Let's Talk About Goals

I know most people, when they set out to lose weight, will create goals for themselves. A lot of the time, this is a goal weight. I admit, I was one of these people as well. I would set a goal weight, workout for maybe a month, get discouraged because I wasn't seeing results as quick as I felt I should and so I would quit and go back to my old ways. I've been reading over my blog since I first started and wow, was I ever negative! So very hard on myself, no wonder I quit so many times!! I have no one else to blame but myself for that. I knew what I needed to do, I knew I needed to do it and it wouldn't be easy. That's why, when I finally buckled down to do this, I decided that it would be better for me to set smaller goals. I know I've written about it before so please bear with me for the repetitive nature (if you haven't had to struggle with your weight, it might be harder to realize that weight loss is repetitive). I first set my goal at 100lbs. Now this is very realistic, it can be done and in fact, many many people do lose that much and than some. But it's hard for sure.

When weight loss doesn't happen overnight (and let's face it, it doesn't), it can be quite discouraging. Also, when you've done things a certain way for so long, it is very hard to change. It's also just as hard to stick with the change. Many times, I would "fall off the wagon". That would lead to more discouragement and negative thoughts and I would give up. It's a never ending vicious cycle and it's a damn hard one to break. It took me a really long time to stop beating myself up over slips and just shake them off as it were. This is were I decided to change my goals. Ultimately yes, I would like to lose 100lbs. But I found that it was much easier to set small ones, 10lbs or 20lbs. In my mind, those seemed more doable than the big numbers. Since I wasn't focusing so much on that big number, it didn't seem so hard or impossible. I'm already halfway there. Will I get there? I may. I have since changed my goals. I no longer have a set number in my head (I know some of you may disagree with that). I have a set size. Right now, I would like to be a 16. I can fit into a 16 but it's a bit snug. Whatever the scale says at that size, I don't really care anymore. It's not who I am and it never will be. But this is my goal and I am so close! It's 10 sizes less than I was a year and a half ago. I can do it!