Setting small goals for little victories along the way

Hey everyone!

I've been working my way through this journey by setting small goals around milestones so that I can have a little series of victories along the way. It's how I keep motivated.  It allows me to incrementally work towards the ultimate victory of reaching goal weight and optimum health.  And I won't sweat it if I miss the arbitrary deadlines I set up. Heck, I'm already behind on my first one!  The deadlines are just a motivator.  

I'm sure most of us relish those little milestones along the way.  Do you set goals/timeframes for reaching them? What are your "mini-goals"?

Mine are:

1. To no longer be "morbidly obese"  by 60 days out - Close! I'm 62 days out and one pound away from being plain ol' obese!!

2. To walk 3 miles on the treadmill (painlessly) by the end of August.

3. To either be half-way to goal (204) or to reach Onederland by the time we go to Disney World in mid-September.

4. To work up to running (instead of walking) a mile by Halloween.

5. To not have to buy a plus-size Halloween costume.

6. To be 2/3 of the way to goal by Thanksgiving.

7. To be down 100lbs by Christmas.

8. To rock a sexy black dress on New Year's Eve.

9. To be running 3 miles (however slowly) by the end of the year.

Funny, I was just chatting with someone about setting smaller goals so that I don't obsess on my final goal weight.  I just reached my first goal of getting under 300 lbs.  Next, I want to be under 250 by Nov. 1st.

In addition to your goals, and you rewarding yourself?  Yes, the goals in and of themselves are rewards, but sometimes we need something tangible - a new pair of earrings, a manicure, a visit with an old friend, you get the idea.
I've set weight goals @ 25 pound increments - helps me not get lost in the big scheme of things.  I also have a running goal and will run (with my kids) in a 5K this fall - success is completing the 5K, not in how long it takes me to get there.

Good for you for running a 5k this fall!  That is my eventual goal for 2012 - to run in the big 5k race they have here in Atlanta every 4th of July.  That is why I have those running goals on my list. I am working up to it. ;)  I figure if I can get myself doing the 3 miles by the end of the year, I can spend the 6 months before the race in 2012 improving my time.

As for tangible rewards...haven't thought about them, really. There really isn't anything I want.  Life is good, I guess.

 Hi Jenny:

It is great that you are setting small goals.  It gives you something to look forward too.  I sometimes think that when we reach our goal, we some how get lost because we have nothing else to work for weight wise.  I think sometimes we eat extra to gain some weight just so we have a goal to get back too.  I guess it keeps us honest.  You are doing really great.  Keep up the good work.

Tess

 Hello Jenny, 

I just wrote something similar to a new OH teammate b/c this is the same method I use. I tell and told myself ..."5 lbs lost a month is better than no weight lost at all. Having any WLS is one of the greatest opportunities mankind could have invented. I thank God for the opportunity to see any  number of pounds disappear without a meaningless struggle. 

i think its a great idea! i have small goals but didnt really pick deadlines....
for ex: when i reach -100 i 'm going to get a massage
and i try to focus on daily goals for my protien and liquids and exercise. i feel successsful if i do them whether i see a weight loss or not.

and to me is is extremely rewarding to get rid of clothes and get smaller sizes!