Setting Goals for Weight Loss Success

I have always loved the Wizard of Oz. Ever since I was little, I would get swept away in this magical adventure of Dorothy and her dog finding their way to Emerald City. She would travel that yellow brick road in her glittery shoes, making friends along the way to find the “all knowing Wizard” who would give her the answers she needed to find her way back home.

How many times have I wished that I could just click my heels three times and this weight loss battle would be over. The thought of putting in the time and effort needed to get healthy seemed daunting. I would get myself all “pumped up” to begin, and would then find myself all over the place.  I would have this laundry list of ideas and goals that I wanted to achieve such as lose weight, start exercising, try running, eat more fruit and vegetables, etc. My goals were too broad and open ended, so it was hard to really meet any or all of them without some type of organized thought process. 

I started to think about goals in two different categories: fitness goals and weight loss goals. Weight loss goals were the necessary steps needed to get the weight off. Personally, I found the thought of “losing 100lbs” to be entirely too unattainable and general. I would give myself much more specific goals such as “lose 1-2 lbs this week.” If I kept the goal small, I knew that I had a better chance of hitting it and feeling successful. 

That is what keeps me motivated. I never thought about a month from now, or six months from now. I lived day to day with this. Each morning was the same battle, and some days were easier than others. Some examples of weight loss goals that I included were keeping weekly food journals, drinking more water each day, limiting snacks to one mid-morning and one in the mid-afternoon, trying a new fruit or vegetable each week, measuring out certain foods, etc. 

The same idea goes for fitness goals. As much as I loved the idea of “I want to run a 5K” or “I’d like to jump 100 times with a jump rope”...I would be setting myself up for failure. It’s a process, and all those little milestones along the way count, and will get you to the bigger picture. I find it most beneficial when I set fitness goals that are a little out of my comfort zone, but not impossible to reach.  After almost two years of working at this, I continue to set goals to work towards. 

Now that summer is here, I have a list of both weight loss and fitness goals that I would like to achieve over the next two months. I have brainstormed this list of goals with my trainer John so that he can help aid me in the right direction of achieving them. Some examples on my list include increasing my speed in a 200-yard sprint, losing 15lbs, incorporating more classes into my weekly workout routine, and even planning a much needed “rest” day into my week which is essential.  

I find it powerful and helpful to have these things written down so that I can go back and revisit them. It helps me to monitor my progress, make adjustments as needed, keep myself accountable and put a big smiley face or gold star when I’ve reached one. 

Overall, I have found in my experience that there is no gimmick, no shortcut, and no wizard to make this journey easy. It’s my own desire and drive from within that will get me to my destination. My favorite line from the Wizard of Oz is when Glinda, the good witch tells Dorothy, “you always had the power and knowledge to get yourself home, you just had to learn it for yourself.” What an awesome message!

I do not compare myself in any way to that lost girl from Kansas. I am just a typical person battling with obesity. When making these goals for myself, I try to identify my “triggers”….those actions or moments that may set me into “fight or flight” mode, and almost plan on how I am going to handle them. A year ago, a stressful situation may have sent me to food as a comfort. Now, the desire to do that may still be there, but I have different ways of handling it.

We all have the power from within to reach success, no matter how big or how small. My advice is to make your lists of goals, hit your mark, celebrate your achievements, and keep going! Dream big…it’s well worth it.

* for additional information about the benefits of setting weight loss and fitness goals.