GOALS: setting mini goals

mrsbee48

Hello my dear MFP.
I have decided from the very beginning to set mini goals to accomplish the ultimate goal of losing 100 pound although I'd be happy with 80 pounds less.
My best one is to lose 5 pounds. When I lose this one I set another of lose another 5 pounds. This for me is a realistic goal; we cna all lose 5 pounds, right?
I now added exeercise goals. First it was cardio and now I've added strenght. It's all paying off. I first sarted with a weekly minute setting for cardiao and then reps fpr strenghts. All by 5 each; I started with five minutes cardio and had to do it in 3 increments to get there in a day Now I'm up to 30 minutes in one stretch!
So like you see I love number 5 on anything I start.
What are your mini goals or bigger one and what is YOUR plan to get there?

Mrsfreedom41

Sounds like you have found a routine that works for you. Glad you are using MFP, it has helped me to lose 33 lbs. Although it was slow, I am proud of myself for getting almost to my ultimate goal weight. You didn't put on the weight in a short time so it will take a longer time to get it off. I do the Walk a Mile in 15 dvd exercise video but haven't been diligent in working out. I think I'm going to try the old Richard Simmons Sweating to the Oldies for a while. I saw a young man on a talk show the other day that started out using his videos because he was so overweight he couldn't do anything else. He lost all of his weight by using those videos. If he can do it so can you and I. Take care friend and keep us posted on your success.......:flowerforyou:

mrsbee48

Well this month, I want to lose another 5 pounds. I'll also be taking my measurements at the end of the month.
Lost 20 so far and pleased but now it's harder to lose. I don't drink enough water so I should do as in the beginning;p fill my petcher and drink it up.
I'm also adding another 5 minutes of cardio and more reps on strenght exercises too by 5 additionnal reps.
Very happy to weigh less than my husband - it's a first -lol
By Christmas I want to be 199.9 so I have work to do. I've lost a pound a week but for one week but the following week had lost 2.5 so it could be water retension???
So let's get to work!

Mrsfreedom41

Congratulations on your weight loss. I don't drink enough water either but I find that if I add some sort of flavoring to it, it helps me get it down. Exercise is so important and you adding more to your routine is a great thing. I need to do that also. I've been working out in the yard getting it looking better since the winter really did it in so my exercise is raking, bending over, walking and picking up stuff which makes me move a lot. Hope you can keep up your 1 lb weekly weight loss - I'm kinda stuck on my loss but not giving up. If you are retaining water it could be the sodium in your diet - be sure to keep it under control. .... I'm here with you, we both can get this done together. Good luck my friend and add me as a friend if you want to, open your diary so I can help you with this journey....:flowerforyou:

mrsbee48

Great if you send me a freind's request, I'll add you on for sure!

silvercrone

First post -- well, I do have an ultimate goal of getting down to at least 165, from the 235 lbs I started out with. Was using MFP in combination with Atkins Diet last summer, which was effective, I felt great, lost 25 lbs over the summer, but discovered that in the long run it was simply too expensive to stay on - I know, you shouldn't put a price on health and fitness, but in the real world, people on a fixed income do have limits...At any rate, I gained it all back and a bit more, so here I am back to working on my weight again. Have learned one thing - all the family comfort foods with pasta and plenty of bread on the side and lots of potato dishes are simply stuff I have to stay away from, though some of the most carbohydrate-heavy dishes are my favorites. So yes, I'm setting mini-goals, but this time the goals are focused on making sure I get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, and that I watch my carbs, and make sure I drink enough water. Right now my exercise consists of a considerable amount of gardening work, since we are planting our garden - and I have maybe a half acre under cultivation, all the planting and weeding I'm doing by hand, while my grandson does the really heavy work. I eat when I'm hungry, and try not to think about it the rest of the time....I've lost just under 10 lbs in this first month, according to the scale (which I "visit" only once a week, same time every week), and my clothes are fitting better, but I'm not sure if I can believe that - I guess I'll believe when my current jeans get too loose!

silvercrone

What works for me in the "drink enough water every day" department is to add a bit of sliced citrus to it; I learned that while taking care of my DH who had MS - he got to the point he couldn't drink all the water they told him he had to take in daily, and his nutritionist told me to thinly slice lemons, limes or oranges and add a few to his drinks as well as to be sure they were cold. Worked for him, and I've tried it, works for me as well. You only want to add a few slices, just enough to flavor the water without needing to add a sweetener to it, I use a 2 or 3 very thin slices, either one type of citrus alone, or if I've scored a lucky buy on the fruit, I will combine them, though orange and lime together is not something I like. I've also started making green iced tea or herbal iced teas, since I make my own tea blends, and stevia is the sweetener of choice that I use, though some blends go better with honey, than stevia.. Since I've started doing that, I've been able to completely get away from drinking pepsi, which used to be my poison of choice, now I can't stand the taste...

Mrsfreedom41

What works for me in the "drink enough water every day" department is to add a bit of sliced citrus to it; I learned that while taking care of my DH who had MS - he got to the point he couldn't drink all the water they told him he had to take in daily, and his nutritionist told me to thinly slice lemons, limes or oranges and add a few to his drinks as well as to be sure they were cold. Worked for him, and I've tried it, works for me as well. You only want to add a few slices, just enough to flavor the water without needing to add a sweetener to it, I use a 2 or 3 very thin slices, either one type of citrus alone, or if I've scored a lucky buy on the fruit, I will combine them, though orange and lime together is not something I like. I've also started making green iced tea or herbal iced teas, since I make my own tea blends, and stevia is the sweetener of choice that I use, though some blends go better with honey, than stevia.. Since I've started doing that, I've been able to completely get away from drinking pepsi, which used to be my poison of choice, now I can't stand the taste...

Glad to see you in the forum. I've had a hard time getting the weight off that I want to so joining MFP has helped me a lot. I find that I still don't eat enough fresh veggies and it is hard for me to keep the sugar intake under control. Although I found out just lately that it is the "added sugars to foods" that is the worst. If it is natural, such as fruits, veggies and the like it is okay according to the American Heart Association. I've done better since reading their article on heart disease. I love fresh or frozen fruits and was going over my sugar intake by a whole lot. Now I don't worry about it as long it is natural sugars. I have never believed in those fad diets, they work, but when you go off them, you gain the weight right back because you don't learn to eat properly and in the right portions. Protein shakes don't teach you how to eat real food and proper portions either. I've tried Slim Fast and it worked but weight went right back on in just a few months. Eating healthy is not easy, but you have to have persistance and use portion controls. Hope you have success this time - I'm here to help if I can so add me as a friend if you want. We can conquer this together.:drinker:

silvercrone

thanks for the encouragement.....