The challenges of goal setting

Coming up with Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely (SMART) goals is harder than you think. I'm trying to tie them to behavior changes that I want to achieve.

So here goes -

Drinking at least 6 glasses of water/day

Exercising 3 x week through Aug. 13

Averaging 8,000 steps a day by Aug. 13

Filling out an emotional eating sheet everytime I feel like going on a snack binge

Fitting in one bike ride per week

I have one more goal for this week - not gaining weight over vacation!

I am prepared. I stopped this morning at the Wellness Center to weigh in. My bike is going too - and I picked up extra audio books to make walks more entertaining. Susie Brueggeman, the Meriter dietitian and I talked about eating out strategies.

Off to Madeline Island!

I finally got all 10,000 steps in a day - and it was the Jimmy Buffett concert at Alpine Valley that did it. We parked in the Green Lot and had quite an aerobic work out to and from the theatre. I seriously wondered how some of the other fans made it! Just shows fitness doesn't have to be all drudgery.

Weight loss continues - slow and steady. This is confirming that my eating wasn't so out of wack - but lack of activity was catching up with me. I'm now wearing a pair of pants that didn't fit a month ago. Also bested my 1,000 meter rowing time earlier in the day. Shaved 14 seconds off my first try!

Tonight we're going to talk about goals. Scheduling regular exercise into my weekly routine has to be one of mine.