Setting mini weight loss goals - what's yours?

When I first joined calorie-count.com, I started at 226 pounds with a goal weight (decided based on the ideal weight for my height and body type) of 150 pounds.  If you look at the long-term goal that's 71 pounds to lose and it was too overwhelming.  So I decided to break it into mini goals of 5 to 10 pounds. 

The first week I was eating healthier the weight seemed to melt off.  I lost three pounds in seven days!  But then I seemed to plateau and it took me three more weeks to lose two pounds. 

Now I have reached my first mini goal of 5 pounds.  I still have a very long way to go, but I am looking forward to my next goal which is 210.  Then my next goal is under 200 by January 2008. 

I am still adjusting to eating healthier but I've noticed I have a lot more energy and my clothes are fitting better! 

Anyone else who wants to share their stories?

Dear Pink, good for you.  Are you exercising? If so, you might need to increase your time and/or intensity.  Weight training is especially important. It really stokes up the metabolic furnace for days. This increases muscle, muscle burns more calories than fat.  Remember, muscle weighs more but takes up less room. When  I quit working out and lifting my clothes fit really different.  Some things I cant wear.  You might want to consider adding this to your cardio. I would suggest at least 3-4  cardios a week plus working all muscle groups once a week on separate days.  Mini goals are great.  My mini goal is 10 pounds. This too can seem overwhelming when you can't seem to lose 2 pounds.  Hang in there, there are alot of changes in your body. You might want to evaluate what medications you are on.  Some meds cause a dramatic increase in appetite and decrease in metablolism.  Good luck.

I've decided to break my 50-lb. loss goal into smaller increments, too.  It also helps to look at percentages.  For example, when my first 5 pounds was gone, I was able to say "Wow.  I've already reached 10% of my goal".  Beyond that, I'm looking at mini-goals of 10 lbs..  I'm at 7 now, so I'm hoping to reach my 10-lb. goal by mid- October.  I'll reward myself somehow, but I haven't decided yet what the reward will be.  I don't think 10 lbs. will be enough to warrant new clothes, but I'll think of something.

I don't have pound numbers, otherwise I'll still drive myself nuts.  I have a really bad OCD with numbers. =(

So instead, I try my damnedest to get into a certain range.  For a while I was trying to get into the high 170's.  Got that one!  Then I tried to get into the low 170's.  And I made that one, too.

Then I stalled in weight loss a little bit because of that dreaded period us girly-girls seem to get whether we want it or not, and I decided that when I was done with it, I would be in the 160's.  And.. I wasn't.  =)  Haha, but this morning, a week after my period ended, I finally saw 169.5.

Now I'm shooting for the low 160's.

As of 8/6, I too was looking at 70-ish pounds to lose and decided that little goals were more do-able than looking at the small person that I'm trying to lose.  I have broken mine down into 15 lbs chunks for now and will probably adjust as I get closer to goal and the losing slows down.  As of last week, I made it to my first goal and rewarded myself with new tennis balls... pink ones!!!  Now, I know this doesn't sound like much, but if you've ever played tennis with old, used-up, crusty, non-bouncy balls, you know what a treat playing with fresh ones are (boy, its a good thing I clarified this sentance with "tennis" or it might be dirty lol)  I don't know what my next reward is and would be interested in any suggestions :D

My ultimate goal is to lose 119 pounds.

My first "big" goal is to lose 40 pounds.

I've lost 28.2 so far. (yay, me!)

So, I'd really like to lose 10 pounds in October and 10 pounds in November, if possible.... but that is quite possibly TOO aggressive/optimistic.  In any case,  I'd really like to lose another 11.8 pounds by Thanksgiving ... that would be the 40 pounds for my first goal!

After I hit 40, my goals come in 10 pound increments!

=^..^=  MOLLY 

 

I am doing the same thing!  I have started fresh (it's Monday, you know!) and I feel good about it.  I am at 203 as of this morning.  I want to be at 187 by Christmas, which is about 5 pounds a month, and I think very do-able.  I am going to start working out with a friend 5 days a week, so we will not have an excuse because the other person will be there waiting for us.  But she is going on a trip and will not be back until Oct. 18, so my wonderful husband said he would do my walking tape with me until then.   Wouldn't it be great if I surpassed my goal? 

My total goal is 145; I am 5'3".  I have no desire to be a bikini-wearing babe!  :)

Also I am taking measurements each week when I weigh-in, because sometimes the scale can be hateful, but if you measure you will see results sometimes when the scale doesn't move or even (shudder) goes up.

My reward is (childish, I know, but fun for me) a Nancy Drew computer game.  I think rewards are great motivation, BUT not food rewards!  :)

thats what im doing. by 5lbs

5lb increments are a nice way to do things, just because it actually seems just about possible.

