Do Deadlines Help?
The question is do you need the pressure of a weightloss deadline? Does the reunion this summer, spring break, or a wedding motivate you and get you on track? OR is it better to just commit to your healthy lifestyle for all time and let the scale fall where it falls?
I’d say the healthy lifestyle is probably the well adjusted answer but as previously covered I’m not fully evolved into healthy lifestyle mode. I’m still short term goalie woman. I’m better each day - but I’m not going to lie the impending Spring Break Trip to Florida is a BIG GOAL right now. But is that so bad? What’s wrong with having little events throughout the year to re-focus our efforts? Nothing I say nothing. In fact here’s my list of superficial reasons to motivate my “healthy lifesyle.”
1. Aforementioned Trip to Florida in April (short pants and bathing suit alert)
2. Do not want to have to purchase a larger crop of Giant Old Navy Shorts. Must fit into current large crop from last summer stacked in the closet.
3. Graduation season. Do not want to be confused with the tent we’re going to have to rent this summer.
4. This weekend – would like my “slightly smaller size” jeans that I can now fit in to - to be actually comfortable.
5. I just heard Olympic Snow Boarding Medalist Scotty Lago say small goals were how he achieved his wicked medal snowboard run. “Daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals.” Yes Scotty Lago yes!
So small goals and deadlines it is, mine? By Saturday morning the jeans will be slightly looser AND I’ll match the white socks wadded up in the basement in some sort of anarchistic white sock mosh pit. What’s your smaller goal or deadline?
And if all else fails don’t forget the Spray Tan!
I think they help, but for me if I focus too much on them I lose sight of my big picture, being healthy.
.-= Trish @IamSucceeding´s last blog ..Under The Weather =-.
Nice article. I’m currently having this same debate in my head! I’m leaning towards healthy lifestyle. But, as I read this, why can’t we have both. No reason there two ideas can’t work together to whip ourselves into shape??
I totally agree. My long term goal is for a healthy life style, but my short term motivation is my beach wedding in July. I have been lacking in motivation of late for some reason. I am back on track for this week so far though. I think short term goals are great for those of us who need motivation to get ourselves on track.
To achieve a larger goal, you absolutely must have smaller goals. Being healthy is not my destination; it is my location. I do my best to live as healthy as I can each day and celebrate as I reach check points on the way to my goal.
My final destination is to have removed 100 lbs from my body [ I started this journey at more then 225 lbs]. I fall off the treadmill, so to speak, when I fixate on that final destination because it seems so improbable. It’s only when I focus on the next 15 to 20 lb checkpoint that I excel.
By the way, I’m just over half way to my final destination. It has taken much longer then I wanted because it took a long time for me to realize I needed smaller check-points, or deadlines, but each and every day that passes, it is easier to live in my life-long location of healthy living.
I think you can do both. Have the “big goal” but then make sure you break it down in to managible portions. I celebrate the small losses knowing that they will add up. To date, I have lost over 80 lbs and am just 22 lbs from my goal of being a lifetime member of weight watchers.
My approach to my healthy lifestyle is that it is a marathon no a sprint. Quick weight loss while sounds WONDERFUL – really is not the smart approach. Slow and steady wins the race!
Oh how I wish I had the self control that comes with a healthy lifestyle. Everytime I look at a chocolate peanut butter brownie, I’m hypnotized!!! “Must eat brownie. Brownie is good”…it’s a sad state of affairs.
Anyway, big goals for the year:
1. Be swimsuit ready by April 19th for my friend’s wedding in HI
2. Be able to wear my favorite power suit for a conference in July (define those ankles!)
3. Feel so good about myself this summer that I can’t avoid getting a tan!
Simple, I’m sure of it!
)
Thanks for the laughs
I keep giving myself goals and deadlines, but I really think they don’t help me. It’s like giving myself the added pressure of a deadline to lose a certain amount of weight stresses me too much and my weight loss always slows down as a result.
Saying that though, I have to add that I gave myself a goal to reach my target weight by the weigh-in before my birthday, and that will be this Monday’s weigh-in, and I am only half a pound away from my goal! (I’ve lost 137 pounds so far.)
.-= moonduster (Becky)´s last blog ..Fitting In Exercise With Family Life & Work (Guest Post) =-.
Overall, I believe our goal should be to be healthier. And that comes by changing our habits.
The only “deadline” we should impose on our progress is that we should try to adopt as many healthy habits (and get rid of unhealthy ones) as soon as possible. For some it’s easier than for others. One way that seems to work for most is to change these habits gradually.
So maybe a “deadline” (goal) would be to implement a new change every couple of Sundays (beginning of week). You’ll slowly get used to the new change, you won’t get bored and it won’t feel like you are dieting or undergoing a difficult task. Here are some suggestions as to how to start:
1) Drink water. FIGURE OUT A WAY to get a least 2L (64 fl oz) in you per day. Whatever works for you. Don’t concentrate on anything else, get this done. For optimal hydration, I’ve found some sources that say you should drink half of you body weight (pounds) in ounces per day.
2) Chew your food. Don’t swallow anything solid. Be sure that it all goes down as a paste. You’ll notice better digestion and a reduced intake of food. Food will also taste better.
And so on…
Best of luck to all, and thank you Rebecca for this post.
Kevin :: GlycoTrainer
On Twitter as @glycotrainer
GlycoTrainer.com