botoepfer

this is a general mind set question, having so much to loose I thought for me , my goals have to be realistic , measurable and atainable, this is not new!, so I am looking at my journey in small steps/ blocks of weight gone, so at having 185# to loose should I make my goals TEN steps of 18.5 or EIGHTTEEN steps of 10?? please post up, this is very important to me !

Thanks

frenchhen3

Welcome! Personally, I've done what works best for me, and that has been that the first hurdle, made a highly attainable goal. Then the second hurdle, also highly attainable, something I KNEW I could do... the secret for me was I needed to learn how to be my own best cheerleader, because no one was going to cheer lead for me, and no one was going to do any of the rest for me. I've tried to lose weight in the past with unrealistic goals and time limits on when I should attain the goal by... and I personally found that didn't work for me. So my goals have no "end date" they are just weight goals.

bojibridge

I second what frenchhen said - the most important thing for me has been to not set myself up for failure by setting goals that have strict time limits or too-high amounts. That being said, it's important to have some kind of mini goals in mind, just to keep yourself going. I don't know that it's really that important if you do 10 mini goals or 18 mini goals. However, I do find it motivating when I see a new second digit on the scale - you know, 190 to 180. Something about that flip in number makes it seem all the more real. So, I guess if I had to pick one, I'd say 18 goals of 10 lbs.

botoepfer

I agree with both of you and thank you for your time responding. I think for me this weight loss journey is training for the life I want to have rather than the mistakes I have made thus far!, I too find comfort in the accomplishment of seeing the scale # change, or a garment that one did not fit and now is quite loosly fitting or even a compliment of "you look nice"

I also feel as our jobs here on earth is ti help others and what a better place than here,,

Again thank you both !

Bo

wildbeanerz

I feel it is very important to have something to look forward to. I rarely set goals but I reward myself along the way when I reach certain milestones. I have a long term goal right now to reach 200 by Christmas (actually 12/28). That is just under 40lbs away. This is the first real goal that I have actually set though in the 16 months that I have been at this. I am most motivated by clothing sizes it seems so I use new clothes as rewards. I try to only buy them every other size though because that way they can be worn from tight to too loose before spending money on more. If you do prefer the weight goals though I would probably go for the goals of 18lbs. That way you aren't always looking for the same number on the scale (280, 270, 260, etc) You could always be looking forward to something different (280, 262, 244, etc).

Haha! Sorry for rambling on...

clarkslp

Another approach is to set your goal on behavior and not results. This worked well for me. For example, to start set a goal for average calories per day while avoiding added sugars and processed foods along with x minutes of exercise. As weeks go by start adding in more details like a daily goals for protein/carbs/fiber/fat, etc. And add goals for weight training and/or more intense cardio.

By doing this the results should come, and if not it is time to reassess your goals. The nice thing about this is whether or not you meet your goals is totally in your control, while someone setting goals to weight loss may fail to meet these goals through no fault of there own when the scale doesn't give the number they were shooting for. (which can happen for all sorts of reasons).

If you do go with weight goals, keep in mind that the weight loss at the beginning is going to be much faster then later on, so while it may only take a week to lose the first 5-10 pounds, it might take months to lose that last 5-10 pounds.

RunbikeSki

Great suggestion Clark - somewhat akin to what April was suggesting. The ultimate goal is to change the behavior that got us fat in the first place, not necessarily to keep our eyes glued to some resulting measurement.

BTW Awesome job on losing the pounds and keeping them off!

botoepfer

just what I was looking for, I must sadly admit I am a vetran looser, having lost near 80# 3 time in my live,and all obviously have been epic failure!, Failure in the sence of not keeping it off, on one of my last Diets I remember thinking yeah ! here I am now I can eat!.. guess what!,, here I am back. so this time I am pissed !, back with a mind set of ready to battle this disease!!, ready to make the lifestyle changes and as you might have guessed, yesterday I had a bad day, I had to deal with a subject that the old me would have went and ate!, but I did not!, along with that mini "win" I hit the scale this morning and I have lost a total of 19 lbs making this my first BLOCK of 18.5 other goals that I have noticed are increased mobility, less pain in my knees and ankles,, much less pulminary adema, and my dang pants are falling off, I am wearing a web style belt so I can cinch it up, but the pants are very soon gone, hahaha

Thank you all!

bojibridge

Congratulations! Meeting the first goal is such an awesome feeling, and uber motivating, too!

wildbeanerz

Congrats on meeting that first goal! Even more congrats on taking life in stride yesterday instead of resorting to eating. You can do this. You have a great mind set.