Goals That Won't Mean A Damn Thing To You
Let me restate: I am approaching this weight-loss thing THIS year in a sort-of new way. I am not devoting post after post, day after day, hour after hour to discussing, dissecting, and detailing my revolutionary new way of thinking/acting/behaving/eating. Because every time I have done that, I have failed.
This time, there is nothing revolutionary. No "ah-ha." Just a sense that I am ready, willing, and able...so why not go with it?
I'm starting with a two-week goal. Namely, for two weeks, I'm avoiding carbs and booze. (I am not sure what I'm planning to do after these two weeks are up, but I'll worry about that later.)
The good news is that after five days, I've lost five pounds. The bad news is that I gained that much over the holidays, so rather than my clothes feeling a little loose, they simply no longer feel a little tight. HUGE ENORMOUS SIGH I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH MYSELF SIGH SIGH.
But this got me thinking. What ARE my goals? I mean, if I am actually going to lose all this stupid weight, what are my realistic milestones?
Don't laugh at me, but here's what they are:
- Lose holiday weight. (-5 lbs from starting weight)
- Get to the weight I got to when I was taking swim classes after Eve was born. (-10 lbs from starting weight)
- Fit into pants my sister got me for Christmas. (I can get them on now, but they don't "fit". Could I wear them out? Yes. Would I have a giant red indentation along my waistline for several hours afterwards? Also yes.) (-? lbs)
- Get to the weight I got to when I was doing South Beach the last time, when I started this blog and was dating TheBoy. (-22 lbs from starting weight)
- Get into the "ass-pirational" jeans I might have bought in a swim-class-weight-loss bout of excitement.
- Get to the weight I got to when I lost all the weight (after I ballooned because I sort of broke my foot and couldn't MOVE for six weeks and could barely walk for three months). (-27 lbs)
And finally... - Get to the weight I was when I arrived in San Francisco, post-divorce-induced diet/workout. (-40 lbs)
- Get to that magic number I almost got to before moving to San Francisco, but didn't, even post-marriage. (-50 lbs)
Oh, there'll still be plenty of weight to lose AFTER #8, but these are my for-now, this-year, enough-is-enough numbers. Whatever you may think, they are grounded in reality. Sadly.
Here goes!
Your goals are so human, all insider and context. I hate impersonal numbers, but your goals actually have personality.
ReplyDeleteGo you! I know you can do it! I desperately want to lose some as well - losing my job and then working from home this year has put 10 pounds on my 4'10" body :( I'd love to lose about 15 in all. You are an inspiration! Five pounds lost in five days, my goodness! I wish I could do that. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah for you! I have much to loose but I've been ambivilent for too long. Not really motivated. Your goals inspire me. Maybe I'll follow (quietly) along with you and make my own goals. Thanks for posting. I appreciate your honesty and "realness" (is that a word?- oh well).
ReplyDeleteI encourage you to not tie yourself to a number. If your goals have more to do with positive things that are definitely possible (example: exercise 3 times a week, eat at least 2 servings of veggies a day) it is easier to achieve your goals and keep achieving them.
ReplyDeleteYou lied. In your headline, that is.
ReplyDeleteYour goals mean to me that I'm not alone in this year's attempt, which also feels different from years past.
It seems less angst-ridden. Less fraught with peril at every little bump in the road.
It seems more managable, and therefore more doable.
And I take great comfort in knowing that another smart, engaged wife, mother, writer, ambitious woman is along for the ride. However vicariously it may be.
Good luck, IIF. I'm rooting for both of us.
Kristy, I have to agree with Bethany about having goals that are tied to something other than strictly. Not to prosthelytize, but I finally got unstuck from my patterns when I started using the Livestrong app for the iPhone. I find that it keeps me honest, I have updated a lot of my assumptions about certain choices (when I thought I knew a fair amount about nutrition), and I love the instant feedback. It really helps you analyze your results, but it does take discipline to faithfully log everything you eat. If mobile apps are not your thing, I once used the excellent database and similar application online from www.calorieking.com. The latter has communities, forums, etc. for support if that's your thing.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck and we'll be rooting for you!
I agree with everyone who has said you're being inspirational. I too am trying to take some positive steps this year in terms of the massive amounts of weight I need to lose.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about your hard work to lose it, because you're a very real, tangible writer. You like wine and sometimes wear sweatpants and have a kid and like cooking and going out with your friends and family and don't have a personal trainer and meals from the Zone delivered to your door! I can relate to your story.
Looking forward to reading it - I think that it's going to be helpful as I try to stay motivated :)
We were just talking this weekend about the importance of goals. Giving yourself dates when you'll check in again is also good-so a 2 week goal is great to reassess your path.
ReplyDeleteUm. OK. I have not added anything of value by this comment. Just wanted to let you know I support you and that as crazy and frustrating as it is, each time you get back on the horse is a time you're closer to having it stick.
Coming from someone who is a personal trainer, I think the way you're going about it is the very best way. To have realistic, short term goals is a much better idea then to try to do everything at once or try to reach a huge landmark right off that bat. That only sets yourself up for a sense of failure and disappointment. Plus, I've always believed that the only time you fail is when you stop trying so good for you! I'll be cheering you on!
ReplyDeleteShort-term goals always worked best for me too, Kristy. That's what I'm trying to do (again) this year!
ReplyDeleteSo, I wish you the best of luck (wish me luck too, okay?).
Looking forward to your updates!
You lost FIVE POUNDS in five days? Holy crap. Good for you. It sounds like you're going about it with a good attitude.
ReplyDeleteCheering for you in Phoenix! My fitness goals for the year are to run a 5K after completing the Couch to 5K program, and complete the 200 Squats and 100 Pushups programs. Would love to have sculpted arms and an ass 2 inches higher! : )
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you! Your goals made complete sense, and incremental, short-term goals are realistic and attainable. Yours just happen to also be funny as hell. I found it absolutely freeing to not have an actual weight-loss goal the last time I started Weight Watchers in Oct. '09 (yes, I'm a four-times starter). I just wanted to lose whatever I could until I would be comfortable being pregnant again, since I wanted a third (!?!?!?) child. Unlike losing weight for, say, my wedding day, I really got into it this time, rather than feeling like it was a freaking job. This was just for me - not some enormous dress or class reunion. And it was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI lost 24 pounds -- and then found out, a few weeks ago on Christmas day, no less, that I had to quit WW AGAIN because I was already, in fact, pregnant... Which was not planned... Which kind of sucked, because I was starting to look good, and even started to project how much more I'd lose by March. Damn it! Oh well, silly baby, you just couldn't wait. It's only a nine-month hiccup. God, I hope!
Look at it this way, if you wish to lose 50 pounds in one year, you only need to lose 0.13 pounds per day. That's not even one pound per week.
ReplyDeleteAt two pounds per week, you'll lose 50 pounds in 6 months!
You can do eet!
FF, that is totally inspiring!
ReplyDeleteHey Kristy, I've also gained 40 lbs since I moved to San Francisco, so I'm on this journey with you. The idea of several smaller goals is great, because you will constantly be accomplishing something. Keep kicking butt!
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! (spoken in that annoying Rob Schneider accent from Waterboy)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, my only goal is to look good in a bikini for my honeymoon. Only 52 days left to go! After I accomplish that, I'm just going to sit around and look at all of the pictures of me looking good in my bikini. ;)
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