A time for review and setting of goals

[Laura]

Last year about this time Alysha (Lindrusso) challenged us with setting Healthy Living Goals for ourselves. I don't think those threads are available due to the change in software, but even so I thought it might be time to re-visit those goals and see if we have achieved any of them, and if not, why not.

I personally, did not. I had a stated goal of running a half-marathon and am no where close to being able to do that. As a single parent, I simply find it difficult to find the time to fit in those long runs. I am sure that there are many that do it quite successfully, but I have come to realize that right now, it is not a priority with me. I do want to get to the point where on any given day, I could go out and run 5-6 miles comfortably and so that is my new goal.

I also was much stronger last year. When we started this thread last year, I had recently moved and left my gym. I avoided starting a new gym for financial reasons so I lifted very infrequently. I am a person who really enjoys lifting weights and it is something my SO and I enjoy together. I have recently joined a new gym and feel good about the time I am committing to getting there.

My new goal this year is to incorporate yoga/Pilates into my exercise on a much more frequent basis. I will likely need to do this through tapes as the combination of work, kids, and the times yoga classes are offered at my gym simply make tapes more feasible.

Finally, my last goal last year was to cut myself some slack. While there is that 10 pounds I would still love to lose, I really am probably very close to where I should be. I need to stop obsessing about the scale, and simply lead a healthy, happy life.
Looking forward to hearing from everyone.

[lindrusso]

Great idea Laura! I will definitely post once I get a chance to give it some thought! I definitely need to get refocused - especially before the holidays come 'round!

[lindrusso]

Okay, time to fess up and re-evaluate! :)

In case anyone is interested, here are the links to the past "goals" threads:

http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9733&highlight=goals

http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9432&highlight=goals

Anyway, here is a synopsis of my original goals and how I've done. It's very long-winded and meant more to focus myself than to blab at you all, so I won't blame anyone for not reading!!! ;)

1. LOSE WEIGHT! I would like to lose about 15 pounds. I know I'd be pretty comfortable at about 120. Well, so far I've lost about 9 pounds since starting this thread. I'm a solid size 8 now, instead of 10. I'm very happy with that. I'm definitely at a healthy weight, but I wouldn't mind losing a little more (there's still a fair amount of fat on the tummy and hips). More importantly, I'd like to concentrate on gaining strength, endurance and tone. These are more important to me now and would probably cause me to drop a few more pounds anyway! So, I guess I'm saying that there is always room for improvement, no matter how much I weigh!

2. WATCH CALORIES! Well, I haven't counted my calories at all. I've been concentrating more on cooking low-fat, adding more nutritious foods to our menu, eating more fruits and veggies, etc. I think that the calories will take care of themselves if I continue to do this. At some point I may still want to track for a week or two, just to see where I am. I've been very good about not snacking - I just don't seem to get as hungry between meals and I think it's because I eat better.

3. EXERCISE REGULARLY! As far as exercise goes, I would like to keep to 3-5 times a week with the ultimate goal of getting to a regular 5 days a week. I have been pretty good about this. The past few weeks have been more sporadic, but it was a rare week (since sometime this spring) that I didn't work out in some form at least 3 times. Now that summer is over, back to shooting for 5 days a week.

4. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER! I've totally dropped the ball on this one! Time to start filling up the jug again!

5. INCREASE GENERAL ACTIVITY! Only somewhat successful in this department. Need to keep working on this!

At the 6-month check I mentioned run/walk intervals and rollerblading. I've only been rollerblading 2 times! My run/walk intervals have been put on hold, but I hope to start up again this week. I did make it to 1 1/2 miles before hitting some injury snags (and then I just got off-track). In addition to all of that, I still have adding yoga and/or pilates as a goal.

So, here's my revised list:

1. HEALTHY EATING! I plan to keep adding more and more healthy items to our diet! So far we've delved into high-fiber cereals, edamame, sweet potatoes, soy milk and quinoa with great success. I just need to keep it up and work on getting more fruit!

