Jan 30, 20173 min read

Are you setting your goals the right way? The right way to set a goal 💚

Are you setting the goals the right way?

We are constantly being bombarded with goal setting challenges. But we just say I want to do this and set a date for when it need to be done. January is the month we set yearly goals and put them off until the end of the year. Sometimes our goals depend on an event that is coming up: reunion, vacation, doctors appointment. Then we reach that goal and we go to the event. DONE and we go back to our old ways. Until the next event. I met a person many years ago who lose weight every year for her vacation in September. She would start her weight loss every year in April get to her goal by the vacation. Then have to do it all over again. I lost my weight 17 years ago and one of the things I keep in the back of my mind is I DO NOT have the energy to do it again….!

This post is not just about weight loss it works for all goals

We need to always have some sort of goal in our life, something we are wanting to accomplish or we have no challenge. Last year our goal was to have a new deck on the house by the time we had our grand opening party. You can’t have a party if you don’t have the deck! We had a lot of goal setting and planning that needed to be done. Starting with funds, materials, time spent, help needed and their schedules. We began planning for this 7 months before the party. My husband and I are very good at follow through but ONLY if there is a plan and a goal. The deck was built the party was had and we all had a great time. When you are setting goals you must have a plan.

Lets talk weight loss goals for a minute.

Everyone has a “NUMBER” they wish they were! Seldom is this a realistic number. I loved how I looked when I was 15 too. Often times this number is the reason we never reach our goal. It seems so far away that when we are losing weight at a SAFE, healthy, realistic, keep it off rate….we get discouraged because it is not happening fast enough and it is going to take forever. Rather than learn and enjoy and accept the journey, we give up. That makes sense because I know when you give up you always lose MORE weight. (Sarcasm) So how do we go about setting goals for weight loss or anything else.

#1 Be realistic and start small.

Whether it is weight loss, organizing the house, healthier eating, exercising more. What ever it is pick one area and start there. An example you have overflowing closets? You take 10 to 15 minutes a night one shelf at a time and organize that. Want to lose 50 lbs? How about we make a plan to lose the 1st 5.

#2 Plan Plan Plan.

OK make the list what do you want to do? When do you need it done…..Oh this is what gets us in trouble so often. We want to lose 25 lbs for vacation in June??? But June is so far away there’s no rush! We need to break that into smaller achievable goals. If you lose 5 lbs a month you will lose 25 by JUNE. Now what do I have to do to lose 5 lbs a month. Oh yes the work has to be put in. Do you need to plan your meals? Exercise a certain amount? Prep your meals? Plan for occasions that happen in that month? What do you need to do? Make a plan for each week of the month.

#3 Forgive if you stumble.

Forgive yourself QUICKLY! Letting one small setback ruin your goal is never going to get you to your final destination. Clutter does not unclutter itself. Weight loss does not just happen. Healthy foods do not walk into the kitchen and prep themselves. You get where I am going. Oh wait one bad meal does not ruin blood work. All of these things need you attention and if you stumble get up and get over it. You are human and you are awesome.

Now take the time to set your goals and set them correctly.