Setting Goals.

Yesterday, a friend made me realize that I had not set any goals for myself.  Most people would agree that it is much easier to be successful if you've defined what success is to you.  That isn't hard for me to do.

Every year, my employer offers a comprehensive wellness assessment, free of charge.  I think it's a great idea, and it's taught me a few things about myself that I might never have found out otherwise.  I learned that I have mild hypothyroidism and an iron deficiency.  I also learned that my cholesterol is just on the cusp of going from normal to high (genetics).  Of course, I've also been told year-after-year that my BMI is too high and that I am overweight.  If it gets any higher, I will fall into the dreaded "obese" category.

Success for me would mean getting all of these issues under control.  The hypothyroidism and iron deficiency are already taken care of through medication.  That leaves the cholesterol and the weight.  In theory, a healthier diet and exercise should help with both.  I plan on managing my weight for now, and seeing where my cholesterol is at next year's wellness assessment in October.  I am hoping that it will come down on its own as I start to take better care of myself.

The healthy weight range for my height, according to the CDC's BMI calculator, is 111 to 150 pounds.  I probably haven't weighed 111 since about the fourth grade and I think that is ludicrous.  I can tell you right now that I would look like a starving Ethiopian if I weighed 111 pounds.  However, I weighed about 150 in this picture and I think I look pretty good.  Aside from my wedding photos, this is probably the best picture that's ever been taken of me.

There you have it.  My goal is 150 pounds, or a loss of 25 pounds.  I would like to get there in six months.  I am setting a monthly goal of four pounds.  I am not going to reward myself every month.  When I succeed, I am probably going to need some new clothes.  My reward will be a modest shopping spree at Twelve Oaks mall sometime in June.  The biggest reward will come from knowing that I succeeded and feeling better in every way.

I had a slightly better day today.  My husband and I celebrated a late Christmas with my in-laws today, so of course there were some less-than-healthy things to eat.  I decided that it was technically part of the holidays, so why not partake?  At the very least, I do think that I got five servings of vegetables today.

I would say, "Starting tomorrow, no more messing around."  However, there are still a lot of sweets and other sinful foods left in the house from the holidays.  If it's in the house, I will probably eat some of it.  Sweets are by far my biggest downfall.  Most of you are probably wondering why I don't just toss it.  There are two reasons: 1) I am not the only person that enjoys them, and 2) I have a thing about wasting food.

Starting tomorrow, Chris (my husband) and I will be carpooling to work. (I love having a chauffeur!) In order to make our schedules work together, he will be dropping me off at the gym an hour before I start work.  Unless I am sick, I won't be able to make any excuses for skipping the gym.  Waking up an hour earlier is going to be rough...