Goals - A Key to Motivation?

HappyTrails7

A MFP user, indirectly, challenged me to think a bit differently about my goals. My goal is to lose fat, but he made me realize that becoming leaner is just one-step to living a healthy and vibrant life.

After some thought I broadened my goals to include the following: cardiovascular health, mobility, flexibility, and muscle mass retention with some gain.

I will need to break these goals down, create a road map if you will, to determine benchmarks, which will allow me to track progress in each of these areas. Tracking goals in and of itself can be motivational. Knowing that I ran just a little further or lifted a little more weight energizes me to continue.

How do others map out goals? Is it just something you keep in your head, do you write them down, etc? I would have to think the more detailed the goals, the more likely one is to achieve them.

Lizzy622

My long terms goals are much the same. I need to stay off the medications(blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes which all run in my family). My long term goals are unwritten. My short term goals are tracked on various apps and websites like this one and Runkeeper. It feels good to be starting to run and being able to go farther each time. These apps and sites also have challenges which are fun to join. Greatist has a monthly challenge that I like to print out and put on my fridge.

Mrsallen6_11

My initial goal is strength and some muscle. I keep up with most of my goals on here, like my weight and measurements. I started out with losing weight as my main focus and the closer I got to my "ideal" weight the more I incorporated strength and weight training into my routine. I have a few motivating quotes posted in my rec room so I don't get discouraged while working out and I have a couple photos saved from online of women, who are close to my height and body type, who have the body that I'm aspiring for, so I can have a visual of what I hope to one day look like.

HappyTrails7

Lizzy622 wrote: »

My long terms goals are much the same. I need to stay off the medications(blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes which all run in my family). My long term goals are unwritten. My short term goals are tracked on various apps and websites like this one and Runkeeper. It feels good to be starting to run and being able to go farther each time. These apps and sites also have challenges which are fun to join. Greatist has a monthly challenge that I like to print out and put on my fridge.

Who or what is Greatist, a MFP member, group, or something else?

Lizzy622

Greatist.com is a website. Many of the BLOG articles on MFP come from there.

SeriouslySta

I write mine down! (I keep them in OneNote, but even a Word doc on the desktop or a Post-It on a calendar would do!)

For each one - no matter how large or small - I use this format:
Date/Date recorded
Goal:
Strategy:
Reward:
Action:

An example:
1.29.15 (2.8.15 DONE)
Hit 7500 steps every day in the week
Aim for 2000 steps before 9:30 am
(Note to self: This strategy really works!)
New socks for workouts
Start breaking in other shoes, as well.

I have all different kinds of goals - weight loss, health/fitness, exercise/steps, lifestyle changes, etc.
I try to match small, generally inexpensive rewards with how they were earned, so that using whatever the reward item is reminds me of my success, and how I earned it. (For example: A bright scarf, glimpsed in the mirror as I head out to lunch, helps me keep to my eating plan; or those new socks, pulled on as I head out for a walk, tell me I can make it a second time around the lake!) I try to get the rewards done as soon as possible after I've earned them, so they don't become another chore.

Sometimes, there will be an 'activation date' in there - Such as 'after losing first 10% of starting weight' or 'after hitting 10,000 steps every day for 2 weeks.' (I find that having the future goals there where I can see them keeps me on the path, but having too many 'active' can be overwhelming. Your value may vary.)

I try to spend a little time thinking about strategies (what might help - and, after, what did or did not!) - and really like having a follow-on action, as well, to keep up the momentum (whether it's cleaning out the closet or mapping out future 3 mile walks...)

Reading that, it sounds like a lot, but it's not really. And besides, half of the journey is the mental process/change, so that little bit of time to think through what I want and how to get there is totally worth it.

Anyway, that's what I do. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you success!

HappyTrails7

#Lizzy622 - Thanks for sharing the link

#Seriouslysta - I love the detail you put into your goals. I never thought of reward system, but it sounds like a great motivator. Thanks so much for sharing your method.



MFP - Fifty plus (or so) Support Group

slideaway1

HappyTrails7 wrote: »

A MFP user, indirectly, challenged me to think a bit differently about my goals. My goal is to lose fat, but he made me realize that becoming leaner is just one-step to living a healthy and vibrant life.

After some thought I broadened my goals to include the following: cardiovascular health, mobility, flexibility, and muscle mass retention with some gain.

I will need to break these goals down, create a road map if you will, to determine benchmarks, which will allow me to track progress in each of these areas. Tracking goals in and of itself can be motivational. Knowing that I ran just a little further or lifted a little more weight energizes me to continue.

How do others map out goals? Is it just something you keep in your head, do you write them down, etc? I would have to think the more detailed the goals, the more likely one is to achieve them.

That is great that you took what the MFP user indirectly challenged you too. From what I also believe, everything that you said and I have bolded will contribute and help towards a long and happy life. Those goals are perfect. Well done for taking them on board and working out stratergies for trying to implement them. Good job sir.

HappyTrails7

#Sildeaway1 - Thank you, it is encouraging to read that others see the goals as beneficial and something for which to aspire.



MFP - Fifty plus (or so) Support Group

999tigger

Quite easy to do imo I dont set goals becayse it takes as long as it takes, but I aspire a bit. What I do is have a sheet with every exercise and everytime im at the gym I make notes of current weight, times, speed, intensity etc. I now have many of these sheets on excel and I cna track how they have increased. Getting healthier was one of my reasons for starting and its just as important as losing weight, which of itself does not guarantee you are fit.

Its a good motivator because there are so many times you can have a good session and make progress, even if you dont drop weight every week. It makes it more interesting.