March Update: Goals 2009

No, March isn't exactly over yet, but today was my final weigh-in for the month, so we might as well do it. Check out the entry that started it all.

1. Get back down to 130

March starting weight: 137.0
March ending weight: 137.0
Net Loss: 0.0 pounds

Wow, my progress is fantastic, isn't it?!? Seriously folks, this is a lesson in "don't give yourself any liberties you you really don't want." What do I mean by that? My stated Weight Watchers goal is 140 pounds, but it's not my "Personal Goal" which is somewhere in the neighborhood of 130-133 pounds. But since there are no real repercussions for me weighing up to 140 pounds, it's often why I end up creeping toward it.

Keep this in mind when you're setting your own final goal weight. It needs to be a number you'd be happy to weigh in at. Of course you want a little cushion, but don't think you'll set your goal at the top end of the weight range and just keep losing. You might initially, but you'll always have that ability to creep back up.

So my stated goal is a number I don't want. And since I'm so close to it, and have been struggling with it since January, I think I might be at the "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" point. Enough fiddle-farting around*, lying to myself, not being honest about what I'm eating.


So this weekend I'm going to work up a Storyboard of how I'm going to get this done. A couple of things that have been hindering my progress include evening snacking on the weeknights, and complete lack of attention to my eating habits on Saturdays. You can bet those are going to be dealt with (positively!) on the Storyboard.

* Apparently my inner monologue is channeling my father right now. Who knew?

2. Lay off the diet soda

I'm still keeping track of every time I drink diet soda. I think in March I probably had as much diet soda as January and February combined, thanks to a four day trip to Los Angeles involving Disneyland and Dodger Stadium (two of my favorite things, by the way!). But I continue to maintain a good habit of not having any diet soda during the week when I'm at work, and when I'm eating at home, which I'm proud of. Overall, I still feel like I am successful on this one.

I think posting these goals and updating them monthly has been really helpful for me to be accountable. I have to say that I was not looking forward to this morning's weigh-in, knowing that it was probably NOT going to be lower than my starting weight for the month. Knowing that I was going to have to post this for you all to read was definitely among my thoughts while standing in line for the scale.