etc. will result in more weight loss in the short term. Patients that weight over 300 pounds coming into our program can lose over 40 pounds in 12 weeks with us, but if someone was 5 feet 2 inches, 170 pounds and 60 years old, a mch more reasonable expectation would be 20 pounds in those same 12 weeks.

We can help you establish goals in the short term and long term, and this does not require coming back into our program or entering the program if you have never been here. We do offer free consultations and we would be happy to help you establish realistic and maintainable goals for yourself.