2. WEIGHT TRAINING! I will be doing a new weight routine for the next few months - different from the one I've been doing - to give my muscles a change and shake things up a bit. I will be doing this 3 days a week.

3. RUN/WALK INTERVALS! I'd like to get up to 3 miles of continuous running and I'd like to do these 3 days a week.

4. YOGA/PILATES! I'd like to add this at least once a week (preferably two). The only thing stopping now is just getting out and picking out a tape - gotta do my research!

5. DRINK MORE WATER!

Anyone else?????

[Natasha]

Hi Laura!

Great idea to have us review our goals and objectives. Here was my list of goals, along with my current notes (in bold). But first, I want to wish you all good luck in meeting your own goals!

My goals are mostly performance-based. I hope that s okay with everyone. Here are some of them:

1. Keep training well (I m a runner who also cross-trains a lot.). Recently things got hectic, and I put running on the backburner (which I hardly ever do, but it just could not be helped) and am getting back into things now - knock on wood.
Still training well, but in many different ways, since due to injuries I have not been able to run as much as I would have liked.

2. Don t get down on myself for not meeting time goals that I had set for myself before the setback. Just concentrate on getting back to where I was and better, and do NOT overtrain to make up for lost time. There s always next training season. I m already goal-setting for 2001 and 2002.
Usually very successful at keeping motivated and in high spirits despite setback; once in a while I get frustrated and vent a bit. :)

3. Start getting more focused on my next big race (in a few weeks).
N/A due to injuries.

4. Get enough sleep (I need a lot of sleep!)
Welllll...I do try! Seriously, not too bad. :D

5. Eat well and strategically (the right foods at the best times), drink tons of water ... the usual stuff...
Again, not too bad.

6. I have not weighed myself in ages (I refuse to.). I go strictly by how I feel, how my training is going, and how my clothes fit. I m really tiny and every time I lose or gain more than maybe 1 pound or so, literally, I know it. Based on all this, I am estimating that I might benefit from losing 1 or 2 pounds of fat and gaining about 2-3 pounds of muscle before the end of the year (so either no net gain/loss, or a net gain of about 1-2 pounds).
I'm more or less sticking where I was conditioning-wise pre-injuries, and am very pleased about that given the limitations on my training during a couple of months this year.

7. Stick with Pilates and strength training at least 2-3 times a week.
Pilates - not often enough. Very very rarely, in fact. Strength training - improved over before. 2-3x/week seems about right.

8. Do not, not, not neglect to stretch after any cardio exercise.
Check.

9. Always take one day off a week.
Check.

10.Keep enjoying how great it feels to be fit!! Every day I am grateful for my health.
Check!!! :)

11.Stay uninjured if possible.
Wasn't possible. ;) Ah well...

12.Most importantly, keep laughing and keep on loving life!!!
Gotta say that I manage to do that! :)

And as a bonus, I must add that the injuries and lots of encouragement from those around me have given me additional impetus to spend more time on other (non-running) activities, such as swimming, mountain biking, and hiking. And I'm loving it! So that's a plus. But I still look forward to running more and more in the future!

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Natasha
10.Keep enjoying how great it feels to be fit!! Every day I am grateful for my health.
Check!!! :)

12.Most importantly, keep laughing and keep on loving life!!!
Gotta say that I manage to do that! :)

LOVE these goals! I try to think about how I'd feel if I lost my good health and couldn't work out. I know full well that I'd give anything to do what I complain about now!!!

[GayeC]

My primary goal is to lose 5 more pounds so I can get onto a maintenance program as opposed to a weight loss program! To achieve this I am planning to:

Write down everything I eat on at least 4 days a week, with the goal of sticking to 1500 cal/day.

Walk for 30 minutes or more 5 days a week and do strength training at least 2 days a week.

Continue to eat a healthy diet -- lots of fruits and vegetables, more legumes, very few sweets.

Gaye

[m4star]

I am new to the Healthy Living Goals- but I'd love to use this opportunity to join in!

