SMART Goals

I just read this post HERE about setting SMART goals for oneself.  I found it inspiring and so, I'd like to do the same.  SMART goals are: Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound and they are something I haven't set for myself in a very, VERY long time.
I have to say that I joined TOPS last week, and while I'm somewhat excited about the support aspect of that, I have done nothing - NOTHING differently this week to try to lose weight.  Like, no exercise, no tracking of eating (for more than 3 hours each day anyway), and not a lot of restriction on treats and stuff.  And I am hating myself for it, and thinking - if joining a new weight loss program has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to motivate me, what will?? Ugh.
I think that perhaps setting extremely small goals for myself would be a start.  So, I will brainstorm about that here.  I haven't thought ahead about this at all, so bear with me if I ramble a bit.
For end goals, I would like:
-to have lost 25 pounds - i.e. to weigh 148 lbs.
-to be jogging regularly again - and to jog another 10K race in June.
-to be tracking what I eat on a regular basis.
-to fit back into my size 8 clothes
-to not huff and puff when I go up the stairs
-to be able to show my dear children what a healthy diet looks like and what healthy daily choices looks like and what knowing restraint looks like
-to be able to get dressed each day without feeling like nothing fits at all.

Alright, the only way to make those things happen is if I set more specific goals or milestones along the way.  And I must remember to make these goals Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

• So, to break the 25 pound loss goal into this idea, that would need to be in smaller increments.  So, I kid you not, I think my first goal must be to lose ONE pound.  I'm not even kidding.  That would be a big deal to me right now - since all I feel like I've done for a long, long time is to go up.  So, I want to lose one pound, i.e. be 172 pounds.   After that, I'll up it a tiny bit, but still make it very small, so as not to feel overwhelmed.  So, my next goal will be to lose 2 pounds (i.e. be 170 lbs), then to lose 3 pounds (167 lbs), to lose 4 (163 lbs), to lose 5 (158 lbs).  I will, of course, be re-assessing these goals along the way.
• In order to work towards jogging - I will start with a goal of getting on the treadmill to walk or whatever just 2 times this week.  Weeks start on Mondays and end on Sundays.  Then next week, I'll up it to 3 times.  After that, perhaps, I'll work towards adding in some jogging.  So, my goal is that by the end of March, I'll be used to going on the treadmill 3 times per week, and I will jog for at least 5 minutes in each time.  In April, I will re-assess and add new goals.
• Part of the difficulty I've been having is WHEN to go on the treadmill - I like to do it in the morning, but have been staying up WAAAAAY too late and so, I haven't been doing it.  As such, another goal I'm setting is to be in bed by 10:30 on a regular basis.  Maybe I'll say that on Fridays and Saturdays I can stay up later, but the rest of the week, lights out at 10:30.
• And the tracking goal.  Well, this week, I'd just like to track every single thing I eat - doesn't matter how much I eat - just track it.  Then, next week, I'll try to stay within my weekly allowance with the flex points and stuff.  By the end of March, I'd like to have worked up to tracking every week and staying in my points - and I'd really love to stay within my daily allowance and save my extra flex points all for the weekends or 2 specific cheat-type days.  But for now, just track - no matter what it is.

And it would appear that those are the only measurable, attainable goals that I can set from what I listed at the beginning - if I do these things, then I will very likely lose weight, and the rest will follow. 

My printer is broken right now, but when our replacement comes this week, I will print this list off and put it on the fridge or something to remind myself about this. 

Also, I am hoping to start a weight watchers-type accountability group that meets at my home each week.  My goal for this week is to pin down a day for this and get the plans rolling so that by next week, we could possibly have our first meeting.  If you're interested in joining, please let me know! :)

Thanks for "listening" to me blather on, everyone.  This has been a good mental exercise for me. 

Well, Hello There!

I canNOT believe that its been three and a half months since I have posted here!!  Honestly, that is insane.  One might be lead to believe that I have given up altogether on WW and that I am gaining weight hopelessly.  Thankfully, that is not the case.  I have been plugging away since November - doing what was my best at the time to eat what I should and still live my life.  And the result has been to maintain the weight I was in November.
I joined Weight Watchers Online in November, and honestly I have really been liking it for many reasons.  However, the reason that I initially joined was to find a support group of people who would hold me accountable and stick with me, and that is the one thing I am not impressed with the WW online for.  I feel like a total island - no one knows I'm there, and so I could disappear and no one would care or call me on it.  And that is not good.  So, that is something I'm still searching for me in my life - an accountability system (of people who are like me or who understand what it is like). 
But the thing I DO like about WW online is the way it is set up for tracking what you eat and when you exercise and how it calcluates point for you - especially the way it calculates points even of recipes you make and things. There is no more excuse to not know the number of points of something you're eating!  I love that.
Anyway, that is what I have been up to around here.  I was recently inspired to start blogging about my weight loss/food addiction issues again by a blog I came across called Diary of a Fat Dad.  It is inspiring to me that he lays it all out there for the world to read and is honest about his thoughts and feelings.  I admit that I have often used this blog as a place to post when I'm doing well, or close to doing well - and not so much when I struggle.  But that is HARD to do - to lay it all out there.  I have been inspired to try anyway.  But for now, I'm just here - making sure my blog hasn't disappeared - and saying hello.   I'm not committing to anything yet, just saying that I'm thinking about it! 
Oh, and p.s. another blog I'm loving these days is a friend of mine's from high school - she's on a mission to turn herself into a slim and muscular goddess or something! :)  You can check her blog out here - called Chunky Monkey: Slaying the Fat Monster.  :)
That's it for now!

