Setting Goals

How many times have you set a goal for yourself and actually succeeded in reaching that goal?  Me, not very many.  Sure if it was a goal, like a deadline for work, well, yeah, I always hit those goals.  But a personal goal that was just mine, for me.  Once!  Way back in my 20's after having my son.  I lost 40 lbs.  I was fortunate to maintain that weight loss until I had to have my gall bladder removed and then a hysterectomy.  The weight piled on and then some more followed.

Every year, I've set goals for myself.  Like, I'm going to lose 70 lbs in 6 months.  Did it happened? hahahaha, nope!  I probably didn't lose 7 lbs in 6 months.  I can remember with every new diet, I would keep it a secret.  That way if I didn't succeed, no one would know that I'd even set a goal for myself.  I wouldn't be embarrassed by not being able to do it right.

When we set goals for ourselves we need to make sure they are realistic goals.  Can they actually be achieved.  Now this doesn't mean to set a goal like losing 7 lbs in 6 months.  That's not really a goal, that's a colon cleanse.  lol...sorry for that.

The goal that I set for myself when I started taking Skinny Fiber in August 2013 was to get healthy.  I didn't give myself a time limit.  I knew starting out at 207 lbs I wasn't going to be able to lose it fast.  Yes, the first 20 lbs came off pretty quickly, but the last 20 has been a very slow process.  But I'm definitely getting closer to my goal.

It's very important to be held accountable to something or someone.  When I started this journey, I told everyone and I mean EVERYONE!!!  I basically shouted it on facebook to anyone who would listen.  When you are trying to reach a big goal, you need help.  Tell your friends, especially the skinny ones.  If they are really your friends they will want to help you reach your goal just as much as you want to reach it.  Tell them what you are doing, what and how you are eating.  If they know you're serious they will be more aware of possible temptations and less likely to flaunt their ice cream cones in your face.

Losing weight and getting healthy is a big task to take on and it will take me a long time to reach.  So, I set little goals for myself.  Not necessarily weight related, because I don't like the scale so I avoid it most of the time.

As you know, if you've been reading my posts either here or on facebook at Teresa Harmon then you already know that I'm committed to training for a 5k.  I've always wanted to say I could do it.  I've tried a couple of times in the past few years to do couch to 5k and just couldn't stick with it.  Well, yesterday, I posted in my closed group at Healthy Choices & More!! that Monday (today) would be Week 3 Workout 1 in my Zombies 5k Training.  My goal was to move faster, and go farther than I'd been doing.  Week 1 and 2 my average speed was 3.5 ish mph and I was doing about 1.8, 1.9 miles during the workout time on the app.

I got my running shoes and my phone, and took off.  This workout was harder than the last 2 weeks because instead of the 10 minute warm up walk, I only had a 5 minute warm up and then 5 minutes of free form running.  Then it went into the walk/run drills.  In previous workouts it was walk a minute, run 15 sec (week 1) and run 30 sec (week 2) this walk run drill was run 1 minute, walk 1 minute and 10 knee lifts.  OMG, there's a huge difference in running 30 seconds and 1 minute.  I know its only 30 more seconds, but my lungs are still burning and it's been over an hour and I've had a shower since I finished my workout.  After the walk/run drills they had 2 - 8 minute free form runs.  I will admit that the first 4 minutes of the 1st free form run was totally walking.  After completing 2 complete trips around the neighborhood I was lucky enough that the app completed at the end of my driveway.  I drug myself up to the house and decided to take a pic of myself so you could actually see that I'm doing it.  If I could listen to the app and video my workout at the same time I would, I tried it, but it won't work.

I was so surprised to see my stats.  2.27 miles at a pace of 5.89 mph... I did it!!!! I succeeded in reaching my goal!

I swear the last time I actually ran enough to be winded and sucking air, with sweat dripping down my back and between my boobs was in high school when the coach would make us run laps in the gym.  I remember dreading spring because it was time for field and track season and I was horrible at it all.  No coordination.  I couldn't run fast or I'd die, I couldn't jump high or long.  So, for me to be 50 years old and able to actually walk/run/jog for 2.27 miles is a HUGE accomplishment!

Set your goals realistically, set small goals that you can attain with a little push.  Don't make them so easy, then it's not really a goal.  Be proud that you've succeeded. Tell your friends and family that you are setting goals and that you might need their help.  Reward yourself when you reach a goal.

My reward is going to be some new workout clothes!

If you want to join me on my quest to run a 5k, register at www.zombiesrungame.com and follow me, my username is teresaharmon.

This is after completing today's workout!