Goal Setting

Since time is flying by and February is more than half over already, I figured that it was about time I did some goal setting.

Actual, sit down and think about it, write it out, conjuring emotion, goal setting.

And I realized something. Last year, I had set a goal. This was my actual goal, as I had written it: To wear a bikini by June 1st, 2011. And when June came and went, I felt like a failure. In my mind, I had not met my goal because my body wasn't even close to the shape I wanted it to be in. But yesterday I discovered that without even realizing it, I DID meet my goal. I wore my bikini in public. Several times!

Sometimes I am so stuck on what I have not done that I completely miss out on what I have done. I accomplished my goal, as it was written on paper. I had essentially met my goal.

This is where goal setting is going to be better for me this year. I have read (and re-read) Tom Venuto's book. And lately I've been reading over the parts on goal setting. And I realized that last year, I wasn't specific enough and that's why I felt as though I didn't meet any goal. Goals must be measurable. For instance, if you want to get down to a certain weight, that number is measurable. For me, weight doesn't even matter anymore. It's all about measurements. That's what's going to be noticeable (for me).

So over the past several days, I have set aside some quiet time to really focus on what I want and why. I've written out a timeline, I've got a plan, I've got short term and long term goals, and this time, I'm going to be able to measure them! With the progress I've made in just the last 6 weeks, I'm more motivated than ever! I can do this!

I know I said weight doesn't matter, and it doesn't. Because what you weigh, doesn't determine in the least how physically fit you are, how toned you are or how good you look in a bikini. But one thing that was really hard was being ok with the number on the scale going up. When you are programmed for so long to think that the lower the number the better you look, it's hard to change that thought pattern. But realistically, I had to gain weight if I wanted to achieve part of my goal, which was to gain muscle.

Because for a long time, I was under the assumption that you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, which is physiologically impossible. You have to be in a calorie surplus to gain and a deficit to lose. What was I thinking?? It can seem like it's possible from a month to month standpoint, however. For example, you could focus on working strictly muscle building for two weeks and then switch to strictly fat loss the next two weeks. And relatively speaking, a month isn't that long of a time period, so it could feel as though you are losing fat yet gaining muscle at the same time. However, overall, it would be a painfully sloooooow process. Especially if you goal is, to build muscle AND lose extra fat.

And this has been my mindset for a long time because I've been so afraid to be in a calorie surplus and GAIN the muscle I so desperately want. Which is why it's taken forever. Crazy isn't it? Our minds can be so powerful. So instead of being an idiot, I want to harness that powerful mind of mine and put it to better use.

I've gained muscle. I've seen the changes in my body take place. I've seen the number on the scale go up. Am I ok with that? Hell yeah! My arms, shoulders and back are so muscular. My butt is growing rounder, how can I not be ok with that?!

So, the plan is, I'm focusing on staying in a calorie surplus and gaining as much muscle as I can for the next 3 weeks. Then, I'm going to make the switch to my 12 week timeline. I will still focus on heavy lifting (to maintain muscle) while carb cycling the first 6 weeks, then switch to fat loss the second 6 weeks. This will require different training style and different diet. I'm excited to see how my body responds.