If you follow me on Twitter, I'm sure you've seen that I'm now really excited about being part of the #7daychip community on Twitter and Facebook. Since coming to France, one thing I've missed most is my weekly WW meetings and having the #7daychip community has really been like having all of that support and more at home. I still haven't reached my first chip, but I'm looking forward to hitting that first milestone and continuing to grow with the community!
That said, sadly the weekly chats happen between 3 and 4am France time, so I have to miss them. Another chipper mentioned replying on her blog the next day, so that's going to be the plan for Fridays until I come home!
Without further ado, my responses to this weeks #7daychip chat! If you haven't checked out the group, I HIGHLY recommend it!
Q1: What is your present "primary" goal? How long have you been trying to achieve it?
My present "primary" goal in my 'healthiness journey' is to get down to my goal weight of 140-145 pounds. I know I should have an exact number, but I want to hit 145 and see how I look and feel and go from there. I've been working on this goal since June 2009, and with renewed vigor since the beginning of March 2011.
Q2: Do you have any other goals (secondary) you are working towards? What are they?
I have a bunch of other goals I'm working towards as far as health is concerned:
-Not oversleeping and aiming to get 7.5 hours a night
-Run a half marathon on 2011 (started running in 2010)
-Tone up
-My newest goal (from yesterday): To speed up my average running pace to someday hit a 9 minute/mile average.
Q3: Can you give any examples of goals that you have been successful reaching?
Back when I started my blog, my goal was to finish C25K, I passed that with flying colors and haven't looked back! In my 'professional' life, I also reached my goal of graduating summa cum laude from my university in 2010 and successfully applied for graduate programs and was awarded a fellowship to continue my studies.
Q4: Why were you successful reaching those goals?
I have been successful with my running and my academic career for a few reasons: Never allowing myself to give up, keeping my eyes on the prize, and by having the constant support of my family and friends. I know I wouldn't have started this blog, started running or even KEPT running without Jon by my side at the time to help push me to run on days that I was lacking in motivation.
Q5: What can you bring from your successful goal attempts to your present struggles?
These three reasons totally apply to my new goals. I think talking about your goals so more people can hold you accountable is really important. Furthermore, I just need to keep my head down and keep trudging on. NEVER give up.
Q6: Do you have any tricks/tips that help you to reach your goals?
I set myself mini, weekly goals and try and use my blog to log them and keep myself accountable on a weekly basis. This is a long-term journey, not a crash diet, so it's easy to get demotivated without seeing progress or if you're not able to "restart" at some point each week.
Q7: Do you have any thoughts why your longstanding goals are so hard to achieve?
Anything work having is hard to have and is worth working hard for: relationships, health, success in general. My weight loss goal is so hard to achieve because I'm trying to not deprive myself too much because I'm not just trying to lose the weight, I'm trying to completely change my lifestyle and there's no way I can maintain a lifestyle without red wine and chocolate.
Q8: If you could give yourself goal reaching advice from “the outside” what would it be??
Keep your chin up and keep pushing on. Try not to compare your journey to that of other people. Your WL journey is your own.
Q9: Do you think you will reach your most challenging goals eventually?
I know I will, I just need to be prepared for a) it to take a while and b) the lifelong commitment and struggle to stay at goal weight once I get there.
Alrighty, off to work to make up from taking off on Monday! Have a great day, chippers and bloggers!!! :)
