Setting a smaller goal to avoid losing motivation!

kealey1318
kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
in Motivation and Support
Well, I've been on MFP before, logged and tracked, logged and tracked, and then I'd miss a weekly goal or milestone and poof... I'd start to self-combust. I'm not proud of it at all, but I think what I learned is that rather than setting myself up with goals that are too challenging or not necessarily sustainable, I'm going more minimalistic.

This time I'm setting my weekly weight loss goal at 1 pound per week. I know that initially I'll lose some water weight that will skew the results a bit, but this way even if I only lose a pound a week, I'm still 4 pounds lighter per month and 52 pounds lighter in a year. I consider that a success no matter what! After losing the initial 71 pounds, I can reevaluate the weekly goal for something smaller for the rest of the 25 pounds. I hope this will be setting myself up to succeed!

I'm looking for some friends who might be interested in helping me maintain motivation through this process. Please feel free to add me if you are interested!

Thanks for reading!

Replies

  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I set non scale goals like walk 5 miles or eat oatmeal 3 times. I have more control of these than how my body lets go of weight.
  • ceannesjourney
    ceannesjourney Posts: 250
    Yes, I set health goals...I don't even track my weight on here...just make sure I log my food and exercise to keep myself accountable. I truly believe that health is the most important thing. I try to do SOME form of movement most days and anything more is a bonus. The scale will eventually move as long as I'm doing healthy stuff. It doesn't matter to me how long it takes, or really if it does go down...it took YEARS to add it...but being healthy and feeling good are the most important thing to me. Those are the goals I set. Good luck on whatever you choose!
  • Beautifulreflections
    Beautifulreflections Posts: 86 Member
    Me too OP. I did well for a very long time, things got stressful (cross country move) and smoking, eating and not exercising did me in. Now I am "good" for a week and expect to have lost the 50 lbs??? And of course when I don't I'm eating whatever I feel like on the weekends.

    I see what LIzzy622 is saying. Weight goals (since there are so many ways it can fluctuate daily) are tough to depend on. A different "type" of goal that you can control would be a better way to go. But...ya, no - I still want to weigh in a lb less a week lol.

    I will say this though. As you continue down the path, don't get discouraged, Keep plugging along and before you know it, it becomes more interesting. It switches from a weight loss goal to a healthy goal to a fit goal. MFP is oddly cult-like in that way. You start with one mind-set and quickly fall into the thoughts of the rest of the "group".

    And I mean cult-like in a totally positive way :)
  • Carol_Magee
    Carol_Magee Posts: 69 Member
    I, too, have set a smaller goal. I need to lose at least 150 pounds and when that's on the ticker it looks impossible and I get discouraged. So what I'm doing is going gradually. My ticker now shows a goal of 40 pounds lost and when I reach that or get real close, I'll up it to 45 or 50 pounds. It works for me :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You are well on your way...really, it's not about setting minimalistic goals...it's about having realistic goals. Understanding that nothing about this process is linear or fast is the key. You also have to keep everything into perspective...for example, it took me the better part of a decade to put on about 55 Lbs...it's taken me the past year to take off about 40 of those lbs and maintain for awhile (just starting on round 2 to drop and additional 15 - 20)...from that perspective, my weight loss was pretty quick as compared to how long it took me to gain that weight.

    keep in mind that the process is never over...there really isn't a finish line...when people set goals that by such and such a time or date they're going to be x, y, z they are really setting themselves up to ultimately fail long term...because what happens when they hit those goals and crossed that arbitrary finish line? They're so focused on that finish line and their "ending" results and being "done" that they forget that nutrition and fitness are life long endeavors...you can always be a better you...you can always be faster, stronger, jump higher and further...there is always something to strive for.

    Focus on the process and learn from it...learn proper nutrition and portion control...learn moderation and learn how to listen to your body. Focus on these things rather than the results on the scale.

    When I first came here someone quoted this to me and I've taken it to heart all along this process and repeat it whenever possible..."When you focus on the results you rarely see the change; when you focus on the change you always see the results ."

    I'm not really accepting FL right now, but I wish you the best of luck.
  • mkphotogirl
    mkphotogirl Posts: 55 Member
    if you look at my profile, i set up milestone goals to hit at specific date intervals (every couple weeks) over the next 4-6 months. i snagged this idea from some others who were seeing success. similar idea in terms of breaking it into something more manageable to feel the success along the way. i like keeping my ticker at the full goal amount.
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    You are well on your way...really, it's not about setting minimalistic goals...it's about having realistic goals. Understanding that nothing about this process is linear or fast is the key. You also have to keep everything into perspective...for example, it took me the better part of a decade to put on about 55 Lbs...it's taken me the past year to take off about 40 of those lbs and maintain for awhile (just starting on round 2 to drop and additional 15 - 20)...from that perspective, my weight loss was pretty quick as compared to how long it took me to gain that weight.

    keep in mind that the process is never over...there really isn't a finish line...when people set goals that by such and such a time or date they're going to be x, y, z they are really setting themselves up to ultimately fail long term...because what happens when they hit those goals and crossed that arbitrary finish line? They're so focused on that finish line and their "ending" results and being "done" that they forget that nutrition and fitness are life long endeavors...you can always be a better you...you can always be faster, stronger, jump higher and further...there is always something to strive for.

    Focus on the process and learn from it...learn proper nutrition and portion control...learn moderation and learn how to listen to your body. Focus on these things rather than the results on the scale.

