Goals and Lipstick

“Enjoy losing weight. Enjoy eating healthy, delicious food. Do not wait until you reach your destination to feel good. Take as much happiness and joy as you can from your weight loss journey.”  -Harry Papas

When I started my weight loss journey, I knew I needed to lose 60-75 pounds. That is A LOT of weight, and it was a goal that almost seemed out of reach. I decided the best way to stay motivated was to break it up into smaller goals.   

My first goal was to lose the very first pound. I know that does not seem like a very lofty goal, but it was the most important one. This is the goal that said I was ready to start my journey, and continue on with it. 

My next goal was to lose 7.3 pounds. This would put me in the next category. As most women would agree, there is a huge difference in 169 pounds and 171 pounds. There is something to be said for those two pounds. Two pounds changed from being 170 something to 160 something.  Two pounds, a fresh pineapple, a 16 oz. soda, a carton of ice cream, gives a us a sense of going to the next level. Then, my goals became every 10 pounds. 

I have one other goal that does not reflect the scale, but rather the size of my clothing. I have several dresses, pants, and shirts in my closet that I have not worn in years. I wanted to get back to wearing those clothes. I am now wearing most of them.

My final weight loss goal is to wear a dress I bought that is a size smaller than what I am now. It is beautiful, and I really want to wear it to a dance on April 6. 

Now, the best part of making goals and reaching them are the rewards that come with them.  I believe in rewarding ones self when reaching a goal. It keeps you motivated, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, and it gives you the perfect excuse to go shopping. 

My rewards included shoes, clothes, lipstick, earrings, and perfume. Never did I use food as a reward.    That would be counter productive. I rewarded myself with things that reminded me of what I had accomplished thus far. 

Goals are obtainable. We can overcome. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."