Hi Everyone!

I have mentioned in previous posts that I have several goals for this year. As the New Year started I found myself thinking of some of the things I would like to see happen in 2013. I am a firm believer in “putting ideas out in the world.” By that I mean, if you can’t imagine the possibility, you can’t make it happen. Write it down somewhere, tell someone, make a mental note…all of these are ways of putting your ideas out into the world. 

I believe in setting many small goals along the way to your big goals. If you understand (and celebrate!) all the stepping stones that lead to your goal you are much more likely to succeed. 

If you are following Josh’s journey in my Fitness Transformation Workout Series, you know that I had Josh start with a fit test. One of the goals I have set for him is to improve his number of reps when we repeat the fit test. He has also set goals like “drop a pants size, wear a medium shirt” and more. You can set a goal to touch your toes, or walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. All of these “small” steps are big accomplishments on the way to your goal. 

These are the same techniques that I use to achieve goals that I set for myself. If you want an example check out Running Made Me Cry…How I Became a Runner. 

If you set goals solely for the long term you may be setting yourself up for failure. For example, if your long term goal is to lose 60 pounds, and you have “only” lost 5 pounds you might feel like you will never accomplish your goal. 

First, reality check. If you are exercising and putting on muscle while you lose weight a 5 pound weight difference can be MAJOR. Look at this photo:

5 pounds of fat vs. 5 pounds of muscle.

That 5 pounds is an accomplishment to be proud of! Especially if you are gaining lean muscle mass, as you lose fat. The scale might not change as quickly as it would on a crash diet, but your body composition and metabolism are making major positive changes. The physical results from crash dieting cause negative effects in the long term, and damage your metabolism. Slow weight loss is preferable because that typically means you are losing fat instead of muscle. Crash dieting generally decreases your lean muscle mass, and increases your body fat percentage.