Mini Goals or One Big Goal??

jewelshere

A general question, really. Is it better to have mini goals (like 10lbs at a time) or one final goal (100lbs in total) as an example.

What are your mini goals?

HealthyEscape

Def mini goals! I tried the one big goal for a while and I just got discouraged by not getting there fast enough. By setting my mini goals (found below) I am able to check off as I go and focus on small things to help encourage me. It' makes the journey seem more manageable!

Good luck to you! Let me know when you set your goals!

Melissa

jrich1

I would think mini goals dont seem as large, I sit and think wow I really have 100lbs to lose I am never gonna do it, but I can do 10, and then work another 10 etc.
My minigoals are the 2lbs a week and my weight loss ticker shows my goal as 50lbs, I got probably another 40-50 after this I gotta tack on in a couple weeks once I get through this.
Its a little at a time and its going to take a while, but I feel confident its not if I lose the weight, but when I lose it!

RoadDog

- 10 more pounds before next vacation
- Not to gain weight on vacation
- 10 more pounds before Motorcycle ride in August
- Not to gain weight on Motorcycle ride in August
- 10 more pounds before Thansgiving
- Not to gain weight during Thansgiving
- 5 more pounds before Christmas/New Year
- Not to gain weight during Christmas/New Year
- 5 lbs per month until I reach goal (approximately 53 lbs)

jewelshere

Ok, another question, if I may...Are most of you changing your lifestyle, with weight watchers, packaged foods? I gues I'm asking how are you doing it?

ieatstickers

mini goals are great and help keep you motivated. and they tend to be more realistic and easier to stick with, since their smaller. mine are to lose 4-5 pounds every two weeks. and every two weeks when i meet my goals, i treat myself to something.

RoadDog

Ok, another question, if I may...Are most of you changing your lifestyle, with weight watchers, packaged foods? I gues I'm asking how are you doing it?

I have just been walking and eating healthy (soccer on the weekends). Took me 18 months to lose 33 lbs. I am now on packaged food for next two weeks, cuz I have been plateaued for over a month. Going back to regular food and introducing weight training in two weeks.

tbear358

As I get nearer to my ultimate goal of 125/Size 6, things definitely slow down in the weight loss department. So in order to not get discouraged, I celebrate every 2 or 3 pounds with something small. The last time was when I reached 138 and could wear size 8s. So my next mini goal is 135 by my beach vacation in 2 weeks. I'm 136.5 right now. After that, it will be 130 by Christmas/DD's 2nd birthday. Then my ultimate goal is 125 by my 28th birthday which is 2/10/11. So we'll see.

Laura80111

I do mini goals as well as packaged meals for breakfast & lunch and fix my own dinners. I'm doing nutrisystem for breakfast & lunch, because that works for me.

Good luck!

david1956

Think SMART.

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound.

The problem with the really big goal, although it is fine as an overall vision (I'd say vision rather than goal initially) is that it is almost impossible to say... is it a realistic goal attainable in the time that you've set? Although it MAY be attainable, I'd be amazed if someone could say categorically at the beginning, "I'm going to lose 100lb in a year." Who said so? What is the basis for that? And along the way how do you measure progress towards meeting that big objective? I think that sort of goal is fine if you are willing to be content if something less substantial happens (and who knows, maybe it will actually be only half a year!!!!). To me it's like putting all your eggs in one basket.

The smaller goals allow for adjustment along the way, to re-assess and figure further changes that may be need to be made. You need data along the way.

vineas

It really depends on the person - I'm completely the opposite of the other people who've posted here. When I tried to set mini goals (every 10 pounds), I had absolutely no motivation - 10 pounds was such a small, easy to achieve goal that I didn't have the motivation to actually do something and lose the weight. I ended up only reaching the goal once and then plateaued. When I dropped the mini-goals and just went to one large goal that was harder and further away, then I got really motivated to try to reach it and started really dropping the weight.

raindancer

- 10 more pounds before next vacation
- Not to gain weight on vacation
- 10 more pounds before Motorcycle ride in August
- Not to gain weight on Motorcycle ride in August
- 10 more pounds before Thansgiving
- Not to gain weight during Thansgiving
- 5 more pounds before Christmas/New Year
- Not to gain weight during Christmas/New Year
- 5 lbs per month until I reach goal (approximately 53 lbs)

I assume your going to the Black Hills in August

natspoiledbrat

I think its really a combo of both.............you know that without reaching your mini goals, you will never reach your big goal. I have lost all of my weight by watching my calories.........I work out too, but I have been able to lose weight with no exercise (when injured) by watching calories...........I try to limit my eating out to just one or two meals a week, I drink a protein shake every morning for breakfast, and try to cook on my grill as much as possible.

megamom

Mini goals, a new italian charm for each 10 pounds. One that reflects how I did it. And I am almost 90 % natural cooked foods, not packaged diet foods. Easier to know exactly what the calorie count is since the package foods real calorie counts aren't accurate.

Steph_135

I have both mini goals and one big goal. Sometimes I make little rewards for myself if I reach the goals to give myself a little treat. (Last time it was a hair cut.) Do what feels right for you! I'm obsessed with setting goals, and checking my progress.