Looking for Help with Goalsetting

[Kilyra]

Let me know if there's a better spot for this - I really wasn't sure

 

I want to jump into the next 6 week challenge, so for the last few days, I've been trying to figure out my goals. My main quest is to maintain my weight loss (I've officially checked in at an 87.2lbs weight loss). Everyone around me has the "good for you, you did it!" attitude, but I feel like I'm only halfway there. Losing it was one thing, keeping it off is a whole other challenge, and one that I've failed at repeatedly.

 

SO, with my main quest being maintain my new weight, the two goals I have are:

 

1) Use my new, hard earned nutrition knowledge to find a balance with food, and make sure I'm within a 5lbs range of my new weight at the end of each week. I can make this measurable by having a this be a 6 point category and I lose a point each time I'm out of range I guess? Unless someone can think of a better idea! 

 

2) Go to aquafit classes minimum 2 times a week. I can do a 12 point system, losing a point for each class I miss. I would like to do 3 times a week when I can, so I might have a side bar for bonus when I hit 3 classes a week. I'd like to track how often I can actually do that and the next challenge, 3 might be the bare minimum?

 

3) ?

 

My entire loss this year was working with a professional and it was centered around my food with very little around the fitness side. I'm not looking to change my body shape right now and I don't want to try and bite off more than I can chew (especially because I've tried that in the past - to pilates 4x a week, and jogging 3, etc -  and it's part of my failure pattern). I had been thinking of walking home from work at least twice a week, which is 30 min, but once the weather turns, I know I'll drop it instantly so I don't want to try and depend on that...It's leaving me pretty stumped on what would be a reasonable 3rd goal, that I can measure, that would help my main quest.

 

Anyone out there with ideas? 

[jfreaksho]

I like your idea of walking, but it doesn't have to be home from work.  Since you are still in the habit-building phase, how about 10-15 minutes, four times a week?  It is less about the walking and more about the act of putting on your shoes and going outside; building that habit of doing exercise, regardless of how long or hard it is.  Just committing to the act will build a foundation that you can expand upon slowly over time.  You can increase time and intensity later, but for now you need the habit.

[originalpiratematerial]

I started my fitness journey by walking part of the way TO work, taking public transport the rest of the way. Might that be an option for you? Perhaps easier to stick with when the evenings start drawing in?

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[originalpiratematerial]

Btw, I've also just joined and am trying to formulate my goals also [emoji3]

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[Raincloak]

this professional you're working with, did s/he teach you to cook?  Or just tell you what to eat/not eat?

[Kilyra]

Yay thanks for the thoughts guys!!

 

I like your idea of walking, but it doesn't have to be home from work.  Since you are still in the habit-building phase, how about 10-15 minutes, four times a week?  It is less about the walking and more about the act of putting on your shoes and going outside; building that habit of doing exercise, regardless of how long or hard it is.  Just committing to the act will build a foundation that you can expand upon slowly over time.  You can increase time and intensity later, but for now you need the habit.

 

 

I started my fitness journey by walking part of the way TO work, taking public transport the rest of the way. Might that be an option for you? Perhaps easier to stick with when the evenings start drawing in?
 

 

Right now I am walking home from work at least a couple times a week. Well, actually, I'm doing more like you are Originalpiratematerial - I take transit to a certain point and then walk home the rest of the way. It's about 30 min and uphill although surprisingly mild of a jaunt all things considered. A huge part of sticking with something for me is if I can make it convenient enough that it's hard for me to make excuses against - and walking home means I don't get home first then try to find the oomph to leave. So far it's working quite well, I've been managing 3 or 4 times a on average. The only reason I was hesitating on making this part of my challenge is I live along the west coast in Canada and our rainy season could hit any time. I don't know how dedicated I'll be when I'm in my rainboots (that are kind of hard on my feet) and having to slosh my way home. 

 

But it did occur to me, that when that weather hits - during the challenge or not - maybe I could do a fall back plan. Like if the weather isn't cooperating, then I have to do 15 min in the stairwell of my apartment building instead? Don't drop the walking, just substitute it. 

 

 

 

 

this professional you're working with, did s/he teach you to cook?  Or just tell you what to eat/not eat?

 

No cooking lessons for me - I'm as terrible at it now as I was before! It was just a plan of what I could/couldn't eat. Actually I went through a few weeks of cutting out everything but certain meat, veggies, and fruit, then slowly add things back in for a few weeks. Then repeat. I had some food sensitivities to figure out which was part of the process so a lot of permanent changes to the way I eat have been made.

[originalpiratematerial]

Look forward to joining you for the next challenge, anyway.

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[Kilyra]

Me too! Looks like there'll be a few of us in the recruits challenge  

[bim]

Just one quick comment here... You don't have to have three goals in a challenge. The two you've identified would be fine. 15 minutes a day in the stairwell (or anywhere else) is a good goal to consider, though.

On goal #1, is there something more process-related that you can measure? Do you have a calorie target or a specific eating plan you can track your compliance with?

[Kilyra]

Oh, thanks! I thought there was a rule of 3 for some reason - still figuring things out. Hopefully, I'll make better sense of things when the next challenge is gearing up

 

Yeah, with the food thing, I'm not sure how to best set my goal to be honest. The whole point for me to is to learn a new relationship with food in general rather than just following a plan like I have been for the last year and a half. I have a pretty good idea of what I can and can't eat (almonds, cashews, and dairy are not my pals), and my general way of eating is pretty much aligned with paleo. (Not strictly though, I have no sensitivities with grains or lentils).

 

Basically, I don't want to get the idea in my head that "Ack, I ate a candy bar. I failed!". On the other hand, it's a problem if I eat so poorly that I end up retaining a ton of water and bumping my weight up.

 

Calorie in take was never something I focused on in the last year, but maybe I could figure out what my current range is and make my goal more centered around that? hmmm

[bim]

You might get some good ideas from checking out other people's challenge threads. I've seen some people set goals like, 80% of my daily/weekly food intake (usually measured by calories) will be "clean" (however they define that), and some just set goals of keeping a food log or "eating mindfully" (quantifying "mindful eating" is kinda hard, though). My challenge includes cooking ahead because I wanted to cut back on eating out, so I give myself a point for every day I eat a homemade lunch or dinner. Someone else set a goal of trying a new recipe every week.

[Kilyra]

Thanks for the ideas Bim! I spent a good chunk of time today going through other's goals for some ideas. I do like the 80/20 rule. I mean, I don't just like it, but it's how I want to live my life. As long as the majority of the time I'm eating clean, and as long as the 20% doesn't mess up my weight (ie, if my 20% contained a ton of dairy, like ice cream, I'd be screwed), that's the sort of balance I want to strike in my life.

 

Thanks again

[honeybadger]

Hi Kilra,

Great job with the weight loss! That is no easy feat. It sounds like you have a really solid foundation set with walking home 3-4 times a week. My suggestion is to build on what you have already, mainly because it is working. You might consider incorporating your "rainy-day" workout one of those days before the seasons change. This way you can work it into the healthy habit you have already formed and transition when the weather works against you. It would also give you time to figure out the best substitute workout and how to address some of the obstacles (losing motivation once home, etc.) I absolutely struggle with going home and then exercising. I have learned that I need to go to the gym on my way home or it won't happen. Hope this helps. Good luck!