I know you've been thinking about them, I know I have! New Year’s Resolution time is upon us and I thought we should create an exercise for accountability. I learned this exercise a long time ago and I think it’s awesome. Of course, you don’t have to follow it if you don’t want to.

Step 1: State your goal.
It must be realistic and quantifiable. For example, “I want to be healthier,” is admirable but not a goal. “I will lower my blood pressure, my pants size and my stress level.” is a goal because it’s measurable.

Step 2: Five Actions
See, you thought you were getting off easy! But now you have to list three things you will do in the next 2 months. These need to be actions with reactions. Actual things you will do in the next 2 months to begin to accomplish your goal and why it will help you accomplish your goal. For example, “I will make my lunch and bring it to work (that’s the action) so that I will not be tempted to have something unhealthy instead (reaction).”

Now, the idea is that in two months, you can revisit this and add new actions or determine what actions didn’t work so you can re-plan.

Here's something you can cut and paste so we can see your goal:

State your goal:
Five Actions:

1. (action)
2. (action)
3. (action)
4. (action)
5. (action)

You first, GJ!

Last year on January 1, my DH, DSD, and I wrote down three goals we wanted to accomplish for the year, then we sealed them up in an envelope. We're planning on revisiting them on January 1, and writing three more for 2007. So I've been thinking about it, but haven't formulated any goals (don't like the resolution word--reminds me of all my diet failures of years past) yet.

State your goal: Lose 50 pounds/fit into nice looking clothes. (I'm 19, I have to have some vanity involved)

Five Actions:
STICK to LAWL
Go to the gym 5-7 a week
Once school starts actually GO to class and do my work
Get in all of my food for the day, no more or less
Be more of a positive person

I'm in

I want to lose a minimum of 50lb in 2007.

I will:

Track everything I eat
Exercise at least 5 days out of 7
Not beat myself up when I do slip up
Make sure I get my 5+ per day for fruit and veggies
Drink at least 1.5L water every day

State your goal:Lose 20 pounds by the end of August (that's when I start my freshman year of college).
Five Actions:

1. do turbo jam AT LEAST 4 times a week
2. drink at least 7 cups of water a day
3. take my vitamins every day
4. eat no more than 1,200 calories per day, preferably no more than 1,000
5. eat "away from home" food only 1 time a week

State your goal: Enter Onederland by July 1, 2007.

Five Actions:

1. drink water, water and more water
2. go to gym a minimum of 4 days a week
3. take more pride in my appearance
4. not spend money on clothes on every new size (i telecommute so why bother?)
5. celebrate each ounce lost as if it was a pound...a loss is a loss!


Man, I love this board!

I want to maintain my weight at 142-147 lbs.

I will:
1. continue my low carb eating with adding only extra fruit
2. exercise at least 30 min's , 4 x a week
3. drink at least 48 ounces of water a day
4. weigh myself every week
5. limit eating out to once a week

My Goal: To reach a weight of 165 and maintain it (I'm not going to put a date here -- I plan to reach it by August but I'm fine with it taking longer).

5 Actions:
1. Continue staying within my WW point range every day to control my caloric intake.
2. Continue doing a cardio workout a minimum of 5 days per week, with a focus on becoming a better runner (another goal: complete a 5k this year).
3. Begin a schedule of strength training and flexibility (yoga, possibly) at least 2 days per week.
4. Include more whole foods in my diet so that I'm not only losing weight but also becoming healthier in general - the plan is to focus on getting my 5 fruits/vegetables per day so that I have a quantifiable goal.
5. Increase my water intake to a minimum of 64 ounces per day (up from 48). That's about as far as I can go without leaving my classroom to pee all day, which just doesn't work!!

Beyond these five actions, I think something I'll obviously have to do is just remain positive even when the scale doesn't move the way I want it to, and to remember that these are big changes I'm making and I have to be patient while my body catches up.

Good luck with your goals, everyone!!

