Another Rant

nmiller0813

When I decided to get healthy and lose weight, I also decided to set a smaller goal, so that I don't get too discouraged. My First Goal is 60 pounds. I have 12 more to go In having a discussion with my son, he says that I should set up my OVERALL goal. I don't have an overall goal, because I don't know what I will even look like with this 60 pound weight loss. I want to set the next goal, once i hit the first goal.

Your thoughts?

jonesdav254

Setting intermediate goals can be helpful. I have goals on my bulletin board that show three intermediate goals that are linked to definite dates.

What is your goal of loss per week? Let's say it was 2 lbs, then perhaps an intermediate goals of 10 weeks out and 20 lbs lost would be a nice intermediate goal. This would put you at 30 weeks (roughly 7 1/2 months) until your ultimate goal of loosing 60 lbs.

Are you following any specific exercise program? I find using a program (i.e. Insanity, P90X) is helpful for me. The structure of these programs gives me great support and focus.

JenAndSome

I've seen several people on here set smaller goals. You should do whatever motivates you to get where you want to be. Congrats on the first 48!

nmiller0813

I am a ZUMBA fanatic. I do it 5/6 times a week, and I have changed the way that I eat. It is a learn as I go process and I am excited about it. But when someone that is obviously healthier than I am makes such strong suggestions to me, it causes me to reconsider or question the goals that I have set up for myself. Actually, I only had that one goal set. trying to imagine myself smaller is ......hard for me!

musycnlyrics

I love Zumba too! It's more fun than I thought it would be and my kids love doing it with me. Makes me feel good to have them be active with me!

I have an overall goal, but I hardly remember it as I try to take it pound by pound.
I'll say, "I need to lose 5" then when I lose 5, I say "ok, lets make that 10" and then so on and so forth...

Do whatever works for you to keep you motivated.
Congrats on the 48 and good luck on the next 12!

JoRocka

I would set long term goals- and short term goals- steppers to get you- like a road map.

SMART Goals
specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound

Long term goal is good- you need it to have a look ahead- but goals must be "SMART"- that's where people get bound up- because they get so wrapped up by the big picture- they lose track and get overwhelmed. So short term goals are better as long as you keep an over all long term goal- floating in the back of your brain- don't fixate on it- but at least have a meandering idea of where you are headed.

abberbabber

I have a very, very vague "final goal" set. Like you said, I have no idea how I'll look 50 pounds down the road, so how do I know how I'll look 100 pounds down the road?? Short term goals also have the benefit of giving you encouragement as you go. I have a few friends on here who have mini-goals (first 10, second 10, third 10, etc) and they have a specific "reward" set for each mini goal they hit, which I love!

Good luck!

megsmom2

I think you should set up goals that work for YOU. If doing things in smaller steps and then re-evaluating is what works best for you, then you're doing it right. If looking at a bigger, farther away goal is what keeps you motivated, then you're doing THAT right. There is no set in stone right way to approach this! Do it YOUR way.

Birder150

I think it's great to have smaller goals ... more milestones to celebrate!
Just today, I changed my ticker to reflect my desire to get under 200 lbs rather than my overall goal of 145 - 150 ish.
I also have smaller goals of reaching each new decade of weight. My next one is the 220s.
It's easier for me to think about and reach a goal of 10 pounds than 100. I feel more motivated and hopeful this way.

Listen to yourself. You're the expert of You. :happy:

Pearsquared

I set smaller goals and reward myself rather handsomely for each goal met, which is every ten pounds. Meeting the weight goal itself is often far more satisfying that the reward, but thinking about the reward keeps me going.

EllaQT

I, too, set intermediate goals. Once I reach that one, I set another one. The intermediate goal inspires me to "keep on keeping on".

bwogilvie

I think it's fine to do what you're doing. At my lightest, in my mid-20s, I weighed around 135 lbs. When I started MFP I weighed nearly 215, but I set a goal of 160. When I reach that, I'll assess my fitness and decide what to do next. I'm not sure I could, or should, get down to the same weight I was 2 decades ago, especially since I'm now a fairly active cyclist and probably have bulkier legs now than I did then (I was a runner then, but on flat Chicago paths, so I didn't need to be able to power up hills).

Edited to add: By the way, that wasn't really a rant! A bit of a complaint, but too nice to be a rant!

Coyoteldy

I am a true believer in setting interim goals.. I set mine to two different goals.. I reached my first... ( cause for happy dancing!) and am now working on my second...often we set impossible goals that are too far out there and we become discouraged .. interim goals keep us focused and determined.... go for it!

nmiller0813

Reading everybody's thoughts, I think I will leave my GOAL as is, because it is what keeps me motivated, w/o being too daunting! Thank you everyone for your input!:happy:

ItsCasey

I think it depends on the person. I'm a "big picture" person, so I can't do the milestone stuff. But you are right that your overall goal can (and likely will) change as you get closer to it. I'm under my original goal now but, based on my fairly rudimentary calculations, I'd need to lose another 10ish lbs to get to my desired body fat %, so I've stopped thinking about it in terms of weight goals and am just focusing on my strength training program and hitting my dietary targets every day. I know that as long as I keep making progress there, I will keep losing fat.

bcattoes

If you keep setting goals until you can finally say "I'm there. I'm done." then you will have (eventually) set a final goal. Did your son give a reason why he thought you should set the final goal now?

I think you are wise to set goals in increments. The excitement of meeting the goals may spur your conviction to meet the next.

I met my original goal over 2 years ago. I keep setting goals. Some for weight, but mostly for fitness now. I stay on track better with a goal.

nmiller0813

@bcattoes: My son feels that if I set a FINAL goal, it will keep me motiviated. I just can't picture a FINAL goal for me mentally, or even figuratively as I don't know what I will even look like 20 pounds from now, as I have not been this small since before I had children. So, for me, these increment goals work. As you said.. the excitement of meeting each goal that I set for myself, gives me more motivation. Having HUGE goals, is sooo intimidating for me. Congrats on meeting your goal.