Goal setting-what works for you?

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Dottie27
Dottie27 Posts: 159 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What has worked for you when goal setting? Do you even set goals? Of course, goals help keep us on track. However, there is a flip-side to goals that can be demotivating when you don't achieve them, even if you've been doing all the right things.

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  • RNewton4269
    RNewton4269 Posts: 663 Member
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    I set mini goals for myself....if I get too lofty I won't reach them. My next mini goal is to reach 200 lbs. And well I am almost there....I think it is good to do that for yourself....to reward yourself for getting there. Because this journey is hard...and well life throws little surprises in there all the time!

    Good luck to you!!!
  • NKF92879
    NKF92879 Posts: 601 Member
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    I have goals, but I don't necessarily have a deadline for those goals. I'm going to do this whether it takes me 3 months or three years. :bigsmile:
  • bklyngirl71
    bklyngirl71 Posts: 381 Member
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    you should set small goals. if u don't reach it on the date u chose, don't get discouraged
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I have set a series of goals, each which causes me to work (if it is too easy I slack off). I also use verbal affirmations several times a day that include a target goal in part of the statement. I then revise the affirmation periodically as I near the goal.
  • Dootzy1
    Dootzy1 Posts: 2,215 Member
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    My goals are about behaviors---- weighing my food consistently, getting in my water, exercise, logging, etc. I had a "weight goal" in mind, but after reading about other people's experiences, I decided that would be counterproductive for me.
  • Clew
    Clew Posts: 910 Member
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    Since I turned 40, the whole fitness ballgame really changed. I no longer set pound-loss goals, but just look at achieving my food and exercise goals week by week. I try to be under calorie goal 6 out of 7 days, and I try to work out at least 4 times a week. Those are my weekly goals. If I accomplish them, I know the rest will fall into place.

    I know this is unorthodox, in a game where weight loss is the brass ring, but this works for me :)
  • Cdcaldwe
    Cdcaldwe Posts: 189 Member
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    The food part for some reason has been easy this time as far as loosing goes. The goals I have tried to meet and exceed are water and excercise. If i don't excercise for a day I feel like i have put on weight.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    I am not much of a goal setter. I set my goal weight and this is it.
  • Kimmer2011
    Kimmer2011 Posts: 569 Member
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    Goals can be results driven or behavior driven.

    For example, my next results mini goal is to have lost 25% of my original body weight. At one time, I thought I'd be able to achieve this by this week, but now I see that it won't be for a few more weeks at least.

    My behavior driven goals are more immediate & manageable. To drink my eight glasses of water, to stay under my calories, to get at least my recommended protein and fiber, or to walk at least 30 minutes.

    This way, even when I don't hit the numbers I want, I can remind myself that I'm doing good things--things that make me healthier--and those goals are just as important as the others.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I set goals, but keep them realistic and don't give them deadlines - I think if you put a date on a goal, there's too much pressure and if you fail, that'll lead to disappointment and may also possibly lead to one giving up on the whole thing. Why have so much stress about it?!

    Also, I think it's good not to just focius on the scale. Add in fitness goals and whatever else you can think of. I'm currently focusing on improving my running endurance. I'm signed up for a 10k this October and would like to run at least half of it. Last year, I walked all of it but at that time, that was a HUGE accomplishment for me. I'm currently up to running about 2 miles at 5mph and have been making major improvements quickly so I think I'll be able to meet, if not exceed my goal in the next 2 months.
  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Posts: 918 Member
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    However, there is a flip-side to goals that can be demotivating when you don't achieve them, even if you've been doing all the right things.
    I have never set formal goals for this reason. I just keep plodding along. I have had setbacks but eventually I get going again. I figure it will always be like this, 2 steps forward one step back, so just don't stress and persevere cuz this is for life, not just until I reach a certain number.
  • trevoye
    trevoye Posts: 4 Member
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    Since I am new to this site, my goals are small. I try and make sure that I log in my food intake and also my water intake. This is a difficult journey because I do not know exactly what I should or shouldn't do but I am dedicated to eating right, and exercising on a daily basis. Stay tuned and weight loss will be my next goal:love:
  • Kimmer2011
    Kimmer2011 Posts: 569 Member
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    Another issue I've experienced with goals is "what do you do once you hit your goal weight?" For me, the answer has been, "get bored, start eating stupidly again, and gain it all back." Yeah, I need to have other goals besides weigh related ones.
  • ApproachingDusk
    ApproachingDusk Posts: 70
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    I have "goals", but in reality its more like "prizes points".

    So I've decided that for every 10 lbs I'm going to give myself $50 of guilt free money as a reward to spend on myself however I want. And with my buyers remorse, that's actually a huge deal, I cannot shop for myself at all, gives me panic attacks.

    My intent with that is to give something to motivate me towards the next goal. I've just recently lost my first 10 lbs, and this time I spent $30 on an ipad case and still have some money left over for whenever I find something I really want. Or save it up and add it to my "I'M SO FREAKING AWESOME" fund and use it later.

    I have my daily goals of trying to keep it within my calorie range and drink lots of water, but I'm not going to freak out completely (only a small amount) if I don't get it exactly right.

    Right now I'm really focusing on waking up earlier and earlier so that I can hit the gym before work. Which especially sucks since I don't drink caffeine or sugar!
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    I am easily discouraged so I don't like to put deadlines on my goals. Except one of my new year's resolutions was to get to 180 this year. I maybe shouldn't have done that b/c my weight loss has slowed considerably, and it doesn't look like I'll get there at this rate. :-(
  • tammykoon
    tammykoon Posts: 303 Member
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    I have short term, long term, and lifestyle goals.

    Short term- to be under 300lbs.

    Long term - Pre-baby weight 275lbs

    Lifestyle- First 3 month lifestyle goal was getting use to portion control. Right now I am spending 3 months on devoloping a habit of exercise. My next 3 months I plan on increasing my healthy food intake (less processed more natural).
  • Cosmic_Unicorn
    Cosmic_Unicorn Posts: 150 Member
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    I'm not really sure what works for me. I'm not really a goal-oriented person at anything in life. I just work as hard as I can and appreciate any results that come from it. In weight loss I chose 160 (from 205) as a goal only because that's what I weighed in high school. But I rarely thought about that number and I didn't pick a date for it. It took me six months to lose those 45 pounds, and I can see how that could be really discouraging.

    Now that I've met the first goal I set another to 145, only because I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of meeting that first goal. Hopefully it won't take me another six months to lose the 12 pounds to get there. =)
  • optimusmom
    optimusmom Posts: 18 Member
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    What I find usually works for me is setting daily goals, such as: drinking 6-8 glasses of water, taking the stairs, exercising for half an hour, keeping my calories under my goal for that day and so on.
    I'm taking this weight loss journey "one day at a time" and so far so good :)
  • Dottie27
    Dottie27 Posts: 159 Member
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    Thanks for the interesting info., everyone!

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