My super pitiful (but achievable!!!) list of goals... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

mkendrick · 10-09-2011, 07:01 PM

Some of you may remember me...so hello to all the old friends

...and to the new chicks, also hello!

Back in Fall of 09, so two years ago, I started my weight loss journey. I lost about 55lbs and maintained that loss for several months. This was a rough summer for me, and I've gained about 10lbs and lost ALL of my motivation it seems. For some frustrating reason, I'm having a ridiculously hard time getting back on track. I know that I am in control of what goes into my mouth, but it still seems like I'm wildly out of control. And I'm sick of it, I'm tired of saying "I'll be good tomorrow."

Anyways, I think part of my problem is that I've tripped, stumbled, and keep slipping when I try to get back up. Like trying to get back up after falling on ice. I've lost my confidence in my own willpower. So to get a foothold on some solid ground again, I'm going to make some incredibly easy goals for myself. Little wimpy laughable goals, but goals that I can achieve. If I learned anything from the weight loss process, it's that success is addictive. I need to get that momentum of success back.

So here are a few of my silly little goals.

- Make at least 10 posts on 3FC every single day. I have been absent from 3FC because I've been off plan, simple as that. I dread even looking at 3FC when I feel guilty. But when I'm actively posting and staying involved in the weight loss community, weight loss stays high on my interest list.

- Write a journal entry on weight/food reflections every day. Kind of similar to my 3FC posting, but I want to physically write in a journal. I set aside a notebook today, and want to set aside 5-10 min everyday on writing.

- Not eating a single stinking cookie out of the cookie tin in the break room at work. This is so lame, but that cookie tin has been my worst enemy. I just want to go one afternoon without any cookies. ONE afternoon. Not the whole week, at least one afternoon. I would consider my life a success if I went one day without any cookies from that stupid cookie tin, lol.

- Be able to go to bed for at least ONE night this week being completely content and proud of myself for staying on plan for a whole day. At least ONE whole day.

- Refuse and resist one of my problem foods (mostly sweets). I want to remember how it feels to say "No thanks." Or to simply resist and ignore junky foods. I'm not swearing off candy or cookies for the rest of my life or anything, but my goal is to resist it at least once this week.

These are just a few of my goals. They're silly and small, but seriously, it's all I feel like I can handle right now. I just want to succeed at SOMEthing right now to get my confidence back. I want to be proud of myself for meeting a goal. So my goals are wimpy for now.

lin43 · 10-09-2011, 07:08 PM

Good for you! Just the fact that you have a plan is a big step. Those little behaviors build your confidence, and before you know it, you'll be back in control. Like you, I really hate the out-of-control feeling---that feeling of not trusting myself.

Good luck to you, and let us know how it goes!

FitGirlyGirl · 10-09-2011, 07:13 PM

Welcome back! I think you've got a pretty decent set of goals there. Good luck!

Lovely · 10-09-2011, 07:17 PM

I disagree! Those goals are not small or pitiful. They are PERFECTLY sized!

They're very achievable, and anything that helps you get back on track is a great goal to have

You can do it!

mkendrick · 10-09-2011, 07:21 PM

Thanks you guys

I've been falling into that HORRIBLE habit of saying "I'll start tomorrow" or "I'll get back on plan on Monday." And every time I say that, I start off with these great big goals of losing my stupid stubborn 5lbs in 3 weeks or staying on plan for a whole week. Since I'm quite frankly out of practice with the whole on plan thing, I get frustrated and as soon as I fail, I say "well, I'll start tomorrow...or maybe on Monday." Endless cycle of starting over with big plans, slipping up, and calling the whole dang thing a failure.

I NEED little goals right now.

mj5 · 10-09-2011, 07:26 PM

Welcome back! Your goals are not silly or pitiful. They are specific and attainable, so perfect! You can do this!!!

bargoo · 10-09-2011, 07:31 PM

Welcome back, I have been wondering about you.

Martina · 10-09-2011, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovely

I disagree! Those goals are not small or pitiful. They are PERFECTLY sized!

They're very achievable, and anything that helps you get back on track is a great goal to have

You can do it!

Exactly this ^^^^

I too do the same as you-- when I get off track, I stay away from 3FC. So I think in honor of you I'll make it my goal to come back every day. I'm accountable when I do that. BUT I love your goals!! And welcome back!!

