Robin pulled up last year's thread, which reminds me that it's time to start thinking about 2008.

Even if you're not a resolutioner, what would you like to achieve or avoid in 2008? What needs work, what's working great, what would you really like to change? When it's December 31, 2008, where would you like to be as you reflect on the past year?

There are lots of things I'd like to change or work on (paying off debt, becoming a better teacher, doing more writing), but in this thread I'm just going to focus on my weight and fitness. I just read the 2007 thread and it was so nice to see that some people met their goals and maintained their fitness levels throughout the year. 2007 was such a wonderful year for me, a life-changing year, and I just hope that 2008 is a continuation of the new life I've started for myself.

My goals for 2008:
*Reach a weight of 145 and maintain it. This means losing 15-20 pounds from where I am now.
*Run a full marathon. Yep, the whole 26.2. I should be ready for it before the end of 2008.
*Run at least two half marathons.
*Run a 10k in less than an hour.
*Run a 5k in 25 minutes or less.
*Continue to share my love of running with other people and inspire them to start their own running program (this is becoming a VERY important thing for me).

In the 2007 thread, Allison reflected on her accomplishments in 2006 and I think I'd like to do that here, too before laying out my goals for 2008.

In 2007 I:

* STOPPED the creeping weight regain and LOST about 20lb
* really changed my attitude towards food and exercise in a way that is much more likely to be permanent than it was when I first lost 40lb in 2005.
* started my first "real job" and have been doing a decent job of it
* made reasonable but not spectacular progress on my dissertation
* made lots of new friends and had lots of fun

In 2008 I will:

* Finish and defend my dissertation (the most important thing of all)
* Quit smoking
* Maintain my weight while finishing my diss and quitting smoking
* Make specific progress with lifting weights and running and remain committed to being active and healthy (pull ups! I want to do pull ups!)
* Continue to keep an emphasis on healthy, local, seasonal foods


Dream Goals (that will probably overlap with 2009)

* find a full-time, tenure-track academic job or at least a good visiting position
* get an article (or two) published

Well, phooey! As Baff mentioned, I did post my 2006 accomplishments in the other post as well as list my "to do" list. I accomplished 2 of the 3 on my to do list and traded one for another:

Okay, so I RESOLVED to lose the weight but instead I maintained the loss. I can't really complain about that, but this year I really need to lose these last 10 pounds. I hope that getting DH to join the gym will help in this matter.

Even though I'm not a maintainer who has lost ALL excess weight, as Meg has pointed out to so many others, I AM maintaining a loss (of 40 pounds as of this writing). I'm posting in this thread to have it in black-and-white and so I can come back in 12 months to assess my progress.

I'll follow the examples of Allison and Baffled and reflect on 2007: I started my lifestyle change in early March, when I weighed 196. I managed to lose 40pounds and to have a completely different mindset where food is concerned. Most of the time, it's just fuel but when it's more than that, I remind myself that just a bite or 2 can be satisfying.

For 2008, I hope to continue this lifestyle/mindset and get to a point where I'm no longer losing but "just" maintaining. I know there's a goal mentioned in my ticker but that's mostly to have something there so I can see the little chick move closer to the right side of the ticker. My actual goal is to get to a healthy weight, whatever that might be. Wherever the weight loss stops, I'll be happy.

Good Morning Maintainers,

Here goes.....

2007 goals (from thread)

-Drop the last 10 and maintain under 140! (not accomplished- infact gained a few more )
-Be regular with my exercise routine. (did very well on this front - avg 3x week
-Stop bringing home trigger foods. (failed to do so - hmmm could explain the extra gain)
-Relax and enjoy life. (excelling here)

2008 goals

-Seriously - reverse this creeping weight gain!
-Land somewhere in the low 140's and MAINTAIN!
-Keep up with the exercise - add in a weights routine.
-Keep running - maybe a half marathon in 08? or at least a 10K
-Keep enjoying life
-Feel super accomplished reading this again in 09!!!

-S

Mary~ congrats on your loss and best of luck with the rest! Stick around in maintainers! You'll get some good tips for keeping off those 40 pounds.

Sznn~seems like you and I are constantly on that rollercoaster! I'm up a bit more than I'm comfortable with and right now I'm trying to get back down to ticker weight. From there, I HAVE to get these last few pounds off.

I wasn't a member back in January 2007. I had several new year's resolutions, but my biggest one was just to lose weight. At the time, I had no idea exactly how much I weighed and the delusional idea that I only put on 20-30 pounds. When I faced reality and stepped on a scale, I actually denied the number and dismissed it with, "This can't be right. I'm not THAT big. I've never weighed this much in my life. It's wrong." Finally, on May 31, 2007, I decided to do something about it.

Other resolutions I had:

-Be more successful in business. I definitely didn't accomplish that; 2007 was **** for my company and I had to get a day job. So, I have a better business plan for 2008 along with several new ideas and ventures. I blamed all this on stress... and then ate to compensate... and then said I couldn't REALLY advertise my services with confidence until I lost weight.

