Underpants-gathering Queen of Vagueness needs some help with goals!

[RevQu]

I have been meaning to join here and post for soooo long, and keep getting mired down in details and plan refining and generally dicking around instead of just getting it done.

 

So, I decided to stop doing that and just see if you guys can help me stop spinning and just find some forward momentum, lol.

 

I'm having some trouble making specific, MEASURABLE goals. Basically I'm 5 foot 6 and about 145lbs, which isn't technically 'overweight' but is quite heavy for my small frame. And I feel like crap physically, which is my main motivator.

 

I've been up and down in the weight and health department for over a decade (making babies, mobility issues, health problems, crappy eating vs clean eating, blah blah). I've been from 110lbs and a size 00 (too skinny) to 190lbs and crazy unhealthy. I've never lost (or gained) weight intentionally, so I kinda suck at this.

 

It was always an (accidentally) improved activity level, or better food choices due to health. I know I'm capable of losing fat, just SUCK SO BAD at doing it on purpose!

 

This is kind of rambling, isn't it. This is why I keep not posting!

 

Let me try to cliff notes my situation.

 

WHERE IM AT:

 

-Overweight (for me; mostly in the belly area)

-Feel like crap (mentally and physically) - super tired, low energy, blah

-Lifetime carb junkie

-Underpants-gathering, wishy-washy, 'I'd rather keep doing research to determine the PERFECT plan than just DO SOMETHING' girl

-my fitness tracker says I average about 5000 steps a day doing zero 'on purpose' exercise

 

WHERE I WANT TO BE:

 

-higher energy levels

-increase endurance and strength

-lose the fat

-(my super secret, fantasy wish is to be able to wear a bikini this summer)

 

MY (KINDA VAGUE, NEED SOME HELP) PLAN:

 

-drink more water (I am terrible about letting myself get dehydrated so will aim for 8 glasses a day)

 

-eat better (this is soooo pathetically vague, isn't it?!). Basically, I have never counted calories before and am just getting the hang of it. I'm aiming for around 1400/day, but my priority for the time being is quality of calories because I've been feeling so crappy. So REAL food, protein at every meal, vegetables at every meal, little to no sugar, and I'm ditching bread and all its delicious relatives

 

Take omega 3 and vitamin D supplements

 

Beginner body weight workout 3 times per week

 

20-30 minute walk daily (this usually puts me around the 9000 step point, which is still lame but a major step up

 

MY PROBLEM:

 

What's my goal, people?! How do I measure progress? I want to look good and feel good. That's vague and not measurable.

 

My scale means nothing. I've been a size zero at 110 lbs and at 125 lbs.

 

I can do measurements for progress but don't know what my goal is there (cause I've never done it before! Lol)

 

I don't know how to measure body fat.

 

I have lost about 6 lbs and a couple inches while half-assedly (that's not even a word) eating kinda better and half-assedly following the above mentioned exercise plan over the past couple months (with plenty of crap days and relapses)

 

I want to stop being half-assed and use my full ass. Lol

 

I know this can work and I actually like doing it. It's like a secret thing I do that's only for me, and not about anybody else (did I mention I have a lot of kids?). The problem is I'm vague on goals and measurements, and that makes it easy to slide when life gets busy and complicated.

 

And life is ALWAYS busy and complicated.

 

I'm hoping you guys can help me set something specific, and measurable, with milestones? Help me get this show (shitshow?) on the road!

 

 

 

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[Elastigirl]

I think you have some great plans. Feeling better is a good big goal. And then you do what you have done is break it down into action steps. You could say something like be down a clothing size in 2 months. But, like you say, it's sort of hard to judge how much you will progress. The things I like to measure are the small steps.

 

From what you've written you might have it be something like 

Goal 1- Drink 6 glasses of water a day ( I know you said 6, but depending on where you are starting from, you want to set a goal you can consistently hit, and then move it up as you get consistent

 

Goal 2-  Protein and veggie at at least 2 meals a day ( same as above, giving you some slack room. You can always overachieve and hit all meat) I 'd keep it to one goal here on food, because food is hard to change, so taking it one step at a time is good. You can go lower on sugar too, and ditch the bread, then you get bonus

 

Goal 3BBW 3 x a week, 20 minute walk 3 days a week , or 10 minute walk daily

 

 

Those are just examples. You have a great framework. I just broke it down into smaller manageable chunks. And your big picture is fine as is. My big picture is I want to be able to hike and play even as I get older. Which is vague too, but then I break that down into my action steps.

