Goals [mini milestones]

Ground-breaking news everyone: setting smaller goals for yourself makes it easier to achieve your larger goals! (please note my sarcasm and get used to it) You could probably find a million other great articles about this, so I'm not going to pretend to be an expert. I will share with you what I have found to work for me, in case it is helpful!

When I decided I was ready for change (get it?!), I looked at my BMI and historical weight data for myself to guide me in setting my big goal. I used the CDC's website to look up my BMI, I figured they were a pretty reputable source. You can check out their calculator and charts here. My beginning BMI was close to 29, which put me firmly in the overweight category. This scared me, for real. I knew I had weight to lose and was "fluffy", but I guess I was in denial that I was "overweight". For my height, it is suggested that you should be below a 25 BMI to be in a healthy range. So I went from there and determined that I wanted to banish 35 pounds from my overweight body. I'm not opposed to setting new goals once I reach 35, but I had to start somewhere.

35 pounds is a lot! According to this fun little chart I saw on Instagram, that's the weight of a cinder block or mid-size microwave! It wouldn't be fun to walk around with a cinder-block in my arms all day, and that's basically what I have been doing. (It is cool to see that I have already lost a bald eagle)

So I have broken my weight loss goals into 5 pound increments and staying focused on that. You can see my progress in the side bar. I have set a goal of losing a total of 15 pounds my August 31st and I am dangerously close to that goal. I have to remember that when I am at a family BBQ this weekend... will you remind me? K, Thanks.

In addition to my weight goals, I have been leaving little notes for myself on my bathroom mirror to keep me focused. Here are some examples of my quick notes:

I decided moving forward, that I like to look at pretty things, so I made this template for myself to print. You can check out my Free Tools tab for the printable PDF's. Sharing is caring. Your welcome.

Below you can see what my goals are for this week and for September. I tried to focus on my health goals holistically and not just focus on pounds lost. I will try my best to post my weekly goals each Monday and report back on the previous week's successes and failures (hopefully there won't be too many of those, but let's keep it real here). 

Next, I need to determine a "prize" of sorts if I complete all my goals each week. Perhaps something like $5 in the jar for new clothes (in smaller sizes), a mani/pedi or something else entirely. I don't think rewarding myself with food would be a good option :)

What are your big health goals? Do you have/plan to have any mini goals set? How do you reward yourself for reaching goals? I would love to hear your ideas, since we all need fresh ideas and encouragement!