Weight loss mini-goals... Worth it?

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StephEwell
StephEwell Posts: 82 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all!

I'm almost half way through my weightloss journey, and I have yet to set up "mini-goals" for weight loss (i.e. 165 by March 31st, etc). Do you think that there is a benefit to this? Has it helped you/hurt you, etc. Just wanted some thoughts!

Also, feel free to add me! Almost on my 100th day here at MFP and I'm not going anywhere soon :)

Thanks,
Stephanie

Replies

  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
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    I haven't done it personally, but I've heard it can be motivating - but only if they're realistic and achievable.

    Also, if you aren't friends with Steph add her - she's great! :flowerforyou:
  • d2rala
    d2rala Posts: 54
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    I think it depends on your personality type. If you need encouragement quickly, or on a regular basis, then mini goals might be good for you.
    If you are a "delayed gratification" kind of person then maybe not.
    I'm a delayed gratification person, so seeing progress to my end goal is enough for me.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I have mini-goals insofar as I started at 113.8kg (250lbs) and I had a number of stages I wanted to count down to work out a realistic weight loss program and when to expect to hot those goals.

    To date I've exceeded all my mini-goals thus far and have reassessed my goals for 2012.

    I think it's good to have stages or mini-goals to work towards, especially if you've a lot of weight to lose (like me) because 100lbs is a lot to lose and takes a long time and if you've nothing to look forward to in the interim it can be disheartening.
  • monicaroozo
    monicaroozo Posts: 200
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    Mini goals have helped me keep motivated over the past few months. But I usually extend them once they are within a few pounds in reach. The ticker will always show your progress from your original weight though which is also a nice encouragement.
  • anfmusicgrl
    anfmusicgrl Posts: 63 Member
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    Mini-goals are awesome, however, placing a time on it, not so awesome.

    For instance... my overall loss to be "ideal" from my starting weight 6 months ago would have been 133 lbs! If I was just going off that...I'd still be like, eh, I'm almost halfway there!

    Instead, I make goals, so that I can celebrate all that I've accomplished, as they come.

    So my first goal was to get to 250 - celebrate!!
    Next goal was lose 50 lbs - got to celebrate again just 7 lbs after hitting 250!
    My next goal is to hit 225 - Hoping to celebrate that in a month!
    200 is a big goal of mine...well 199.9, - would be a victory!
    Then from there, on to my final goals.....

    Thing is, stuff might slow down eventually, I know that...in the mean time...I can feel like I'm working to more "attainable" goals. When they don't feel so daunting...it's refreshing...doesn't feel like an uphill battle.

    I had set originally a goal of 225 by my 10 year high school reunion. I then said, screw that, I'm not gonna put a number or date on that..I'll just be happy to be healthier and thinner by then. Now, if I keep my momentum, I'll blow that out of the water. I'm only 11lbs away from that goal!

    If you like instant gratification, then, yes, mini-goals are cool! Dates could be potential let downs.. (sometimes our bodies don't lose at the rate we have tried for despite exercise and calorie deficits) So, just use weights, or sizes, or inches, or whatever floats your boat be mini-goals! It's fun, and gives you something to look forward to and feel proud of yourself more often!
  • Frozenmango
    Frozenmango Posts: 207 Member
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    I think mini-goals are particularly effective when you have a larger number of pounds to lose. IMO, it's hard to visualize losing 50, 60 and so on pounds sometimes because the number seems so huge. So setting smaller goals like 5 lbs in one month are much easier to believe and to achieve. That sense of acheivement is what keep some people going.

    But as mentioned above, it really comes down to your personality type. I know some people who are fine with longer term goals and are just determined to hit it no matter what. Others, like myself, are a bit more instant gratification-like and do much better when they have small victories to keep motivated. :)
  • skinnybiotch75
    skinnybiotch75 Posts: 2
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    I set mini-goals for myself. I want to lose about 90 lbs total and to think of that number would freak me out! I set my mini goals for milestones like fitting back into a pair of jeans, having a certain jacket fitting all the way across my body without me having to button it up lol.

    I also set mini-goals for pounds lost too. But I never say "by such and such a date I'll lose 10lbs" I use to do that and when it didn't happen it would make me a tad bit upset.

    I also like to reward myself when I hit a mini-goal too - and not with food. For example I found a really cute summer straw hat I want to buy, but I won't allow myself to get it until I drop 10lbs - that doesn't work for everyone, but it's extra motivation for me.
  • the_other_kitkat
    the_other_kitkat Posts: 31
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    Date based mini goals don't help me. I lose pretty slowly and I'm already working at it as hard as I can for the long haul. However, I do enjoy hitting mini milestones. A while ago when I was feeling kind of stuck I made a list of every kind of weight milestone I could think of. 5 and 10 pound milestones were obvious, as was crossing the BMI barrier from overweight to normal. Then, even though I'm in the US, I did the math to see how many pounds I would be at 5 kg milestones, and then I did the same for British stones. I then added in BMI points, and even though I'm not asian I added the healthy BMI point they use in Japan/Singapore/Hong Kong. Yes, I have a bit of a geeky side. :laugh: In any case, it's kept me amused and gives me something to look forward to every couple of pounds. In my text file I just make a note of the date I first hit them.
  • rebelontherun
    rebelontherun Posts: 192 Member
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    Mini goals have helped me. Especially because I tend to lose weight and then gain some back, and it's sort of a never ending cycle. But by making mini goals for myself, such as for this month my goal is to lose between 5-7 pounds, it helps me see that i'm making more progress than I would see if I were just to say I have 30 pounds to lose eventually. It's sort of like a mini challenge for myself.

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