I need mini-goals & non-food non-money-required rewards

JennaGermain
JennaGermain Posts: 71
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
When I look at how far I have yet to go, I find it discouraging, so taking Ladyofivy as my example, I think I should set up some mini-goals, but I'm not sure what they should be.

Also, I need to think of what I could "reward myself" with that wouldn't be eating bad (and therefore defeating the purpose) but also that doesn't require money because I am beyond poor currently.

Any suggestions?

Replies

  • LadyNay191
    LadyNay191 Posts: 38
    Maybe things you can do at home for free, that allow you some relaxing time for yourself like a bubble bath with candles, a manicure, or a couple of hours of uninterrupted reading.
  • nettip
    nettip Posts: 113 Member
    The thing i enjoy most that is free is calling my friends round for a cuppa and a chat, that way when they see me for the 1st time in like 2-4weeks they notice the change and tell me what they see, so u get a treat and also get reasurance from friends that what you doin is working!
  • Miss_Chievous_wechange
    Miss_Chievous_wechange Posts: 1,230 Member
    I think a great goal is to aim at losing 2 lbs a week and if you meet that goal in a month, you can reward yourself with manicure/pedicure, a great healthy cookbook (I recommend The Biggest Loser Cookbooks, Hungry Girl Cookbooks and the Jillian Michaels Master Your Metabolism Cookbook...I have them all and they are amazing), or maybe a day out with friends at a local park. I wish you all the best on your journey.
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member
    I see you have your ticker as "105 lbs to go". Although it is great to see the big picture, for me, it is daunting, so I prefer to look at my weight lost.

    What about breaking down your goals into smaller bits- 10 lbs or under a certain number? I love the idea of inviting friends over or calling friends round. If you have a hobby or something you love to do, give yourself a free, unrestricted afternoon of that hobby/activity.

    Plus, there are tons of parks, etc, I never think about, but are completely free to the public. You could spend an afternoon walking/hiking there/having a picnic, etc.
  • spob
    spob Posts: 206
    There is a group of mfp members doing a five pound a month challenge. That may give you some extra support and certainly some mini goals to challenge yourself! I even think that they offer up some weekly challenges as well. Just look under search for five pound challenge. I always find that me time is the best and also the most elusive reward. Perhaps a solo walk on a beach at sunset. Do you live near a beach?

    Have a great day and good luck with your mini challenges!:drinker:
  • ladyofivy
    ladyofivy Posts: 648
    AWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :heart: You are so sweet. :flowerforyou:

    I think it depends on your budget and your time/ability to work out.

    1 pound per week is the suggested reasonable goal. What I initially did was look up how long it takes to lose 60 lbs on a google search, and I think what I found said nine months or a year or something. So I broke that down. But I had a lot of naysayers on here when I asked if it was reasonable. So I started off breaking it down even more.

    I think if you want to be just a litlte ambitious, try to aim for 5 lbs by each holiday. Since there's no real holiday in August, I used my mom's birthday for that one. :wink: lol

    In my blog, if you go back far enough (it may be the first couple of blogs here) you'll see what I was hoping to do initially, but let's say:

    5 lbs by labor day (september)
    10 lbs by Halloween (october)
    15 lbs by thanksgiving (november)
    20 lbs by christmas (december)

    etc. etc.

    Since your ticker says you have 105 to go, I don't think it's unreasonable to lose that amount by labor day if you are consistent. :smile:

    Or you could just pick your favorite number (1-28) and go by that date every month. :smile:

    As for prize ideas, I :heart: prizes. :love: BUT like I said, it depends on your budget...

    manicure
    pedicure
    fitness magazine
    workout clothes
    teeth whitening
    new piercing (I got my eyebrow pierced at 20 lbs lost, and I LOVE it!)
    tattoo
    jewelry
    shoes
    sexy outfit
    expensive makeup
    makeover (at many places like the mall, you can go into a department store [boscovs is the one at my mall] and they have fancy makeup for sale, like clinique, and they give free makeovers)
    hair color/highlights
    new underwear
    get a facial
    nail polish

    the list goes on and on, but you can kind of see a theme here, which is doing something to improve your looks while you're doing something to improve your looks. :wink: It's the only time many of us women will spend money on something extravagant like that, so take advantage!
  • caldwellchris
    caldwellchris Posts: 17
    Here are a few FREE rewards that are still going on for me...

    1) 95% of my back pain is GONE!

    2) I can run around and play with my nieces and nephew!

    3) I can walk up my stairs without being winded

    4) Longer life to spend with loved ones

    5) My dogs (www.siberian-husky-puppies.com) are happier because we go on more walks!

    6) My confidence is returning.

    Those have been my rewards because I've found what motivates me and the tools I need to do it.

    I hope you do too!
  • ladyofivy
    ladyofivy Posts: 648
    DUH I can't even read lol I didn't see that you said "non money" required. LOL I'm sorry.

    Non money rewards... lol

    I'm not sure who you have at home with you, but my husband massages my feet and back.
    My kids, sometimes I get them to massage me or at least run their toys up and down my legs
    And... if you believe it, I have my dog trained to walk on my back lol if I lay on my belly, she'll come up and walk around on my back for a while LOL

    Tanning is an iffy issue... but if you like tanning, have yourself a good tan in the back yard.

    Look online for home facials. You can often make facial cream out of stuff you have around the house.

    meditation is awesome! Look online and practice some deep meditative breathing. If you have music channels on your TV, you can usually find some great zen type music to zone out to.

    Go for a walk in a new place. Like a nearby state park or the mall.

    I hope these are actually *helpful* to you... not like my previous post! LOL
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member

    And... if you believe it, I have my dog trained to walk on my back lol if I lay on my belly, she'll come up and walk around on my back for a while LOL

    Having no husband, no kids, or no bf, I have *tried* to train my dog to do this (as well as the dishes, clean the house and fold my laundry), to no avail. :tongue:
  • JennaGermain
    JennaGermain Posts: 71
    Ladyofivy, both replies were helpful. Truly, I'd love to be able to reward myself with a new tattoo and I thought about making that a reward for when I've gotten to the halfway point of something (with the hope that I'd have money for it by them) It sucks trying to combine eating healthier with not having any money (it makes me feel like I'm deprived times two)

    Well, I only have a brother and niece living with me, plus bunnies and cats. My fattest cat is about 15 lbs so I don't know if it'd help my back or not if she walked on it (I know it hurts when she decides to use me as a landing cushion when jumping off a high shelf though, lol)
  • JennaGermain
    JennaGermain Posts: 71
    Also, thank you everyone else so far for the suggestions, and feel free to keep adding to them and hopefully I'll end up with a workable solution that takes all the best advice in mind.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    I personally have not set mini goals for myself because I cannot look at the big picture or I get discouraged. I live by the "day to day" only mantra . . . I create myself with the choices I make each day.
    I have not been weighing myself weekly either anymore, I usually don't get on the scale for a few weeks at least. Im not doing this for the scale, Im doing it to have a longer and healthier life . . . if the result of that is to weight less that is just a great bonus to me!
    Since Im changing my lifestyle and am not on a "temporary exercise and diet plan" I choose NOT to reward myself just because the scale says I should . . . I will continue with these habits for life and being more energetic and loving myself more is reward enough for me.
    Instead I reward myself all the time, a new makeup item, pedicure with my daughter on occassion, occassional dinner out with my husband . . . to me it is better to reward myself "just because" and not for trying to be healthier.
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