Let's Set Some Goals

Whether you're trying to lose weight, paint your house, get your homework done, or hunt wild game, setting goals is a great way to keep you focused.  It gives you a tangible target to work towards and a great feeling of accomplishment once you get there.  I know, all you naysayers out there are going to whine about the feeling of letdown you get if you don't reach that goal, but I'm gonna shoot you down and say you're either an overreacher or you're just not committed.  So there.

I'm sorry.  Please come back.  I didn't mean it.  Okay, I kinda did, but you're such a nice person that you're gonna forgive me anyway . . . right?

So, to keep me on track, here are my goals, broken down nicely into short term and long term:

Short Term Goals

1. Change my lifestyle to a healthier one.
2. Lose (on average) a pound a week.
3. Increase my endurance and energy levels.
4. Try my hardest.
5. Keep focused and motivated.
6. Drink 3 Stumpies a day.

Long Term Goals

1. Get down to 135-145 within the next year–and keep it off!  (That's 30-40 pounds . . . I can do it!)
2. Look great and feel great.
3. Eventually increase my running endurance and outrun my exercise-induced asthma.
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
5. Drink 3 Stumpies a day.

I'm working on everything from my short term list right now.  I've already done well with increasing my endurance and energy levels.  When I first joined the gym in August of last year, I could barely go for 5 minutes on the elliptical with an average RPM of 65.  I was in bad shape.  Technically, I'm still in bad shape, but I can go for 12 minutes and 30 seconds before I start to get a bit wheezy.  I've always wanted to be a runner, but I have a terrible case of exercise-induced asthma, and running is the worst offender.  I'm starting to work my way out of it, though.  Hopefully you'll see more progress soon!

My fitness crosshairs are on those goals.  Now, dear friends, hold my aim steady!

Also, I'm going to use this opportunity to post the obligatory "before" photo.  That way, when I'm down to 135, we'll have something to compare it to.

Now, before you scroll down too far, I just wanted to say that I opted to smile for my "before" picture.  In all those weight loss ads on TV, nobody ever smiles in their "before" photos, probably to show how miserable they are and how impossible it is to be happy when you're . . . big-boned . . . husky . . . FAT.  I happen to disagree very strongly with this.  Chubby folks are the ones eating all the fun food on the market.  I don't know about you, but it's more fun to say, "Yes, I'll take two of those, please!" and "I'd love seconds!" than it is to say, "I'm trying to watch what I eat," or "I'm trying to cut back."  Sure, the people in the latter group might be healthier and stronger in their discipline–which I suppose are both desirable traits–but you don't see them smiling!  That is, until they can fit into a size 4 while you're thumbing through the 12s and 14s for something that fits and looks reasonably nice on you.  Or, just something that fits.

Oh.  You thought I was going to say something about how true beauty is on the inside?  Well . . . okay, yeah.  That too.








Anyways, I've been stalling on this long enough.  Here it is:

BEFORE: Photo taken 1 Feb, 2011

Aww, look at that happy fat kid!  :)