[RevQu]

Thank you!

 

I think being able to maintain activities as you get older is a great goal. Probably part of the reason I'm taking this journey now is that I am getting older, and I know I want to keep being able to do things.

 

Maybe I should stop focusing so much on the big picture (although it's certainly good to know what that is), and more on the step by step parts of the plan.

 

I guess I was mostly hung up on how do I know for sure my plan is working, if I'm not measuring goals incrementally?

 

 

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[Fush]

I thinks you have some awesome goals. Your plan is definitely measurable. I would suggest you tackle 1, at most, 2 of your plans a week, then add the next one. I drink 8 ounces of water at the top of every hour. I set a timer on my phone to remind me. Weights, measurement, clothes size are just numbers. You stated you want to feel better, have more energy, etc. The best way I have found to measure this is to keep a journal. Nothing elaborate. Just bullet points of how I felt that day.

 

Example goals based on your information

 

Goal #1

Drink 8 glasses of water a day. 

Take Supplements

 

Assistance for meeting goal #1

Checklist

Timer

 

Goal #2 once goal #1 is met consistenly or on a set time fram (i.e. 2 weeks after begin goal #1)

Protein at every meal 3x a week for 1 week then up it

Vegetables at every meal 3x week for 1 week then up it

 

Make changes slowly so as not to get overwhelmed, discouraged, or frustrated.

 

You got this!

 

[RevQu]

Thanks Fush, journaling is something I've been thinking about and maybe you're right; keeping track of how I feel is probably more important then the numbers at this point!

 

Water and supplements are definitely priority one. I'm still going to have decent food and exercise on the brain, but my general feeling has been to do what I can and not destroy myself about it. I like the idea of having it be a staggered goal system. For now perfect diet and exercise can be a bonus, and an increased priority after I get the basics down.

 

 

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[Elastigirl]

I've journalled my last few challenges and found that helpful. Also being part  of a guild and taking part in the challenges is a great way to know if your following them. In the challenges you get accountability and encouragement. In the challenge, I try and  at the end of each week, look back and see how I'm doing. Then at challenge end I see how I've done and assess what works and what I might need to change. 

 

I like your plan of picking a couple of things to be priority one. 

 

Nosy question- but how old are you, since you said you are getting older. I hope you don't say 25, cause you know that's not old. Anyway, I am actually on the older side at 51, didn't really start paying much attention to fitness until i was in my mid forties.

[RevQu]

Lol, not nosy! I'm mid-thirties, which I realize isn't (terribly) old. But I sure can feel the difference as time goes by, and I want to get myself in order to be able to keep on doing things and feel better.

 

I'm going to join the challenge to help keep myself on track for the next four weeks!

 

 

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[Elastigirl]

10 hours ago, RevQu said:

Lol, not nosy! I'm mid-thirties, which I realize isn't (terribly) old. But I sure can feel the difference as time goes by, and I want to get myself in order to be able to keep on doing things and feel better.

 

I'm going to join the challenge to help keep myself on track for the next four weeks!

 

 

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 That is about the age where are bodies start to complain more if we don't treat them right. Good time to listen to your body and give it the attention it deserves

[RevQu]

[emoji4] That is about the age where are bodies start to complain more if we don't treat them right. Good time to listen to your body and give it the attention it deserves

 

So I'm learning! (The hard way, as usual, lol)

 

 

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[Elastigirl]

1 hour ago, RevQu said:

 

So I'm learning! (The hard way, as usual, lol)

 

 

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Well at least you're learning now. It took me until my mid forties to actually do something about itl

[RevQu]

Better eventually than never! I feel like I've been on a bad (lazy, taking things for granted) path, and that catches up to you eventually!

 

 

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