    When I first came here someone quoted this to me and I've taken it to heart all along this process and repeat it whenever possible..."When you focus on the results you rarely see the change; when you focus on the change you always see the results ."

    I'm not really accepting FL right now, but I wish you the best of luck.

    Wow, that's an awesome quote that I know I'll use again! Thanks for the words of wisdom and I appreciate the supportive nature!
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    I set non scale goals like walk 5 miles or eat oatmeal 3 times. I have more control of these than how my body lets go of weight.

    That's a great idea! I do need to work on getting the scale moving, but I think I'll take your perspective and consider that if the scale doesn't move, what did I do right for the week!

    Thanks so much!
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    Yes, I set health goals...I don't even track my weight on here...just make sure I log my food and exercise to keep myself accountable. I truly believe that health is the most important thing. I try to do SOME form of movement most days and anything more is a bonus. The scale will eventually move as long as I'm doing healthy stuff. It doesn't matter to me how long it takes, or really if it does go down...it took YEARS to add it...but being healthy and feeling good are the most important thing to me. Those are the goals I set. Good luck on whatever you choose!

    Thank you! Great words of wisdom and yes, it took years to add the weight! It's interesting that although I really 'want' the food I was eating before, I actually feel better now and it's only day 5. I am a little intimidated about going into the weekend because it's actually easier for me to control my meals when I work. However, I'm determined to succeed and to get some exercise each day. I'll start slow and build up!

    Thanks again!!!
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    Me too OP. I did well for a very long time, things got stressful (cross country move) and smoking, eating and not exercising did me in. Now I am "good" for a week and expect to have lost the 50 lbs??? And of course when I don't I'm eating whatever I feel like on the weekends.

    I see what LIzzy622 is saying. Weight goals (since there are so many ways it can fluctuate daily) are tough to depend on. A different "type" of goal that you can control would be a better way to go. But...ya, no - I still want to weigh in a lb less a week lol.

    I will say this though. As you continue down the path, don't get discouraged, Keep plugging along and before you know it, it becomes more interesting. It switches from a weight loss goal to a healthy goal to a fit goal. MFP is oddly cult-like in that way. You start with one mind-set and quickly fall into the thoughts of the rest of the "group".

    And I mean cult-like in a totally positive way :)

    Thank you for understanding me! I have had major issues this year (some good, some bad, some both). I was laid off January 3rd (4 days after I had surgery to remove my gallbladder). I was fortunate that I was able to dedicate myself to finding another position and wasn't unemployed for an extended amount of time. However, I really did start to question my value. Sad, but true.

    On the bright side, we just completed a kitchen remodel in our house. Having it torn apart for almost 3 months made it very challenging (and I'll admit I didn't try that hard) to eat healthy. Now I have a fully functioning kitchen again, I look forward to making healthier meals that'll affect more than just myself. My kids and husband will also benefit from the transition!

    It is very important to me that the weight decrease and I have a 'measurable' achievement. I also will be delighted when my clothes start to feel big so I know it's about more than a simple (often frustrating) number.

    I really appreciate the supportive nature of the MFPers! You're all so wonderful!
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    I, too, have set a smaller goal. I need to lose at least 150 pounds and when that's on the ticker it looks impossible and I get discouraged. So what I'm doing is going gradually. My ticker now shows a goal of 40 pounds lost and when I reach that or get real close, I'll up it to 45 or 50 pounds. It works for me :)

    I wish you the best of success in your weight loss journey! I really need to lose 100 pounds but I have the ticker at 70 so that I can reevaluate when I get there.

    It's a bit scary when I hear that the easy part is losing the weight and the tough part is maintaining... *sigh* It's so tough for me to lose the weight (actually harder to keep the motivation) and I'm worried whether I'll be up to the challenge of the maintenance portion when I get there.
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    if you look at my profile, i set up milestone goals to hit at specific date intervals (every couple weeks) over the next 4-6 months. i snagged this idea from some others who were seeing success. similar idea in terms of breaking it into something more manageable to feel the success along the way. i like keeping my ticker at the full goal amount.

    That's a great idea! I will try to do something similar!
  • aphrodite0727
    aphrodite0727 Posts: 17 Member
    You are well on your way...really, it's not about setting minimalistic goals...it's about having realistic goals. Understanding that nothing about this process is linear or fast is the key. You also have to keep everything into perspective...for example, it took me the better part of a decade to put on about 55 Lbs...it's taken me the past year to take off about 40 of those lbs and maintain for awhile (just starting on round 2 to drop and additional 15 - 20)...from that perspective, my weight loss was pretty quick as compared to how long it took me to gain that weight.

    keep in mind that the process is never over...there really isn't a finish line...when people set goals that by such and such a time or date they're going to be x, y, z they are really setting themselves up to ultimately fail long term...because what happens when they hit those goals and crossed that arbitrary finish line? They're so focused on that finish line and their "ending" results and being "done" that they forget that nutrition and fitness are life long endeavors...you can always be a better you...you can always be faster, stronger, jump higher and further...there is always something to strive for.

    Focus on the process and learn from it...learn proper nutrition and portion control...learn moderation and learn how to listen to your body. Focus on these things rather than the results on the scale.

    When I first came here someone quoted this to me and I've taken it to heart all along this process and repeat it whenever possible..."When you focus on the results you rarely see the change; when you focus on the change you always see the results ."

    I'm not really accepting FL right now, but I wish you the best of luck.

    Wow, that's an awesome quote that I know I'll use again! Thanks for the words of wisdom and I appreciate the supportive nature!

    Agreed...Will definitely repeat that one!

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