The Power of Goal Setting

Without goals we are like a ship in the middle of the sea, just drifting away with no sense of direction. It just goes with the flow, so to speak, and if it ever gets anywhere it is just by mere accident. In order to achieve success in our WLS journeys, our goal should be clearly defined and engrained in our brains. Otherwise, like the boat on the example above, if you get anywhere it will be by mere chance.

Have you ever noticed that some people go to the gym year after year and they always look the same? I have approached people like that and asked them about their goals. Nine out of ten times they don't have a clear definition of what they want. Therefore, if you don't know where your target is, how can you hope to shoot at it and get it?

Now, the problem with some goals is they look too far away. Well, every long trip starts with the first step, therefore, now I want you to write your short term goals. Short term goals should be analyzed every 4 weeks.
By adding smaller short term goals, you will get to your long term goals in due time. When you write down your goals, be positive and have no doubt in your mind that you can achieve them. This is crucial! So go ahead and right now write your short term goals. Do it in the following format:

Write Down Your Goals (some examples....)

For the next 4 weeks, I will:

1. Lose ______ pounds

2. Weigh ______ pounds

3. Walk my first mile without stopping

4. Complete my first 10 mile bike ride

5. Run a quarter mile without stopping

6. Do 20 pushups

7. and so on......
 
Once you have all of those goals written down, write down what ACTIONS will you take for the next 4 weeks to get there. For instance:

Action Plan (put them on the fridge) 

• I will wake up to exercise and do cardio first thing in the morning three times a week.
• I will eat 6 balanced meals a day (1 every three hours)  
• I will do 3 weight training sessions a week.
• I will get 8 hours of sleep (7 minimum) every day.
• I will drink 1 gallon of water a day.
• I will only have 1 cheat meal a week.
• I will eat 100 grams of protein each day
• I will eat no more than 1000 calories per day
• I will limit my fat to 50 grams per day, half of which are good fats
• So on and so forth 

Also, if you want to, take pictures of how you currently look (be sure to also document, current measurements, bodyweight, body fat, etc...). This is a great way to stay motivated as when you look at your pictures from now, and then you look at pictures of yourself a year later, you will see a huge difference!

Now that you have written all of this down, it is time to get to your actions. If you follow your action plan religiously and you miss your goals by a bit, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! You should have seen progress anyway (here is where pictures really pay off; get a digital camera) and this is what we are shooting for; constant progress as this is what will get us to the goals we want.

If you missed the mark due to the fact that you did not follow your action plan to the letter, don't punish yourself for it. Just set your new goals and be more determined in following your action plan so that you get there this time.

If you mess up your plan for a day, don't drop the whole thing and quit! I see this very often! If you encounter one of those days, just recover the following day by starting the plan again.

Now that you have goals, go ahead and put your plan into action so that you can go ahead and achieve them.

tweaked from an article written by Hugo Rivera, About.com's Bodybuilding Guide and ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer 

 

Could someone give me an example of a daily meal plan that provides 100 grams of protein, no more than 50 grams of fat with a total of no more than 1000 calories?

Here's the foundation for getting in the protein, no fat portion of such  a plan. A couple of these babies each day along with some turkey or chicken breast, salad w/ no fat dressing, some fresh fruit with low fat yogurt and you be home free.

Soy protein isolate, potassium type Serving Size: 50 g

Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis: Serving Size    g oz (28.3 g each) oz (28.35 g each)

To calculate Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis nutrition information and calories for a different serving size of Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis, enter the value in the box above and press 'rescale'.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 50 g Amount per Serving Calories 160.5 Calories from Fat 0 % Daily Value *    Total Fat  0.0 g 0%   Saturated Fat  0.0 g 0%   Trans Fat  -   Cholesterol  0.0 mg 0%   Sodium  25.0 mg 1%   Total Carbohydrate  1.0 g 0%   Dietary Fiber  1.0 g 4%   Sugars   0.0 g   Protein  44.0 g 9% Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 9% Iron 39% Thiamin 0% Riboflavin 0% Niacin 3% Vitamin B6 0% Folate 22% Phosphorus 39% Zinc 13% Magnesium 5% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. DietandFitnessToday.com   Nutrition Summary Positive Facts: This serving of Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis is a good source of Iron, Phosphorus, Copper, Manganese and Total Folate. Negative Facts: There are no significant negative factors associated with this serving of Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis. Please note the percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. The US Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) has a slightly different recommendation which can be accessed from our recommended dietary allowance calculator. To estimate your calories burned and determine whether a 2,000 calorie diet is appropriate, we have a calories burned calculator which can calculate your total daily and weekly calories burned.

Hey Boner, Thanks for the response. Where does one purchase Soy protein isolate, potassium type? And is it mixed with water and made into a shake or is it consumed some other way? You may be the Boner, but I'm being the Bone-head here. doug

Here ya go.....mix it with water if you want to minimize calories or if you can stand the taste. Otherwise, throw it in coffee, skim milk, etc. YUMMY

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Item: 47432    Section: Nutritional Soy Isolate 90% Protein 44 pounds Protein Supplement Bland Flavor 2 Tbsp serving size has 20 grams protein, 80 calories, 1 gram fat, 240 mg sodium. Contains only Soy Protein Isolate. Suggested Retail Price:  $289.87 Amount of Gross Profit:   $89.86 Wholesale Cost only ... $200.01 ... order $75 to Ship Free to (48 states)   Back   Shipping   View Order