Goal Setting

I think that setting realistic goals for yourself is extremely important. It has really helped me to get where I am today. I have a little bit of a competetive side, so when I set goals I look at it as a challenge to reach them.

It is really important to make sure the goals you set are realistic. At first, I thought it would take me 2 years to let go of all the weight that I wanted to let go of. I think that is pretty reasonable considering I had 133 lbs that I wanted to shed. That would mean letting go of 66.5 lbs in a year which is approximately 1.3 lbs a week which is reasonable and realistic.

With those goals being set, I knew that I was going to have to work really hard to reach them. But a few weeks into my training, I realized that I was letting go of my weight at an average of 3.5 lbs per week, which is more than I expected. At first I was not sure if I would be able to keep letting go of weight at that rate so I didn't want to change my goals just yet. After about 2 months I knew that I had to readjust my goals. So I had set a goal of having 100 lbs off by Sept 11 and to be at my goal weight by my 36th birthday on Dec 13th. I had also set some goals along the way because I needed to know if I was on track or if I needed to work harder in order to reach my goals.

Coming up to Sept 11th, it looked like I was not going to reach the 100 lb mark, and I didn't. It was the first goal that I had set that I didn't reach. I got a little down on myself which made that goal of 100 lbs harder to reach. I reached that goal on Friday, Oct 1st.

Lately, I have been struggling a little bit with the scale. I have been working hard but it is not showing in the scale, until the last few days. I think that I have been putting on muscle because my clothes are getting looser and I feel smaller but it is just not reflecting in the scale. I have decided that that is OK. I am reach my goal weight no matter what.

I think what I need to do is reset my goals. The last goals that I have set for myself has me at my goal weight by my birthday. I know now that that is not realistic. It is less than 2 months away and I have 30 lbs to go. Yeah, I weighed myself this morning and I am exactly 230.0 lbs! Whoop, Whoop! I have only 30 lbs to go so it is a great time to set some new goals.

I have 30 lbs to go and I feel that I can let go of about 2 lbs per week (I would be really happy with that). So that means that it will take 15 weeks for me to get to my goal weight. 15 weeks brings me to Feb 4th. So here are my long term goals and some short term goals:

I will be at my goal weight of 200 lbs on Feb 4th, 2011.
I will weigh 214 lbs by my birthday Dec 13th, 2010.
I will weigh 222 lbs by Nov 19th, 2010.

I feel it is important to also say that weight loss goals don't have to be a number on the scale. They can be body measurements. Sometimes we are getting smaller in the waistine but it is not shown on the scale. I will have to meet with Todd to set my measurement goals.

So those are letting go of weight goals. I think that it is important to also have fitness goals (at least it is important for me). One of my goals in letting go of weight is to be more fit. I love it that I am feeling stronger in mind and body and I want to keep this going well after the weight comes off.

Here are some of my fitness goals:
1) Run a 5 k in under 36 mins. There is a run in December where I am going to achieve this goal.
2) Compete in a sprint trithalon. In December I am going to start training to compete in a sprint trithalon this summer. I am waiting for the dates to be announced to pick which one I am going to do. I am hoping I will be off for the Port Hood trithalon.
3) Compete in a 10 k run next summer.

Here is one that I am not really sure of yet, I am still thinking about it. It is going to be a HUGE commitment of time and finances so I am not sure when I will do it or even if I will do it. I want to complete my other fitness goals before I decide for sure if I will do this one. It is to compete in a Fitness Competition. Joey's cousin Brian has mentioned it to me a few weeks ago and I just can't get it out of my mind. I have been looking at women in magazines who have competed in fitness competitions and I want to be as fit as they are. I admire them and the hard work and dedication that they have put into their bodies and I would love to have the experience of competing in one. So I am saying that in April 2012 I MAY compete in a fitness competition.

One thing that has helped me in achieving many goals that I have set for myself is that I envision myself achieving my goal and then I do what I need to do to make my vision reality.

What goals have you set for yourself?
Think about them, and write them down. They can be weight loss goals, fitness goals, financial goals, career goals or family oriented goals. The important thing is that you set goals for yourself so that you can grow into the person that you want to be. If you don't know where you are headed, how are you ever going to get there.

Listen to that voice inside you

that says you can accomplish anything.

Trust that feeling that tells you

you can acheive all that you hope for.

Believe that everything you want

is waiting for you.

Hold on to the knowledge that

nothing is impossible.

Remember that each person

who has ever achieved a goal

started out with only a dream.

-Jason Blume