1. To decrease the amount of body fat I have (and NOT focus on my weight only). Personally I'd love to not care about what the scale reads and focus instead on my body fat (less fat in the belly and more muscle tone)

2. To eat less sweets! I am such a sucker for cookies, brownies, etc... that co-workers bring in. I eat them even when I'm not hungry just because they are there. I really should learn to say NO!

3. Improve my sense of self-esteem! I can judge myself so harshly. I need to lighten up and love myself for how I am right now...not if I loose 10 pounds.

4. Improve my muscle tone and strength!

5. Drink more water!

6. Sleep at least 8 hours a night (very hard for me to do)!

7. Have a more positive attitude.

[Marian]

I hope you all don't mind if I join in as well.

My goals:

1. Eat more fruits and veggies - at least 5 a day. I have a very hard time getting all these in for some reason.

2. I have been walking but I would like to add some running in there also.

3. Stop eating desserts so much - maybe have a fruit instead of a bowl of ice cream.

4. Make sure I drink at least 64 oz. of water daily.

5. Add weight training in eventually.

6. Drop at least one dress size ( 2 would be nice :p ).

[jd]

Wow! What a great idea. From looking at the old thread from a year ago, I've made some progress but still have some changes to make.

1. Eat healthier - through more cooking and trying new things.
I need to work on this - maintaining weight on junk food is not healthy, but can be fun! I have tried many new recipes and am eating fish and fruit more often.

2. Loose size - which ultimately means weight. I'd like to go from a size 18 to a size 14. I'm using WW, and my 10% goal is 20 lb, but in total I'd like to loose 40 lb. I've lost 4 lb so far.

I did well here, lost a little over 40 lb and went to size 10 using WW.

For new goals, #1 above needs to stay, and the new #2 will be continue to gain strength by doing cardio 3-4 times per week and strength training 2-3 times per week.

Although I lurked for a good part of the year because I wasn't exercising (thanks, lindrusso for the encouragement), reading this thread every week was motivating. Thanks to everyone!

[KValley]

I wasn't on the BB a year ago for the first goal-setting thread, but I'd like to add mine now. I also love that we are doing this now- working in education, September has always felt like the start of the year for me, rather than January!

Healthy Eating Goals

Eat mindfullySlow down, enjoy the experience of eating, listen to my body and stop when I am full
Add more whole grains & legumes to our dietsLast year at this time, I resolved to cut out white starches from our diet- white pasta, white potatoes, white flour. We've succeeded in this- these foods make very rare appearances, usually when we dine out or eat at other people's homes. I've gotten so excited about cooking with brown rices, quinoa, spelt, sweet potatoes, yams, lentils, beans
Eat more "Power Vegetables and Fruits"Choose produce with high values fiber, antioxidants, vitamin content. Eat more dark, leafy greens.
Eat less sugarRetrain my sweet tooth to satisfy its cravings with fruit, foods made without refined sugars. Indulge only when quality is present (fine chocolates, special dinners, etc.)

Fitness Goals
Continue to challenge my body and mind by trying at least one new activity each yearThis year I have tried running, kickboxing and downhill skiing. Running I have really taken on with great enthusiasm, entering 5k races! Kickboxing has pushed me out of a cardio plateau and given me a confidence, strength, and stamina boost. This coming year I want to get back into cross-country skiing and train for a sprint-distance triathlon or perhaps walk a marathon.
To keep up with resistance training while on the road
My job keeps me traveling quite a bit in the Fall and Spring. I can generally keep up with cardio, but I let strength training fall by the wayside since I don't have access to weights. I've worked out a chart of several exercises with a resistance band and body resistance that I can do in my hotel room- next week will be my first test.
To incorporate more yoga sessions into my weekly routineI've really been slacking off as of late, since I haven't found a class/an instructor here that has challenged me.

Finally, I have a goal to live life with joy and gratitude. If I can keep that one together, the rest should be much easier!

