Mini and Mini-Mini-Goals
I think this is the first year that I don’t have “lose weight” on my new year’s resolution list since I was like 10. Yeah, I was one of those messed up little kids who thought I was fat in junior high. I wasn’t. Not at all. But this time last year I weighed about 16 more pounds than I do now. Not only was I not happy with my weight, I was depressed and unhappy with my life. I spent a lot of the first 4 months in 2008 moping around and one too many days in bed crying.
What happened? What changed? I set some goals. Some of them were small at first, like “get out of bed” today. Then I starting adding to them, “get out of bed and make breakfast” even though a lot of days I didn’t feel like doing anything except sitting around wishing I was someone else. Little goals helped me feel better. And little goals helped me gain confidence to set bigger goals. So after I started working out regularly and dropped a couple of pounds I set, what was to me, a HUGE goal. It was HUGE because I had tried to lose the same 15 pounds for 8 years and failed every time. Along the way I set mini-goals and mini-mini goals and mini-mini-mini-goals. I will not eat left-overs from my kids plate. Mini-mini-mini-goals like that. Sometimes I would write them down on paper. It helps a lot. Sometimes I would come up with a goal in the spur of the moment. I will order grilled chicken instead of chili cheese fries. I will. I will. I will.
It’s really important to set goals and get them down on paper. What’s your big goal? Lose 10, 30, 100 pounds??? It doesn’t matter what the number is. Write your big goal down. Then break it up into mini-goals and mini-mini-goals and mini-mini-mini-goals. What are your monthly, weekly, and daily goals?? If you want X you need to figure out what you need to do to reach A-W first. A-W are you mini-goals.
You CAN reach X. You can lose those pounds. You can lose those bad habits. If I can ANYONE can. SERIOUSLY. I was the queen of failed “diets”. And don’t start “dieting”. Start living your goals. “Dieting” fails but a healthy diet as part of your life will not.
The purpose of this post is to encourage you if “losing weight” is on your list this year it doesn’t have to be next year. You CAN lose those extra pounds and if you struggle with body image you CAN come to terms with that too. The two really go hand in hand. You CAN feel fantastic better than you have ever felt before.
I’ve set a few goals this year. Here are some of my fitness related goals.
1. Be able to do 10 or more consecutive pull-ups.
2. Be able to hold a plank for 5 minutes. (The exercise not a plank of wood! That would be an odd goal.)
3. Compete in another competition.
With those goals in mind. I have a lot of small goals that will help me reach the above. It will take daily mini-mini-mini-goals. I’m sure I’ll fall plenty of times along the way but I’ll pick myself back up and continue on the journey. But I have a plan, a place I want to get to and that’s what fuels my journey. And it’s the journey that’s the beautiful thing. I may have reached my weight loss goal but I’m not done because I enjoy the journey so much. What are your goals? If you can only set a mini-mini-mini-goal today, that’s okay. Just do it. Where do you want to end up? If you haven’t written them down do it!!! (Sorry for being bossy!) Start your journey today. God has wonderful surprises for you a long the way.
xoxo
j
This is my (almost) sane quest for insane health. Let's 
Great post! Goodness, the plank for 5 minutes! I did/started the beginner’s workout you posted for New Year’s last night and 1 minute of plank was brutal. I never realized it was so hard! I won’t even start to talk about the unassisted pull-ups! lol Your goals are wonderful (and *very* measurable might I add) and I wish you success in each of them
Hi Jenn,
I’m working on my goal! As far as diet did you follow The Zone diet and use the block chart. I have been eating better but I have not gone totally zone. I only bring up zone because that’s what crossfit uses and I think you and Martha look great!
Thanks Michelle! A 60 second plank is still pretty brutal for me too! I figure if I add 10 seconds a week I’ll be able to do a 5 minute plank in about 6 months! You make a really good point I should have mentioned goals that are “measurable”. It feels so good to reach those instead of just saying “lose weight”. Not that losing weight doesn’t feel great but I think it’s better is you add how much and when. Thanks for reading and adding!!!
Hey Andi!! Yay you are working towards your goals. That’s great! Thanks for the kind words too. No I didn’t follow the Zone. I’ve read parts of it and it looks good but it seemed to me like there was a lot of counting and math involved. That makes me CRAZY!!
I eat in salad ratios. If you can make The Zone as part of your lifestyle rather than a diet to follow that’s great!
It never occurred to me to ever establish a mini mini mini goal, but what a great concept.
I just discovered your site on Sparkpeople. It is really nice and you are certainly an inspiration! I look forward to reading more!