Well, That Didn't Work

... but I won't give up.  Hence, the title of this blog.

We tried the facebook group - and it just kind of dwindled, which is okay - nobody's fault.  I think its just a testimony to the fact that going to an actual weight watcher's meeting at a specific time, seeing people face to face is so much better than an online group that you can kind of ignore and let go (myself included in that!).  And so, I think possibly, I'm going to have to figure out a way to get back to those meetings.  SIGH.  They are expensive and they are at a terrible time of day (5:45 pm)... but I need them.  Let's face it.

Thanks for sticking with me friends.  I'm not giving up.  In fact, I'm trying to formulate some sort of plan between now and Christmas, where I stick to it and try to lose a bit before the holidays.  I know the basis of that plan should just be writing down what I eat - especially writing down what I eat, and not going over my daily points allowance, not even flex points.  Cuz I now that's what I need to do to lose. 

Its just so hard.  And I really am tempted to give up.  But I can't.

I won't.

So, on with the journey...

Ummm... I mean a Facebook GROUP!

Well, we had some issues with the facebook page and not having the privacy that we'd hoped for.  So, we changed it to being a group instead.  If you're interested in checking it out, you can click HERE to go see it.  Of course, you won't actually be able to see it unless you join, but you can request to join there if you're interested.
It looks like it might also be turning into a mini WW online, which is exciting to me.  A lot of people can't afford the real thing, so this is a chance for us to have a similar thing, without the cost.  Again, if you're interested at all, let me know and I'll make sure you are added to the group!
Just thought I'd let you know whats going on with Track and Train 2010! :)

Facebook Page

Wow, look at me go with two posts in one day!! :)
I just thought I'd let you know that I did create a facebook page.  I'm not totally sure, but I think how it works is that if you click that you like the page, then whenever anyone writes on it, it will show up in your newsfeed... is that right?  Guess we'll just have to try it out and see how it works.  If you have any friends that would like to be a part of the fun, feel free to send them the link too.
Here it is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Track-and-Train-2010/144562302240862?v=wall
Check it out and feel free to join if you're interested in being a part of the fun!

Summer Update

My friend Amanda posted a link to my blog today.  I clicked on it and realized I haven't updated this thing in almost THREE stinking months!!! ACK.
So, here I am.
I'm doing pretty well.  I've been jogging a few days a week throughout the summer and trying (mostly half-heartedly, except for a few weeks in July) to track what I eat and stuff.  This attitude has resulted in me pretty much maintaining my weight.  Well, really I've gained about 4 pounds since March - so not quite a maintenance. 
This would all be great if I was at my goal, but sadly, I've slowly crept up to the point of being 15 pounds above it.  UGH.
So, I'm thinking that since I seem to know (roughly) how to do maintenance, I'd like to seriously SERIOUSLY try to do a crazy blitz and get myself back down to my goal.  I know you should never set dates and stuff, but really, by Christmas, shouldn't I be able to lose those 15 pounds?!  Seriously, I don't think I'm crazy to think its possible!!
I have two plans.
The first is that I'm thinking of doing my 10K training program all over again.  I'm thinking of shooting for a run date of the end of October.  I hope Amanda doesn't hate that I'm kind of copying her, but since she's shooting to run 10K then, I thought I could kind of be her cyber buddy and do it with her.  Also, I've been jogging with my mom this summer, but we're looking for something a bit more concrete as far as training goes - and the 10K prep plan is good for that.  You can click here to go see what the program is.  Since its an 8 week thing, if I plan to do the run on Halloween, I would have to start the training on September 5th.  That gives me two weeks to get this organized.  I know my mom is in, and I think my Auntie Holly might be interested too.  She's started jogging with my mom and I this summer too.
I'm wondering if anyone else is interested in doing this cyber training along with us? We could formulate a whole group of people who are kinda doing the same things on the same days and that would be great for support.  I don't know if we could use email or facebook or something to keep in touch, but I think accountability and support are SOOOOOOOO important.
Also.
Last time I did the 10K training program, I ate waay more than usual because I figured I was earning it and deserved it, and what do you know? I gained weight while doing all that exercise.  Not exactly what I had in mind.
So.
This time, I want to also have a strict policy of tracking what I eat in addition to the training.  And I really am hoping to have an accountability group for that too.  Perhaps the same group of people, perhaps not... I'll take whatever I can get.
So, here's what I'm wondering - are any of you interested in tracking and training along with me?  We could even name it something nifty like the "Fall 2010 Eight Week Track and Train" or something.  :)  lol 
Give it a thought friends.  I know that I, for one, am tired of not being in control of what I eat.  And I know that if I don't start to get on top of it, I will be 300 pounds in about 5 years.   But I know its totally preventable.  And I want to make sure that I do indeed prevent it from happening.
Thanks for listening to my crazy ramble.  I hope you've all been having a lovely summer, and please, PLEASE, let me know if you're interested in any part of this here plan and we'll see if we can't get it together together.  :)

Bad News, Good News

Just thought I'd pop in on my own blog at least once a month to say that I'm still here! And I'm still exercising - I'm up to jogging 4 miles without stopping now, which is a big feat for me!! As a result of all the jogging, I'm definitely finding I'm more hungry, which doesn't help too much with the eating. I've been half-heartedly counting points this month, which is alright, but I'd like to get back to counting more faithfully for sure.

So the bad news? I weighed myself today for the first time in a month - and I weigh the exact same thing I did a month ago. I was hoping that the jogging would result in some good loss of weight. However, the eating has kinda balanced that exercise out, I guess.

And the good news? Is that I weigh exactly what I did a month ago, and not more. :o)