I am wondering if we could have a goal check-in every six, or even every three months? A more frequent review might be a greater source of motivation. Think, we could have a 3 month check in at the beginning of December, just as we head in to the difficult holiday season!

[lindrusso]

m4star and Marian - so glad you joined in! And thanks Gaye and Julie for chiming in as well. It's so motivating to read what everyone else is striving for.

And I totally agree Julie - we should do some sort of holiday check-in. Last year, the Y near me had a sort of "holiday maintenance" program. We would weigh in each week - I don't think any of us had expectations of losing weight, but just knowing I was going to weigh in each week made me choose more wisely and I did make it through without gaining!

So, beginning of December for the next goal review??? And maybe we can give tips on making it through the holidays without losing sight of our healthy goals but also without having to deprive ourselves and totally missing out??? It is possible! :)

[pammy]

Hello all,

Hope you don't mind me jumping in. I have been a lurker for quite some time after a brief period of posting frenzy when I first found this board. The HLSG posts are some of my favorites, and I think that it is a great place to get a pat on the back and word of encouragement when needed. That said, here go my goals for fall:

1. Get more sleep! I have a long commute to work (about 1 hour 10 minutes) and have to get up before 6 a.m. to be able to spend some quality time with DH in the morning and get out the door on time. I am going to try my very best to get to bed by 10 p.m. each night. I think that sleep deprivation significantly impacts my mood, motivation to exercise, and just general enjoyment of my day. So this is my highest priority.

2. Portion control. We eat a really healthy diet (although see goal #3), just too much of it sometimes. I don't want to focus on numbers, but some of my jeans that I have pulled on lately are fitting a bit snugly. So, I'm going to try to eat the portions suggested in recipes (we are famous for eating all of a dish that was meant to serve 4-6 people and there are only two of us!). Alas, one of the dangers of CL is that stuff tastes so good!

3. Eat more colorful veggies (a.k.a. "Power Veggies"). I'm going to aim for at least 3 bright colors on our plates for dinner on the nights that I cook (about 4-5 times a week) and switch entirely to whole wheat pastas. We haven't had a slice of white bread or grain of white rice in our house for some time, but I must admit to being attached to my Barilla pasta.

4. Return to yoga classes at least twice a week, practice at least twice, too. Never felt better than when I was practicing 4-5 times a week, unfortunately a promotion at work took up more of my free time that I would have liked. I am at a point now where I think I will have enough time.

I think that is enough for the next few months. Enjoy yourselves in the pursuit of your goals everyone! I know I will, especially if I have enough sleep.

:o :o

[browneye]

I'm going to chime in here.. too!
I'm hoping we can do a December goal evaluation, so I'm going to write these assuming they're for the next 3 or so months:

Continue running program, 3X per week, 2.5 to 4.0 miles. Do one 5K race during that time. I have recovered from an injury, and have been back running now for about 3 weeks, pain-free!!!! I am loving it, ran 4 miles yesterday for the first time in months... Keep fingers crossed!

Stay on target with my portion control and eating. I basically try to keep track of points ala WW. I do not "weigh in" , however. I really like my "jean" program. That is, I have several pairs of jeans, some are snugger than others. I know when I am wearing my "fat jeans" I need to be more careful......I love "skinny jeans" days/weeks. The scale is deceiving, especially when doing strength workouts, usually the scale goes up before it goes down.

Cross-train and weight train 2X week.

Eat more fruits and veges!!!!!
It is much easier now in summer to do this, however, as autumn/winter approaches, I get tired of apples, bananas, etc. UGH....
I'll try to do better.....

Think that's it for a while.
:p

[donleyk]

I would also like to chime in here. I am not usually good about posting but I do read these often.

After cruizing thru this summer basically eating what I want, with emphasis on fruits and veggies, but beer too, I want to get serious again. All of August was bad regarding my work out so today is the day to get back into it. Our fitness center at work just got 2 cross trainers. On off days from aerobics, I was going to do this.

I know I have other goals, so I will edit this later.

Good luck everyone!