My Goals

A good place to start with everything is to identify your goals, and I never did do this here.  In order to measure my progress and for you to witness it, we need to know where I’m headed.

My fitness and weight loss goals:

1.  Goal Weight = 134.8 – this may seem a random number to most, but the reason I picked it is because that will be -100 lbs from my starting weight.  I want the scale to read 134.8 before I will say that I am in maintenance. In reality, I  want my maintenance to be within +- 5 lbs of that weight.  I want to hit my goal weight by May 15, 2013 – that is losing about 1 lb per week.

Here is me in October 2010, at my heaviest, I do not want to look that way again:

2.  Run the Billerica Turkey Trot 5K on November 18.

3.  Where a bathing suit that doesn’t cover up my belly next Summer (2013).

This is what I looked like in a swimsuit (not baring belly) before I began my journey.  This was in September 2010:

To reach your goals, you not only need to state them, but you need a plan to achieve them.  So here is my plan:

My current weight is 169.2 lbs, 34.4 lbs from my goal weight.  To get to my goal weight, I will track my calories using MyFitnessPal.  I will track through the app on my iPhone and also through the website.  My target caloric intake right now is 1781 calories/day, but I will adjust that as needed if I begin to lose to fast, if I start gaining, or if I hit a plateau.  I’ve been tracking via MyFitnessPal for almost 2 months now and I find it extremely easy, they have a great database, and I’ve built up a nice support system through the site.  This tool should prove invaluable to my imminent success.

My second goal is run a 5K on November 18.  To train for that, I will continue the Pooch to 5K program with my dog.  The P25K program is 12 weeks, but the race is in 7 weeks, yikes!  I don’t want to rush the pup into running a 5K, so to supplement this program, I will also run on my lunch break at work.  I’ve been walking at lunch for about 2 months, but this week, I will begin jogging instead.

Because she’s cute, here’s photo of my pup, Maddy:

The third goal to rock out in a bathing suit that shows off my tummy will be achieved by working out at least 60 minutes 6 days per week (or 360 minutes per week) including both cardio and strength training.  My current avenue to working in strength training is Jillian Michaels’ Ripped in 30 program.  I am two weeks in and already seeing results:

 

So far, I really love this program, so when I complete it, I will continue on to Jillian’s 30 Day Shred and then probably more of her workout DVDs.  I will also continue practicing yoga 1 – 2 times per week, running (see above), and work in cycling and other training as I become inspired.

Those are my goals and I promise to keep you posted on my progress!