-Get back into entertainment... or at least be in a band again. I said I couldn't do this until I lost weight because I thought those extra pounds made me too ugly to be in the spotlight. Now, I have a photo shoot in January and am trying to get a band together, though my biggest goal is to be successful in the fitness industry.

My other 2008 goal (besides what I mentioned and the continuation of unfinished 2007 goals) is just to have nice abs and to not gain back any of my weight!

Thanks, Allison! I will definitely be sticking around, even tho I don't post much. I check into 3FC several times a day for motivation, inspiration, suggestions, etc. I doubt I'd be successful if not for 3FC. In fact, continuing to read posts here at least every other day is part of my plan for 2008.

I don't post much, tho. A bit shy, I guess. I like to think that if we were all at a gathering, I'd be the one "drinking in" the conversations going on all around me. Thanks again!

This is what I wrote for 2007 .... After last year with it's financial difficulties, the wedding, moving .... I see 2007 as a smoother course, a more settled time.
I've been thinking a lot about Anne's post ... thinking on how I define myself ... thinking that I'm not really a loser any more ... but more like a fitness finetuner.
I'm still concerned about what kind of example I present, because I'd like other people get to this point. I want other 40-somethings to know that you can be a calm, happy, slender, healthy wife/momma.
So I guess my goals for 2007 are practice and presentation ... and a weight ceiling of 129 lbs

It's kind of hard to judge some of that. This year was smoother sailing from a life's bumps perspective, with only the new full-time job as a time challenge.
Without hauling out all my records, I think the heaviest I've been is about 134. I don't think there's anything in my closet that is flabby dependent.

So for 2008 ... steadier still. Make this job work in my life instead of trying to form a life around it (and my self pity about being tired). And help my family be healthier and positively influence my friends and coworkers.

Before my DH's diagnosis in May I don't believe I knew what was really important. My goals for 2008 is simply to be the best support for him and our daughter that I can. I need to work on my last 20 pds or so as well. I would really like to get that accomplished this year. Continue my exercise...continue yoga practice...become more confident in myself and figure out what career would be best for me to pursue...

Y'know, I saw Robin's post on the 2007 thread, and she's (once again!) inspired me.

I want to come back here in December 2008 and see that I've done it. In January 2007 I had set all these lofty goals, including to reach goal by the end of the year, without really thinking about the how and the why. So instead of losing 49lbs this year, I lost 13lbs. I'm happy with my 13, but I want the other 36lbs gone too! Now I've done some thinking and planning and talking, and I know 2008 can and will be a better year.

So in 2008 I will:
- understand that I can't control everything, but also step up to control the things I do have power over
- follow the Best Life Diet, especially the part about increasing physical activity
- not beat myself up if I falter along the way, but instead take the time to think about why and how I erred, and figure out how to avoid it in the future
- come to 3FC often to give and receive support, share motivations, and remind myself that it is doable
- reach my weight goal (160)
- reach my fitness goals, like hiking the Grouse Grind and running a 5K.

So sorry to pop into Maintainers when I'm not quite there yet, but reading all your plans and goals have inspired me to put this on paper (the screen?) and have a reference to be accountable to.

2007 has been a rough year for me, but I'll cut myself some slack. I think I did great, considering.

2008 is likely to be a chaotic year as well, with the new baby in June. So I have more aspirations, rather than actual goals, with goals being measurable.

So my aspirations are:

• Eat as well (healthy) as possible, and not worry so much about weight itself until June.
• Barring complications, walk most days during my second trimester, and at least the first half of my third.
• Continue to offer DD healthy food, but not worry too much if all she 'eats' one day is chocolate milk.
• After the baby comes in June, start walking as soon as possible and ease back into running when medically ready to do so.
• Breastfeed for at least 3 months, trying for longer.
• Pay attention to fatigue levels and sleep when needed (and possible) to help manage weight and keep life sane.
• Actively manage weight again (guessing weight loss will be needed) when cleared to do so (~6 weeks post-partum), in a sensible and gradual way.
• Run a 5K by end of 2008.

These are just my weight management and fitness goals. I will obviously have to strive to find a new balance in my family and with work as well.

Anne

Those are great goals for a woman about to be the mother of two little ones Anne!

I too am not putting number to my goals but here's what I want:

- to reduce my weight enough that I have a lower A1C test next time (way too close to having diabetes for comfort last time), and along with this

- to eat "clean" most days

- to continue to keep my gym routine and be very cardio-fit for hiking in Grand Canyon in April

- to continue to improve in the weight-lifting area (I know this is too vague)

- to get enough sleep, and not neglect the eating/exercise when work/life get stressful (considering my promotion is to a waaaay more stressful position)

Find back my peace of mind.

Seriously.

At this point, I don't have definite goals of "I want to lose/weight X lbs" anymore. All I want is to stop feeling like I'm on the verge of developing an eating disorder (which I don't understand AT ALL, since I've been doing that healthy eating stuff the, er, healthy way, without deprivation, silly fad diets etc...). And somehow, I feel that as long as I'm in this warped state of mind regarding food, there's no goal I can assign to myself that will hold for long enough to be worth it.

But I'm working on it. So the end of 2007 is already being put to use for that. I want to come back here in one year and be able to think "See, my mind is free again". That's all.