April Snow · 10-09-2011, 08:40 PM

welcome back!! Coming back to 3fc and getting back on track with a great plan is fantastic - esp. because while it's not great to gain, you are turning things around when it's only 10 lbs. You KNOW you got this!

mkendrick · 10-09-2011, 08:45 PM

Thanks for the encouragement, you guys!!! I really do love this place. It's so silly, when I'm being stupid and off plan, I *dread* clicking on the 3FC bookmark shortcut, lol. I just feel so guilty.

And April Snow, I actually don't know that I got this, hehe...that's why I need some little confidence boosters to convince myself, lol.

Sunshine73 · 10-09-2011, 11:44 PM

Welcome back!!

I think your goals are perfect because they're sensible, completely do-able and put together they will help you get back to where you want to be!

Unna · 10-10-2011, 04:16 AM

I really like the idea of more specific, smaller goals of the day.

Maybe we should all start a thread?

My goals for the week:

1. continue to avoid too many cups of coffee today (causes insulin spikes and false hunger)

2. take a few minutes every few hours or so to remind myself why I'm doing this (to keep focused)

indiblue · 10-10-2011, 06:25 AM

I remember you of course, welcome back

I think your goals make a lot of sense- they are action-driven, not results-driven. In other words, instead of saying "I will lose 1 lb this week!" it's "I will avoid the cookies" "I will sign on to 3FC" etc... all actions you can do and measure in order to reach your ultimate objective.

Good luck! We are all here for you

mkendrick · 10-10-2011, 08:58 AM

Thanks so much, you guys!!! I like goals. I like them because I can turn one big goal that seems overwhelming into lots of smaller goals. More smaller goals = more things to celebrate and feel proud of. When I was going from 180+ to 125, my goal was to always just lose the next 10lbs. Sometimes I'd reach that goal in a month, sometimes two months, but it just never seemed all that hard to me. The losing part of the journey has by far been the easiest. But these days, my goal has been to lose these extra 5lbs for oh, about three or four months! And that's not because I'm just losing slowly at a smaller size, it's because I go wildly off plan practically everyday, lol.

My point being "lose 5lbs" isn't a good goal for me right now. I even tried "stay on plan for a whole week," and when I slipped up, I decided the whole thing was a failure and gave up. I should absolutely expect more than that from myself, but I also want to set myself up for success, not failure and frustration. So I decided to make a list of very specific and very achievable goals. Even "staying on plan" is kind of subjective, but I can concretely count how many 3FC posts I make in one day, and every minute I spend on here does a world of good for keeping me on plan. This is post number one for the day, I'll have nine more to go.

So far I feel good. I started my journaling last night. When I started, I thought I'd have to force myself to write some rubbish for 5-10 minutes just to do it. But once I got the first few sentences down, I was spewing thoughts into my little journal for about 30 minutes. I enjoy writing, and I'm surprised I haven't ever tried writing in a physical journal before, it was very therapeutic. What I wrote was very raw and private...kind of digging out my deep dark thoughts that I don't even let myself think about too often. I was trying really hard to identify the feelings and thought processes that takes place when I'm faced with the option of resisting food or choosing to go off plan.

I also wrote out a little list of very achievable goals for today. 10 more posts on 3FC, NO cookies from the cookie tin for just this one day (at least), and absolutely eat under 1600cal (when I'm in cruise control on plan, I can comfortable eat at 1200-1400cal daily...1600cal is pretty easy for me).

IF I achieve all three of those goals today, then I'm giving myself $20 for the NCF (New Clothing Fund). I'm keeping track of my NCF in my journal. When I reach my goal of 129.9, I'll spend the NCF. $20 seems like a lot for my little goals, but like I said...I'm building back my confidence. I'm going to celebrate the little wins big time. And I won't give myself $20 everyday (like I could afford it!), but I needed a big concrete reward to look forward to to get over the "starting over" hump.

MindiV · 10-10-2011, 10:30 AM

Of course I remember you! I was MIA for a little bit, myself. Little goals are great! You sound a lot like me...I started having a "creep" at the beginning of the year, then was trying to figure out the cause. I was still working out...still counting calories....then BAM things changed (see ticker!). Not worried so much about maintenance anymore, these days...just staying healthy!