Wednesday, October 26, 2011

cuz its good to have goals?

Goal setting does not come naturally to me.   I've never had a five year plan or had any sort of aspirations beyond growing in my faith or character.......or growing out my hair (duh, don't cut it.  gee that was hard.)

So I've been thinking about how often I've failed at losing weight.  How many times I've tried, had success and then as soon as real change it seen...I drop the ball.   I get too comfy in that spot and all of a sudden, it starts creeping back on.   So as I realized that I lost my happy little "5% lost" star in Weight Watchers - it turned a very sad grey - I realized I need to stop the pattern.   I need to find a new way to do this.

I've read all kinds of inspirational stories and they get me all ramped up but that only lasts until the next morning.  Then I'm too preoccupied taking care of my family and just doing my daily job.  So I started to wonder.....why do I slip?  How to I set a new focus, a different one than I've used before?  Well....all of a sudden I realized that I don't know how to make a plan to get from point A - choosing the goal, to point B - the goal itself.    There are all these in between steps and mini goals that seem so random and cloudy.  Other people seem to get the specifics much better than I...who seems to choose the goal, visualize it as a reality and then wander off into the woods without a map.

SO.  It's time for a plan.
Since focusing on a long term goal doesn't seem to maintain my attention, I need short term ones.  I know, I know, I know all about setting a 1 month goal or a 10 lb goal........weight watchers has those percentage goals....which are awesome....BUT my brain is not registering that.  The math or the time frame...whatever it is, it just doesn't have impact.  I've been wandering through my week, counting or not counting points and waiting to see how much I will get to record that I've lost that week.  Instead  I need to set a weekly goal.   That is the kind of "short term" I need.   Something reachable, something I can actually wrap my brain around and not wait for but work for.

So here's what I came up with (if I've done my math right):
The big picture is 50 lbs lost between October 24th and April 16, 2012.   (This does not include any weight I've already lost.)
That's 25 weeks from now - weigh-in days are Mondays.
Which equals a short term goal of 2 lbs lost per week.

Weight watchers says not to lose more than 2 lbs per week for real, sustained, long term loss.  So 2lbs is within a safe and realistic zone.   I haven't chosen something crazy or beyond my grasp.   I have hit 2 lbs twice at this point.  So it will give me something to work for and be intentional about - with only one week to focus on it.   Then, move on to the next 2 pounds and the next week.  I have a little box on every Monday from next week through April 16th to mark out my losses.    Our family Christmas celebration happens to fall on a Monday so I have a "midpoint".....well, kind of mid point......goal written in my planner on that day to have hit (at least) 29 lbs total lost since I started - and 18 of the 50.   I'm hoping that as the holidays near that gives me extra incentive to stay on track so that I can add this to the celebration that day.

Maybe there should be some sort of midpoint "reward" or celebration but ....I can't think of anything right now.  So for now that's the details I've worked out.   I'm not adding any extra requirements on myself or putting workouts into my schedule.....once I put too much structure or "rules" on things that's when I start to screw it up.    I'm going to let that happen on it's own.  

I think that this is something I can actually pull off.  Feel free to hold me accountable and ask me whats happening if I don't mention it for too long.    It's time to feel comfortable in my skin again and to simply be good to my body and bring it back into a healthy shape.

So far so good this week!  Actually I've already surpassed the 2lb goal for the week BUT no counting chickens before they hatch! :)

It's time for one day at a time.  I'm working through today, and I'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow and Monday when it gets here.  I honestly think that the Lord is going to do wonderful things with this journey and will use this in other areas of my life - to grow and nurture me in other ways.  I'm excited about the possibilities and to see what is in store.

Love and blessings to you,
the Mrs.

2 comments:

  1. I have had all the same issues you have. This time I am sticking to it and I have to say it is the meetings for me. I never miss one. They motivate me and I am held accountable. I count my points and I track in my calculater, but today I am going to implement the e tools. I have not been happy with my weight loss....I am losing 1-1.6 pounds a week. It is rare that I see 2 pounds. That is frustrating because 2 pounds a week is my goal too....yes, that is the only goal I keep before me is that 2 pounds a week. I did set a couple of little goals for the immediate future....I am 1.2 pounds from hitting a 20 pound loss and 3.2 pounds from my 10% and that coveted key chain!! My birthday is in 2 weeks on weigh in day (Tuesday's are my weigh in days)so I WANT that key chain on my birthday! Very doable goals....then after that keychain I will be 1.8 pounds from 1-derland. THAT is the biggie for me. To get out of the 200's would be huge. So those are my goals...small as they are. I thought about it and figured out why I am not hitting the 2 pounds a week....I really am not trying. I do ZERO exercise and I do count point but do not eat power foods or the right foods. *sigh* Time to switch things up a bit. There is a guy at my meetings who drops 5 pounds a week...he is young and big, but still. He is racking up those stars like nobody's business! His "seret" is he eats breakfast...always...and exercises 4-5 times a week. He also eats Smart Ones for most meals. I was shocked to find out he had 46 points a day! I have a measley 29!
    SO glad you are having this attitude. Keep us all updated! You inspire me!

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  2. Hi Bren! I am doing the on-line program so there are no meetings for me...not that I think I could drag myself to one in the first place. I have 29 points as well! My hubby started at 64 and is now somewhere in the 50's I think.
    The online tools are SO great! I am right with you that it is frustrating to see .8 or 1.2 after a whole week. Don't compare yourself to a man's loss though! They have SUCH a different body than we did and the Lord sure blessed them with better metabolism and muscle mass to lose weight more easily. I'm sure He had His reasons! lol I am so not a breakfast eater! But I try to keep my vitamin regimen going and limit myself to one cup of coffee in the morning and then try to chug 2 cups of (lose leaf brewed) green tea, plus the water I should be drinking.
    The quality of our points matter just as much as the quantity! I see my losses go down even if I've been really careful about the numbers if I'm not balancing out the quality. Too much bread and starchy stuff with not enough fruit and veg. I actually saw a gain when I was drinking too much juice! Though I did realize that once I got my B Complex back in my daily vitamins that my cravings and hunger has gotten back under control.
    We can do this Bren!!! We can we can!!! :)
    I got on the treadmill today - think I did 30 minutes or so, not fast but it was something! :)
    Remember what the Bible says - Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred. Prov. 15:17
    Time for some "temple" restorations!! :)

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