I started at 145 lbs, and been doing mini 5lb goals all the way. My current weight is... 134.6lbs. So I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks I can get that down to 130 lbs :). My "big" goal for now is to reach 125 lbs. But I won't think about that until I at least break 130 ;].

HI Pink and everyone else that has responded to this idea of mini-goal setting.  I am new to this site, so it is nice to see that others have the same weight-loss goals and are doing it in small increments, as I am. 

My much sought after weight loss started at the end of June (242 lbs.) and to date I have lost 20 lbs., granted I have a good hundred left to go, but breaking this HUGE endeavor down has really helped.  I have to constantly/consistently remind myself that I didn't gain all the weight in just a few short months or a year, it was an ongoing process for about 10+.  

My goal for this month is to get to 210.  Better go "hit the pavement!"  ;) 

HI Pink and everyone else that has responded to this idea of mini-goal setting. I am new to this site, so it is nice to see that others have the same weight-loss goals and are doing it in small increments, as I am.

My much sought after weight loss started at the end of June (242 lbs.) and to date I have lost 20 lbs., granted I have a good hundred left to go, but breaking this HUGE endeavor down has really helped. I have to constantly/consistently remind myself that I didn't gain all the weight in just a few short months or a year, it was an ongoing process for about 10+.

My goal for this month is to get to 210. Better go "hit the pavement!" ;)

Original Post by rbaldwin:

HI Pink and everyone else that has responded to this idea of mini-goal setting. I am new to this site, so it is nice to see that others have the same weight-loss goals and are doing it in small increments, as I am.

My much sought after weight loss started at the end of June (242 lbs.) and to date I have lost 20 lbs., granted I have a good hundred left to go, but breaking this HUGE endeavor down has really helped. I have to constantly/consistently remind myself that I didn't gain all the weight in just a few short months or a year, it was an ongoing process for about 10+.

My goal for this month is to get to 210. Better go "hit the pavement!" ;)

 Hey, we have the same starting weight! :D

Starting out at 242, I set my first mini goal at 230, which I have just reached. Then 220, 210, etc. I do however set my ultimate goal to 160 (for now), since I am quite tall and rather muscular (swimmer's build, sorta). I don't think 140 would look very good on me. ^^;

I also use Mossyfern's method of looking at percentages. They look so much friendlier compared to the actual pound numbers to me. ;) 

My mini-goal is 15 lbs by Christmas.  That is about a pound a week. 

I love mini-goals. I need the instant (or at least more frequent) satisfaction of reaching them! I do this with most things in life. Like studying, if I have 200 pages to read, I take a break after 50 pages, etc. I love lists, they're kind of like mini-goals too! I met my first weight related mini-goal today, to get under 200 lbs! it's a whole 4 lb loss, but that 199.5 is so much more satisfying!

My ultimate goal is to lose 219 pounds. I am now 1-2 pounds (weight fluctuates) away from 20% of that goal. That would be at 310 pounds. So that is my first mini goal. Then my other goal I am working on right now is to reach 300 by Thanksgiving. When i do that, I will do something nice for myself. Don't know what yet.

Congrats zanzando on losing those first 12 lbs.  I remember being ecstatic to see those numbers falling as well as the inches that accompanied them!  Keep up the great work and keep me up to date since we both seem to be in about the same boat.  Unfortunately, the tall gene was not one I inherited since I am only 5' 2 1/2" (gotta have that half!) so my ultimate weight goal (for now) is 120. I would love to see 115 which is what I used to be BEFORE kids (I have 6), so we will see.  I will have to incorporate the percentages for myself too.

Great job!! 

Like most here I break it into smaller increments.  I have 37 pounds to go to get to my driver license weight (a weight I think is often a goal weight for women).  Initally I'll use 10 pound increments until I loose the first 20.  I expect it to much more difficult after that and will be happy with 5 pound goals.  The first two pounds don't count really because I've already lost those (down to 180) and expect that it was water weight.  170 - here I come!

My next mini-goal is 196 by Halloween (aka "no longer obese"), then probably 180 or 185 by Christmas (depending on whether I make or surpass my first goal - I'm at 199 this morning!). I'd like to be "not overweight" by next Easter or, barring that, next summer. 

i have set myself goals of 7lbs a time - it used to be 14 but considering i have so much to go - smaller goals are easier and you feel so chuffed when you have reached one - i am struggling at the moment to get to 28lbs total loss - my third effective mini goal of 7 but am determined to get there one day

ugh!

Why am I not doing this?

65 pounds by summer is so... not going to happen, or at least that's what I feel.

but 15 every couple months is so easy!

Thanks!

For me, I am thinking way more micro. Just trying to get through the weekend without over-doing it. I don't think I am alone in doing well all week and then blowing it all first thing Saturday. So, my goal is to look back on Sunday and feel proud that I stayed committed to myself all weekend long.