Setting Weight Loss Goals

Weight Loss Goals

I’ve always been a goal setter—from work to exercise to weight loss. I recently read a post by Diane Carbonell on are you focused on the right thing when losing weight.

Crash mountain biking in Bend, Oregon. Good news the bike survived!

Her blog was about goal setting, and it made me realize that setting a goal to just lose a certain amount of weight wasn’t enough to be successful. For me, it also included an attitude change. I was no longer just losing weight, but changing my lifestyle by eating when I was hungry, stopping when full and getting plenty of exercise—not just a set amount of exercise, and even challenging myself to try new activities like mountain biking. This has come with a few bumps and bruises, but definitely worth it.

I’m no longer on a diet to lose weight, but I am committed (have goals) to permanently change my eating habits. What I mean by this is, I don’t stop doing what I’m doing. It’s not a diet I go off of, but something I will do the rest of

my life. It’s FOREVER.

A few bruises from recent mountain biking trip in Bend Oregon
Life Goals

In Diane’s recent blog, she said that what was different the last time she permanently lost weight was she focused on life goals as well as the number on the scale. Then, things began to turn around.

“Yes, I still wanted to weigh less than 300 pounds, but I realized there were also other things I wanted to do with my life that weren’t all about weight. Here were some of my life goals at the time that I felt my weight was getting in the way of achieving!”

Have more children
Feel like an attractive young mom rather than a big water buffalo
Contribute to the family income
Protect my long-term health
Have enough energy for life’s daily activities
Quit thinking only of myself, my problems, and my obesity”

Mountain biking with daughter-in-law Devin in Bend Oregon

Her blog has made me think about my goals beyond just changing my lifestyle. Some of our goals were similar, and some were very different.

Mountain biking Bend Oregon

Stay healthy with diet and exercise as I grow older
Keep my body in good shape so I can hike and bike with friends and family
Learn to savor and enjoy my food
Don’t be afraid to try new kinds of exercise or bumps and bruises
Eat the foods I love in moderation
Stop feeling guilty about eating
Stop obsessing about food and my weight

I still have a long way to go, and many days it’s one step forward and two back, but other days it’s the reverse. It’s progress, and that’s all that matters.

What are your weight loss and exercise goals?

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