Setting personal goals

lokihen

It's easy for me to say I want to lose 140 lbs, but if I try to set my sights that far over the horizon I end up stumbling and falling. So I'm looking around for small goals to get excited for.

I've always held onto all my clothes as I gained weight (because, of course, I never planned on staying at a bigger size) and one of my first goals is fitting into 3X again. (The thought of bringing up the vacuum sealed bag of size 16 from the basement would be like winning the lottery.)

Wearing a belt. I used to really enjoy them as a fashion statement, but that was decades ago. I bought a beautiful, embossed leather belt in the longest size I could and still haven't been able to wear it. Buckling that on for the first time is going to feel great.

Those are my two starter goals. I'd love to hear about goals you've set and are working towards or that you've reached and how it felt.

Miss_Mania

My personal goal for this year is to go to a theme park for my anniversary with my husband and not worry about whether or not I'll fit into the rides lol. I've always been pretty apprehensive about doing stuff like that due to being so big, so now is time to bite the bullet so to speak lol. I tend to focus my weight loss in 10 kg increments so I don't get too overwhelmed by the amount lol.

keyo11

I've a couple pair of jeans I'd like to fit into. That's in about 40 lbs though. My goal for this winter is to be able to button my coat. Not the big zip up faux down filled thing I wear during snow or sub-freezing weather. But the small, kinda stylish one I have for normal winter.

17761776

I have a cedar closet full , I want to wear again !!!! Where do u live with sub-zero temps?? Gayle Minneapolis Minnesota

keyo11

Sub-freezing.

I'm in Alabama. We do normally go below zero a few times a year. But mostly the low is in the low teens or single digits.

MimiOfTheLusciousLawn

I wish we had "normal winter" here in Michigan!! A cute stylish coat would be so much more fun than a parka!

ScrAgnX

A few things that I have done, and will continue until I'm at my final weight:

1. Pull out the slightly smaller clothes that I've stored from years gone by (not the end size, but a size down) and hang them on the right side of my closet.
2. Break the weight goal down into much smaller targets including milestones (i.e. not morbidly obese, severely obese, etc. and lowest weight in 5 years, 10 years, etc.) and throw in small step goals where the gaps were too big.
3. Set exercise/non-scale goals in both large and small scope (i.e. triathlon completion broken into smaller cycling and running goals).
4. Make every day's calorie balance a mini-goal.

I'm sure I've done more, and will post them when I think about it. I've tried to keep an updated list on my profile, feel free to check it out.

lokihen

Thanks, ScrAgnX. I'm going to follow your example by putting my goals in my profile.

17761776

MimiOfTheLusciousLawn wrote: »

I wish we had "normal winter" here in Michigan!! A cute stylish coat would be so much more fun than a parka!

We do have normal, they don't. Last year wasn't bad for Minnesota, it was alllll around us. Gayle Minneapolis

Moniloveli

I want to be able to get into the new clothes I bought years ago when I was losing the weight. I am aiming for getting down one size at a time. I also don't want to skip logging any more. I will make sure to eat breakfast every morning so I'm not binge eating later.

17761776

Good plan!!! Gayle Minneapolis

kaihunter45

For me a big goal is to keep tracking after the honeymoon phase is over. I also want to make it to the gym 3 times a week. I'm going to stay going through my clothes and arrange them by size.

naughtynorman84

Interesting thread.

The first big one for me is rollercoasters: about 18 months ago my partner and I bought quite an expensive annual pass which, among other things, covered all the major theme parks in the UK. By the time spring came and we went rollercoaster hunting, with horror the realisation dawned that I could no longer fit in the seats on many of the best rides. An awful public humilation. Yuck. That experience did prompt a burst of effort, with some good early losses; but I wasn't able to maintain the consistency and it all went back on.

Another is fitting back into some of the nicer clothes I started being able to wear a few years ago. Plus, I have one lovely suit which is probably about 12-18 months away at the earliest. That will be a really great day.

In terms of approach, I'm trying to dilute my focus on weight, which to me can either be demoralising (if weighing weekly+ and that morning there is no loss) or obsessive (with daily/every few days weighing), with other goals. As of 1 September they are:

1. Maintain 100% streak signing in and logging food.
2. Keep below Total Calories (excl. exercise) each week.
3. Keep below Net Calories (incl. exercise*) each day.
4. Average at least 10,000 steps per day each week.
5. Drink at least 10 glasses of water each day.

*at present my exercise calories include adjustments made by Jawbone UP for steps - the values seem quite high.

Ideas for future goals, in no particular order:

1. Get a grip of macros once calorie logging is habitual.
2. Incrementally raise step goals/average walking pace.
3. Introduce short higher intensity exercise e.g. HIIT.
4. Strength training.

amartin0614

Short term goal: I purchased 2 pair of jeans for this winter, a size smaller than what I can fit into now. Need to loose enough to be able to wear them!

I also like the idea of putting goals into my profile. I keep them in my blog and in a google doc, but will add to my profile later today.

HLaR79

This is a great thread. Too anyone who hasnt checked it out the weekly accountability thread is a place for short term, weekly goals!

My biggest personal goal is to get into my jeans hanging in the back of my closet i have cute white jeans have not worn them in 5 years and i miss them