Mini Goals
A Great Weigh to Success!
Changing Your Attitude About Yourself
Mini Goals
Like all my previous dieting, I was already setting myself up for yet another failed attempt at losing weight. "You're big, fat, and ugly, and that will never change." "You'll never lose this weight so why bother?" The thoughts started pouring in.
If that wasn't enough, my husband showed no enthusiasm that I was going to dump money into yet another weight loss adventure. "Haven't you tried losing weight with Weight Watchers before?", he asked, knowing full well that I had, and that more than once. "Yes," I replied via Instant Messenger. He came back with an "I see," and that ended that conversation.
I think it was at that very moment a new attitude was born. I decided right then and there that I was going to lose this weight for ME and nobody else. Always before, I was doing it to please my parents, my husband, my daughter and anyone else I can't think of right now, but never before did I ever do this just for me. Also, I did it out of HATE for myself and my body, and I would torture myself with very little or no caloric intake, diet pills (over-dosing), and strenuous exercise with very little nourishment. A body can only take so much abuse before it begins to fight back or tattle on you for being so abusive.
So this time I tried a different approach. I decided to LOVE myself for who I am right now. Wow! Talk about different! I began to love my body for what it looks like even though it didn't look good. I began to try and understand the needs of my body and take care of it like you would take care of the needs of a loved one. And just as you should train up a child in the way he should go, I began to start training my body in the way it needed to go as well.
But, I had 200 pounds to lose and was already beginning to feel over-whelmed! "How in the world am I going to do this?! How can I possibly stay focused on this weight loss plan when I know it's going to take me a long-long time to lose it?", I asked myself.
This is where the Mini Goals come in. You can't see the light at the end of a 200 pound tunnel, but you can see it at the end of a 10 pound tunnel! So I began writing out my goals on paper. I have two goals going at a time. One is a long term goal (200 pounds to lose), and the other is my short term goal or Mini Goal (10 pounds to lose). At the end of each 10 pounds I lose is a reward to myself which ALWAYS includes a meal of choice (whatever I want and however much I want) and something else, such as clothes. Hey ... this whole losing weight thing is hard work and rewarding yourself is great incentive to keep up the good work!
Remember my unenthused husband I mentioned above? That didn't last very long. As soon as he began seeing results and a new attitude in his wife of 20+ years, he became head cheerleader and has been cheering me on ever since. He loves the Mini Goal idea and throws in $100 for every 10 pounds I lose and/or takes me away for a weekend get away. He told me recently that it's like he has a new wife. Actually, he's right and we both really like her a lot!
If that wasn't enough, my husband showed no enthusiasm that I was going to dump money into yet another weight loss adventure. "Haven't you tried losing weight with Weight Watchers before?", he asked, knowing full well that I had, and that more than once. "Yes," I replied via Instant Messenger. He came back with an "I see," and that ended that conversation.
I think it was at that very moment a new attitude was born. I decided right then and there that I was going to lose this weight for ME and nobody else. Always before, I was doing it to please my parents, my husband, my daughter and anyone else I can't think of right now, but never before did I ever do this just for me. Also, I did it out of HATE for myself and my body, and I would torture myself with very little or no caloric intake, diet pills (over-dosing), and strenuous exercise with very little nourishment. A body can only take so much abuse before it begins to fight back or tattle on you for being so abusive.
So this time I tried a different approach. I decided to LOVE myself for who I am right now. Wow! Talk about different! I began to love my body for what it looks like even though it didn't look good. I began to try and understand the needs of my body and take care of it like you would take care of the needs of a loved one. And just as you should train up a child in the way he should go, I began to start training my body in the way it needed to go as well.
But, I had 200 pounds to lose and was already beginning to feel over-whelmed! "How in the world am I going to do this?! How can I possibly stay focused on this weight loss plan when I know it's going to take me a long-long time to lose it?", I asked myself.
This is where the Mini Goals come in. You can't see the light at the end of a 200 pound tunnel, but you can see it at the end of a 10 pound tunnel! So I began writing out my goals on paper. I have two goals going at a time. One is a long term goal (200 pounds to lose), and the other is my short term goal or Mini Goal (10 pounds to lose). At the end of each 10 pounds I lose is a reward to myself which ALWAYS includes a meal of choice (whatever I want and however much I want) and something else, such as clothes. Hey ... this whole losing weight thing is hard work and rewarding yourself is great incentive to keep up the good work!
Remember my unenthused husband I mentioned above? That didn't last very long. As soon as he began seeing results and a new attitude in his wife of 20+ years, he became head cheerleader and has been cheering me on ever since. He loves the Mini Goal idea and throws in $100 for every 10 pounds I lose and/or takes me away for a weekend get away. He told me recently that it's like he has a new wife. Actually, he's right and we both really like her a lot!
Copyright . Melissa Henry. All rights reserved.
