Mini-goals?

I don't know if you can set mini goals in the app. It's a great idea though. Having mini goals along the way that you can reach really keeps you motivated to hit that big goal you're working towards. I do it too! I would have a place at home where you can write those mini goals down and can cross them out as you go. I've seen some people have stones in a weight to lose jar and weight lost jar. Every week, then move the amount of stones over. I think that's a great way to show progress

I think every 10 pounds the system asks you if you want to edit your goals, so you will get a bit of a warm fuzzy from it then. I also mentally think of every 10 pounds as a mini-goal.

Also, speaking of not getting overwhelmed, when I first started using MPF, I tried to lose 2 # per week and that just wasn't happening, so I dropped it to 1, and then to .5. I lost more that .5 per week once swimming started, but it was a sustainable goal for me that kept me from getting overwhelmed.

This time around, I'm at 1 # per week and able to do that because I am getting a lot of exercise and eating some of those exercise calories back.

I just keep my mini-goals in my head, or written somewhere. Even if I had a big goal -- say, 100 lbs -- it is not as though I would be 100% Not Okay until I'd lost that 100th lb exactly, and then suddenly, all would be right with the world.

There are so many exciting milestones along the way: Your first lb, first 5, first 10, etc. You'll have the times you get to go down a belt loop or down a size in clothing. You'll have inches lost, and you'll see changes on your pictures (if you take progress photos). You'll be excited when your BMI status changes. You'll be excited when the numbers change (like out of the 250s or out of the 200s). You'll notice feeling better or performing better, like walking without getting out of breath, or tying your shoes more easily. If you're working out, you'll see changes in performance and even looks and feel as you go.

No need to be overwhelmed by a big number, because there's no switch that will flip once you reach that number. And nothing will really change either. You may get to eat a bit more, but some days you'll still need a deficit, and you'll still need to keep every lifestyle change (likely, including logging) so there will be no graduation and a new life, type of thing. You're just building new lifelong habits and reaping little rewards along the way, that add up the further you go, including a lifetime of (theoretically) better health and wellbeing. It's not really like climbing a mountain, with so long to the top, it's more like roaming the world for life with no end destination or point to conquer.

The only downside I see to pretending you have fewer pounds to lose than you do in your profile is if you ever need to ask for help on the forums, that will confuse people. "5 lbs to lose" will have people thinking you're very slim, which will affect their advice. You could also create a mini-goals chart in the text section of your profile, and fill it out when you hit them. Like this:

First 1 lb: Met 06/01/2015
First 5 lbs:
First 10 lbs:
Out of the 200s!:
(etc)

1 full push-up: Met 06/02/2015
5 full push-ups:
1 min. consecutive running:
(etc)