When you have 100+ pounds to lose...

This morning I posted my current stats and discussed my long-term goals (yes reaching that special number of at least 174 on the scale). But, i am so far from reaching that goal. It could be years! Weight doesn't magically disappear and thinking of having to lose more than 100 lbs is overwhelming. It is probably one of the reasons why I've never been able to stick with it before. Instead of thinking of such a large goal (one that quite frankly seems impossible at times), I need to stay motivated, have a series of little goals and celebrate them each along the way.

I've recently started reading the book "Finally Thin" by Kim Bensen. it was recommended at my last meeting and so I am not even half-way through it, but I wish I had read it sooner. The author, (you can visit her website here),  lost a total of 212 lbs...212 LBS!!! Yes, not a typo, she lost a person, an overweight person at that! As luck would have it, I got to her discussion of goal setting during my lunch break today. Here is what she recommends:

The SIMPLE Goal Setting Plan-

Specific

In writing

Possible

Limited in time

Enticing

She notes that it is important to put all your goals in writing because "goals that aren't in writing are just dreams or hopes for the future. But once you put them to paper they become a contract, a binding agreement with yourself." For us here in the blog world we are doing just that! I am writing this all down and accountable to myself, but by putting it all out here I am even more accountable. Makes me want even more to follow through on my personal promises.

Also, I recognize that I fall for a goal setting trap that is discussed and I do it over and over (lol I even posted one this morning!) and that trap is telling myself I will lose x pounds in x days. Apparently those goals do not typically work long-term, from personal experience one hasn't worked for me yet. Instead goals (according to "Finally Thin") should be limited in time, but it is different from I originally was thinking. Instead of x pounds in x days a good goal would be to run on the treadmill 3 times a week.

The last part of her goal setting tips really made me laugh to myself. She says to make your goals "enticing." Yes, that means give yourself a reward for achieving your goals. Funny enough she notes that you need to make sure that your goals are not counterproductive. The example she uses is not to reward yourself for losing 10 lbs by eating an a whole pizza.  Her example is what made me laugh because I am totally a counterproductive goal setter! This time around I rejoined weight watchers with  my younger sister and we told each other that when we reached our 5% goals we would get a slice each of cheesecake from the cheesecake Factory (we have issues, huh?). We said it would be a reward for eating so good and would come out of our 49 extra points for the week. And when we reached our 5% goals that is what we did. That was several weeks ago now and now I have been on a plateau of sorts (at only 18 lbs lost) and why I am seriously reevaluating my plan. Especially when my sister who joined at the same time has lost almost 50 lbs. In fact, my sister just told me the other day that she was going to get that piece of cheesecake to reward herself for her loss. Now she is doing an amazing job, as evidenced by her weight loss, and maybe she is the exception and not the rule for this example, but I will be showing her the goal chapter and I am interested in her thoughts.

Ok, now that I have reviewed and thought about some goal making tips, I've though of some of my own. I only started with some very simple ones off the top of my head so I'm starting small.

"If you always do what you did, you'll always get what you got."

So here they are:

• Drink less Diet Coke! Really, I have an addiction...it is bad. Yes, it is delicious and 0 calories, but it is packed with sodium and that is probably part of my problem. The sodium makes you retain water. So I need to replace my Diet Coke with water.


• Use my elliptical for at least 20 minutes/3x a week. Yes, you know that elliptical QVC convinced my to purchase 2 years ago. Sure I used it in the beginning and even probably lost some weight, but since then it has been a glorified coat rack! So it is back to the main floor of the house in an open area where it can be used so no more excuses, it is time to get some more exercise!


• Track everything...everyday! I can't be adding it together in my head. I need to write it all down and make sure that I am always staying within my points so I don't forget that snack I grabbed in the middle of the afternoon. Plus, if I have a good week I will have a better idea of what foods work for me.


• This month I will try new recipes. I am more of a picky eater and it is time I found more healthy options of the foods I enjoy to avoid ordering out when I'm tired and nothing sounds good. I need to learn a pizza recipe that is good to eat and low in calories, for example.


• Attend a weight watchers meeting each Sunday and weigh in, even if I think I've gained weight.

Ok, so that is my short, simple list off the top of my head. I need to think of some non counterproductive rewards. The big reward at the moment is to go on a nice vacation with my sister the summer of 2014, but I have some thinking to do to determine what would most entice me to stay motivated for all the little goals along the way.

Have you thought of any goals? What rewards will you give yourself?