Bill Phillips calls it crossing the abyss and turning your dreams into substantial goals. But as some one else mentioned there are plans of action which in themselves are mini-goals to make it there.
The other thing that has occured to me as of late is that this process is continous. My goal for today may be different than 6 months from now.
I refuse to give up. I may slip and slide along the way, I will have set backs. These things are transitory. I am in no hurry. I have time, and if my life were to end today it would end with progress. I have continued to change and grow. Perfection is an illusion, I can only measure my progress.
I am the warrior, my biggest foe myself. For now there is a peace treaty on the table, but I am strong enough to stand in battle as needed. I recognize the signs of an impending battle. Some battles may be lost, but the war is mine!
A couple of people have mentioned the click factor. And I think it's happened to me too. This hasn't been like a diet, I feel like I'm really changing my life. That being said, I try not to set any hard goals for myself--every pound I lose is a pleasant surprise. I have no need to be a skinny little thing, I just needed to change my life and stop hiding behind my fat. At this point, I've really gained an understanding of the 12-steppers' One Day At a Time motto. That's how this is for me.
So I'm thinking that if I don't believe I will get to goal...I never will. I guess it's called stinkin thinking. I am trying to reevaluate and come up with a plan. I need to find some outside motivating factors.
I do believe that I will get to goal, I was close about 7+ years ago. I would kill to be back there again. There was always something stopping me.
Now that I've had my son, I realize that I need to be healthy both for me and for him. He's 14 months, so I can't exactly say that it's still baby fat.
I've made up my mind that I want to be at goal by his next next birthday March 30th. It gives me some time to get there. It's a struggle everyday, but it definately is "One Day at a Time".
Sandi, I felt like you did for so long. I needed something that was beyond me. It turned up in the form of my 14 year old daughter looking in the mirror and saying "Mom, I'm so FAT, I hate myself!" I felt crushed. I woke up one morning very shortly after that and realized I was no longer going to live the way I had been, nor would my children.
This is not an overnight thing... Like Peekaboo said, this is...
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the first time I'm not rushing at breakneak speed and half-starving myself in a desperate attempt to get as much weight off as possible...
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Well, I have met my first goal - that was to live a healthier lifestyle regarding food choices, water and exercise.
And I've watched my children change their attitudes and perspectives. They LIKE fish and brown rice now. They happily drink water instead of juice or soda. They are excited for me as I get into better shape and am less fat. And they want to join me in being strong and fit. That is a HUGE reward for me. As I've seen said by so many people on this site, this is not a diet, this is my LIFE. And yes, I will achieve my goal. Whatever that is as I lose weight. Right now it's 135, but I'm not sure I'll be happy with that. I may be much happier at a more muscular 145. I don't know, but I'm going to have fun finding out!
good question, Sandi! I don't know what my goal is yet. I'm setting mini goals for now. My next one is to get under 217, which is what I weighed before getting pregnant. I was under that right after Matthew was born, but that was due to severe anxiety from post partum depression. I went from 234 on the day he was born down to 206 in about ten days from the horrible anxiety..not a recommended way to lose weight! After starting medication, I just kept gaining up to 256. I'm now down to 222.
After 217, I want to see under 208, which was what I think was my weight when I got married. After that, under 200....I'm not sure where after that.
I don't know what to set as a goal. When I was in college freshman /sophmore year, I weighed around 155, and thought I was fat then...now it's sounding like a good goal weight. I'd love to get to 145, but I think I'd have to starve myself to get back there. I didn't exercise back then, so I think 155 with a well toned body will look better than a flabby, out of shape 145.
I think of everyday as a goal. Sometimes we see a final goal and it seems so daunting and discouraging when things aren't going as well as we hoped. As lots of people have mentioned, it is just taking things one day at a time and making lifestyle changes that are permanent.
I just got back from a trip to the Bahamas with my friend Julie. She recently has been losing weight and is down about 30 pounds. She mentioned that her "goal" was to eventually get down to 180 (she is about 210 now). She said that she knows she will always be a big girl but that she would be happy to maintain around that weight.
I've been thinking lately about my final "goal" waist size of 34. Julie said that because I am tall, that this was unreasonable. She said maybe a 38 would be best. I have no idea, I guess when I get down to that size I will see how I feel and look.
BTW, the vacation was too quick! The beaches were great and I did lots of swimming (and have a nice tan too boot). In other news, the scale that I ordered has arrived, but I wasn't home to sign for it. Maybe it will be left at my door tonight (i left a note, hopefully they will leave it). I'm a little nervous to find out what I really weigh.
Great to have you back! Whatever the scale says, just remember that you've come so far and you're doing so great, so don't let a number scare you or throw you off track. Keep up the great work!
BTW, remember we're waiting for those vacation pix!!
I wish I could emphatically say "Yes!", but I'd be lying. I've been considered overweight for most of my life and have yo-yoed up and down the scales so much that I'm not even sure what a realistic goal weight is for me. I'm hoping that I can make it to between 135 and 145 (145 is the most I can weigh and still have a normal BMI). My dietician's goal for me is 175 (and I'm not even confident that I'll make that goal -- I haven't weighed that low in almost a decade!). So who knows where I'll end up?
I know I will reach my goal weight, I am so confident and I have the motivation to get there. I'm not sure how long it will take, and the least I've ever weighed since I was 16 is 203, which I was a few months ago. I felt so good and so confident at that weight, I just want to be there again.
Yes, I believe I will this time! And if you had asked me this 6 months ago, I would have been forced to say no, considering where I was mentally. The strength to believe that I can comes from many places, One in particular, but the day to day living it is also a goal like Matt said.
Every day we spend OP is one step closer to our dearest, most heartfelt goals for ourselves. Every good day shortens the distance between where we are and where we want to be.
We all need anchors to hold us in place on the long journey. Something individual to each of us, that grabs us to the core and makes the connection, or the "clicking" happen.
Everyone, keep struggling! Keep confident! Carpe Diem! This is part of life, it is OUR lives that we are fighting for!
Will I make goal?