Goal: Still be eating as healthy as I am today, letting the results be what they are going to be and be okay with that. And exercise regularly, darn it!

Actions:
1) Continue weighing and measuring my food
2) Try new vegetables and fruits I've never tried (brussel sprouts 12/29-ick!)
3) Find replacements for processed foods
4) Get some exercise everyday, even if it's just walking
5) Introduce strength training into my weekly routine a few times a week

294.8 on December 20, 2006

Goal: To reach my goal weight of 130 pounds and to continue to be healthy and maintain that weight once I get there.

Actions:
1.) Eat more whole foods with lots of fruits and veggies
2.) Drink lots of water and limit my diet sodas to 2 a week.
3.) Continue to walk/run everyday (hopefully I will be a runner by the end of the year.)
4.) Stay positive when I don't see the scale move
5.) Stay strong when I go out with my friends. I'm turning 21 in about a month :S

Over in the maintainance forum they pulled up their resolution/goal thread from last year. It would be interesting if we do the same thing, so that in a year's time we can see how we did with our goals. I'm going to state my weight and date for the record - 218 pounds on December 20, 2006,

My main goal is to get somewhere in the 120's on or before my 44th birthday, November 12, 2007. I don't know exactly what number I'd like to be having not been there for 2 decades. So I'll kinda see how it goes as I get closer.

My actions and goals are kind of intertwined and are as follows.

1 - I would like to remain eating healthy foods in normal-sized portions, with the occasional treat in extremely small portions
2- I would like to see my activity level steadily increasing, so that by the time 2008 rolls around there is nothing that I won't try. Before 2007 is over I would like to be an active member of a gym, doing strength training and cardio.
3- I want my healthy eating to be a totally and completely natural thing for me, therefore allowing me to STOP OBSESSING about it. I would love to go a day without thinking about food, for once in my life.
4- I would really like to eventually get down to weighing myself just once a week. And if the results were not to my liking, deal with it in a sensible manner, not freak out, and then make whatever adjustments were needed. Once I get to goal, I never, ever want to be more then 3 or 4 pounds past it.
5- I would like to be able to bake cookies and family favorites for my family once again and have friends and family over for meals again. I can't do this right now because I will definitely overeat. At least I think I would. I want to know that I can do these things once again without blowing my "diet".

I wish us all good luck in obtaining our goals. Maybe we could bring the thread back up again every 3 months or so and see how we're doing.

You guys are doing great! Some fantastic resolutions out there! Keep it going!

Shelia - I'm working on it. Meditating on it. Promise I'll post soon.

This is such a wonderful idea - THANKS!!!


State your goal: To lose at least 60 pounds by May and to be able to participate in a road race with my husband this summer.

Five Actions:
(action) I will continue to be a non-smoker
(action) I will continue eating within my plan and drinking within my plan
(action) I will keep up with my cardio/aerobic training twice a week and work-up to jogging by February
(action) I will continue lifting weights 3 times a week
(action) I will start doing yoga at least twice a week

I was wondering when someone would start this thread - lol.

Although I am NOT in the mood to feel positive & make goals I know that is just because I am sick & gained 2lbs - how totally unfair!!!

Anyway, my goal for 2007 is to reach my goal weight range of 155-170 by year's end.
1. Drink 2 nalgene bottles of water daily.
2. Try to keep the car parked whenever possible and walk to do my business (I am not working so there is no reason for me not to do the 30min walk to herbal magic or 15min walk to the grocery store). Plus this will help the environment and our bank accounts.
3. Continue with my workout plan changing up the actual weight routine every 6-8 weeks to keep my muscles guessing.
4. Continue with herbal magic and the healthy eating plan they have laid out. But I will bring this one step further and try to purchase foods from local and organic sources whenever possible.
5. Continue with my anti-depressants and sleep plan to keep the depression under control so that all the rest is possible.

Good luck everyone in 2007!