What Is YOUR Goal?

Oh, I know what "the goal" is. You want to reach a specific body weight, or have a certain body fat percentage. 

But what do you want to do after the goal is reached? What future plans do you have that will keep you focused on the challenge of staying at goal weight? You need to do two things (in my opinion) when you reach your goal. First, you need to set a new goal, and second you need to find something to plan for the future.

I've written about it here before, but I'll say it again for anyone new. When I reached my goal weight, I became depressed. My entire focus for eight months (losing weight) was gone. I felt lost. When I decided to make a new goal of running the 10K Bellin Run that helped me get out of my funk. (The fact that my knee has stopped cooperating has not changed my attitude. If I can't run it--and right now, running is not an option--then I will walk it.) That goal helped me create a new focus, greater physical fitness, which in turn helps me stay at goal weight. This is a goal that will never really end, just as my goal of staying at goal weight has now become my everyday life. Those two goals complement each other, each making the other easier.

But the second part is different. I think it is important to have a future plan, something to look forward to with anticipation, to keep the motor of motivation running fast. I have two such plans. The first is my hike of the Mountain-Bay Trail, from Green Bay to Wausau and back (about 180 miles round trip.) That is my first solo hike.  Hell, let's be honest. It is my first hike, alone or in a group. This is a test run, and if the hike is not horrible, it will be repeated next year with my wife. And some day down the road, probably after retirement, we will walk the Wisconsin Ice Age Trail.

I have another future plan. My wife and I are taking a driving trip to the east coast later in June. For about two weeks, we'll hit multiple points in New England and along the Great Lakes. That is another reason to keep my focus on health, fitness and weight maintenance, because I intend to enjoy the foods available on the east coast. Seafood, in other words. We will do a lot of walking on that trip, but a lot of eating, too. I've never been to that part of the country before, and I want to completely enjoy it.

On both trips, I will continue to make blog posts so you can keep up with my activities, and my meals. It will be a BLAST.

So, what is YOUR goal? What special plan have you made?

Good luck in all your goals. You CAN achieve them, because like Smokey the Bear says, "Only YOU can prevent goal achievement!"