Goals...

I got this in my morning email and thought it was so worth sharing. I totally agree with her. *huggles* Felicia =0) ------------------------------------------------------------ http://believenewsletter.com/ Goals You've Got To Reach Your Goals! Part 1 by Suzanne Foster Suzanne had a Lap-Band procedure performed in January 2006. As both pre- and post-op WLS patients, goals are important. Once properly set in place, goals become the best assistance in not only achieving but maintaining a higher level of expectation for your life. Successful goal achievement can also provide one special thing: a boost to your self-esteem! There is no better feeling than when your dreams become a reality. Goal setting is a daunting task for most, though it can be easy if you take the right steps: 1) DETERMINE - Determine what you REALLY want. Be specific. 2) OUTLINE - Outline what you want to accomplish...on paper! This will help you hold yourself accountable. Think of it as a contract with yourself. 3) TIME - Take time to ponder why you want this particular outcome. Is it for your health? Someone significant in your life? Your Family? Or is it for you? 4) SET - Set a deadline to reach your desired goal. Be realistic. Don't set expectations that you know will be impossible. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day either! This is especially helpful for those of us with health issues. Having a "finish line" will guide you further into making your dream a reality. 5) STRATEGY - Strategize your course of action. Make a list of what steps you need to take in order to achieve your desired weight/fitness level. 6) ACKNOWLEDGE - Remember to acknowledge each passing step and milestone throughout your journey. Don't forget to celebrate your successes! What the goal is isn't as important as the fact that you are making the goal. Your goal can be as simple as setting aside 10 minutes a day to reflect on your food intake or as big as making your weekly meals in advance and freezing them for easy use. Regardless of the size of your goal, I highly suggest finding a tracking method that works for you. For food tracking, there are several excellent Web sites out there. One of the most popular sites is FitDay. Or, if you're up to it, take a moment to create a spreadsheet that will count and track progress as each day passes. Remember that reaching for "The Big One" all at once isn't always the best way to go. Breaking your goals into smaller, more manageable "bites" is a great way to section out your targeted weight loss into attainable realities - one baby step at a time! You will still reach your desired result but you also get the added bonus of several "mini" successes, which help to keep you motivated and on track with "The Big One."

I believe it is my mini-goals that have gotten me to where I am. Dave hasn't set any goals and has lost some momentum. He had his 6 month checkup yesterday and was down 77 lbs. That is great, but I don't think he has lost anything in the past month or two. I was determined to loss 100 pounds by my 6 month checkup...and I DID!!! He didn't even set a final goal. The surgeon did tell him yesterday that he needs to lose another 25-30 pounds, so atleast he has a goal in mind. The whole time I have said "by my 6 mos I want to lose this" "by Memorial Day I want to weigh this". I may not have met every goal, but darn it I was close and have done pretty well. I totally believe that goals are good for your success. You have done an amazing job with all of your goals. Thanks for sharing. hugs, Tabby

I am a super lazy person at heart lol so if I don't set goals, milestones, "reason" whatever one wants to call them to get to a certain point I will get myself off track. I weigh every day. Not because "I have to know the number" but because if I skip it I tend to get lazy in my focus. I like setting goals. Its fun to reach them no matter when they get reached. I am like you also... I may not meet them every time but thats not the point of the goals for me. Its setting a point to reach for in the first place. I also like to keep track of milestones. Hard to know where we are going if we aren't sure where we have been and why we were there. Great reminder for me to never get back into the habits I had before. I track everything ( as you all know lolol ) but I LOVE sitting and reading where I have been. Its inspiring. Glad you liked it! *huggles* Felicia =0)