Okay you’ve decided you need to lose weight or get into better shape. The very next thing you need to do is set two kinds of goals. It is very important to be very specific. Otherwise, when will you know that you’ve ‘won’? You need to have that ‘Selfie Moment’ when you can decree that you have done it!!!
The first goal you need to write down is your Long Term Goal. This is the main reason you want to start eating right and exercising. “I want to lose weight” is not good enough. It has to be very detailed. It may take you a long time to reach this goal, but that’s Ok! Make sure it’s realistic. “I want to lose 100 lbs.” is ok, if the doctor says that you need to. But don’t be silly about it. Because. . . .
. . . you have to publish this goal EVERYPLACE!! You need to announce it to your family and coworkers. You need to make a sign on the refrigerator and your bathroom mirror (for yourself & family members). You NEED to post it on ALL your social media accounts! This is very important, because these people will be your official cheerleaders. It doesn’t mean that you are doing it for them, but it will help you when you become weak. I’ve actually gone out for a run, because I know I told people on Facebook that I was going to!
Now the next thing you need to write down is your Short Term Goal. This will periodically change, but for now you need to come up with something that will get you going in the direction of your Long Term Goal.
This is where signing up for your first race will come in handy. You don’t have to do running, but this is what has worked miracles for me, personally. There are many activities’ that you could do. Do a little research online. The possibilities are endless! Organized activities are good because you can’t back out of it. And don’t forget to tell the WORLD what you are planning to do! Now you have a bunch of people cheering you on. It could be a little scary but you have to put yourself out there, to accomplish your goals!! Being ‘safe & comfortable’ got you into this unhealthy body, so you need to shake things up!
I will discuss running/walking because that’s what I do. When you’re signed up for your first mile or 5K (3.1 miles), it will help you to get out of bed and run or walk, when you really don’t want to. That big ‘RACE DATE’ will be looming in the back of your mind. There are wonderful ‘fun walk/runs’ that are perfect for beginner runners/walkers. They are pretty cheap, because they don’t time your run, and there are a lot of runners/walkers just like you! You’ll probably get a t-shirt that you can proudly wear after the race! Just do a search online and you will find many races! You can sign up for one many months in advance (when it’s cheaper) and then you can build up to it. I only advance my long run by 1/10 of a mile each week. Advancing this way keeps me from hurting myself and it does add up!
There is no way to duplicate the insanely awesome feeling you will get when you cross that finish line! And as you should be, you will feel SO proud of yourself! It’s your ‘Selfie Moment’! Once you finish that bottle of water they hand you, you’ll be thinking about the next race! “Next time I’d like to go a little faster!” “Next time I’d like to try a longer race!” It’s really addicting! (Better than food!)
The thing I like best about the running (biking & triathlons included) community is, that the other racers really do support you in your efforts, no matter how slow you are! When you are running it’s all about your own journey and your own PR (personal record). Some races I’ve run, I’m just happy to have finished (My first 15K is coming up!). Other races I want to beat the time I’ve run before! But it’s all about ME! It cracks me up when a non-runner says “Did you win?” It is not about ‘winning’ in that regard. YES I did win because I gave it my best! And I’m off the couch!!!!
Write a comment below and let me know what your Long Term and Short Term Goals are! I’ll be happy to help you keep on track and answer any questions about running/walking!
Until next time, Donna
Running on Empty Nest 