Set some mini goals

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nvrgvup12
nvrgvup12 Posts: 51 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A few days ago, I decided it was time to set some short term goals for myself. It has really seemed to help my focus!

CW: 194.6 (as of 3/20/13)
Mini Goal 1: 189 by 4/14/13 (Luncheon honoring my husband)
Mini Goal 2: 173 by 5/31/13 (Husband's bday)
Mini Goal 3: 170 by 6/10/13 (Family trip to Houston)
Mini Goal 4: 160 by 7/24/13 (Family beach trip to Destin)
Mini Goal 5: 152 by 8/23/14 (Girl's Beach Trip)
Ultimate Goal: 135 by 11/11/13

Based these goals on my current rate of weight loss. I know that as I lose more, my pace may slow down some. I figured it was a good start!

Replies

  • ellygolightly
    ellygolightly Posts: 61
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    I did mini goals too! It was so much easier to reach an attainable goal of losing a few pounds first rather than a HUGE amount. It's a lot easier to deal with mentally, and it's great for encouragement because once you pass the first mini goal, you're so excited to reach the second!

    Nice work :D
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    it would probably be more attainable to set goals based on actions, like your workouts, strength or endurance gains, and so on.
    what if you hit a plateau? and you will.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    Agreed.. I think when setting any kind of goal, it's important to give way to possible roadblocks. That's why I set a goal of "20 lbs" and gave myself a large window to meet that goal vs being 160lbs on Feb 28, 152lbs Mar 31, etc,.
  • bnjones23
    bnjones23 Posts: 86 Member
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    Setting small goals are an awesome idea! When you are able to set small short term attainable goals, you're more likely to stick with it and be more successful!! Good for you for taking these steps!! Have several small goals that lead up to that one amazing, crazy cool goal!!
  • fattyfoodie
    fattyfoodie Posts: 232 Member
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    I love small goals! I want to lose 75 pounds total, but my first goal was just to lose 5 pounds. Then my second was to lose 5% of my starting weight. It's so much easier when you look at your progress and say "only 1.6 more pounds to my 5% goal!" rather than "10 down, 65 to go!"
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    It's actually been proven that setting small goals can be detrimental to obtaining your large goal. If you don't meet your small goal you may feel bad and not continue or you do achieve the small goal and think it's time to celebrate. If you it works for you great but having that big goal to attain can lead to more dedication to get it done.
  • fattyfoodie
    fattyfoodie Posts: 232 Member
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    It's actually been proven that setting small goals can be detrimental to obtaining your large goal. If you don't meet your small goal you may feel bad and not continue or you do achieve the small goal and think it's time to celebrate. If you it works for you great but having that big goal to attain can lead to more dedication to get it done.

    I think it really depends on the person. And obviously not rewarding yourself with 12 Krispy Kreme's every time you lose five pounds.

    I keep my eye on the prize (goal weight) but use small goals to help me get there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I would be somewhat cautious about setting goals like weighing xxx Lbs by such and such a date...such goals are very specific. Some people get really discouraged when they do this due to the fact that this stuff just isn't linear. When I first started, the Lbs just seemed to melt off...if everything was linear, I would have hit goal weight last month, but that's not the way it works...I have about 10-15 more Lbs to go and at my current rate, I'm looking at an August time frame...but I'm giving myself a 3 month window of July-Sept to allow for all of these ups and downs I've become well acquainted with.

    I did set mini goals for myself, but often they revolved around upping my veggies and fruit...or cutting back some more on x, y, or z...a lot of nutritional stuff for my overall health. I had some really bad blood work going into this, so the nutrition and health aspects of this are much more important to me than the aesthetics (not that I'm not enjoying the aesthetics as well). I also set a lot of mini fitness goals along the way as well. I've found that setting goals like these help to distract from that number on the scale...that scale number can at times get a bit discouraging, so if you have something else to focus on, it really does help.
  • fattyfoodie
    fattyfoodie Posts: 232 Member
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    I would be somewhat cautious about setting goals like weighing xxx Lbs by such and such a date...such goals are very specific. Some people get really discouraged when they do this due to the fact that this stuff just isn't linear. When I first started, the Lbs just seemed to melt off...if everything was linear, I would have hit goal weight last month, but that's not the way it works...I have about 10-15 more Lbs to go and at my current rate, I'm looking at an August time frame...but I'm giving myself a 3 month window of July-Sept to allow for all of these ups and downs I've become well acquainted with.

    I did set mini goals for myself, but often they revolved around upping my veggies and fruit...or cutting back some more on x, y, or z...a lot of nutritional stuff for my overall health. I had some really bad blood work going into this, so the nutrition and health aspects of this are much more important to me than the aesthetics (not that I'm not enjoying the aesthetics as well). I also set a lot of mini fitness goals along the way as well. I've found that setting goals like these help to distract from that number on the scale...that scale number can at times get a bit discouraging, so if you have something else to focus on, it really does help.

    I so agree with you about not setting time frames for weight loss goals. My current weight loss goal is to hit 5% of starting weight lost, and I am 1.6 pounds from that. I am hoping to hit it in the next two weeks, but I know, like you, that weight loss is not linear and it may take longer.

    I also love the idea of non-weight loss goals. Must go set some!
  • betsij
    betsij Posts: 299 Member
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    I love the mini goal idea!
    Great plan friend!
    :flowerforyou:
  • Menolly52
    Menolly52 Posts: 7 Member
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    I bought a new bathing suit top one size smaller than what actually fit me when I tried it on. My goal is to look good in it by May/June. (even though bathing suit weather in Austin comes as early as April.) I can get it on now, but it's...not flattering yet.

    More immediate goal: get into the "overweight" BMI category before the end of April. Only about 5 lbs to go, but since I just started weight training the lbs are coming off slow (if at all) while my body adjusts.

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