Number Goals

Should you have number goal? When you are on your journey of transformation, which can be quite rocky and up and down and sideways, of losing weight, should you have a number. Should you have a number goal or a goal weight you are trying to achieve?

We are always made acutely aware of those numbers. You know, the scale numbers, the defining how your day is going to go numbers, the defining you numbers. I understand saying I want to lose X number of pounds.

But think about it. What happens when you reach that number. When you stand on the scale, does the scale say, “hey bitch, you reached that number, now you’re perfect.” What happens to your life when you reach that number? What is going to be different? Not much. Things will not be much different at all. It’s still you. You still have to live with you.

The bigger, more important things are your health, your happiness, you well-being. Those are the things that really matter. Can you put a number on those? What if you never reach that number? What if you get three pounds away from that number? What then? Are you just going to say screw it, I guess I’m done now. I didn’t reach that number. I failed. I failed again. I am a piece of shit. We all have beat ourselves up like that. We all have told ourselves that.

You just missed the big picture. You concentrated on the negative. So you never even enjoyed the positive. You didn’t enjoy the progress you did make. You were so focused on wanting to reach an arbitrary – this will make me feel better – number, that you missed everything in between.

You missed the – oh I can breathe better today. You missed the – wow, that workout felt easier. You missed the – my pants aren’t as tight. You missed the – holy shit my skin looks amazing, and many many more little victories you accomplished along the way. You made a crap ton of progress and you missed it all because of that number, all because you had it in your head the whole time. You were tunnel visioning that number.

Focus on the process when you are going through your transformation. Focus on the journey. The numbers happen regardless, the numbers are always going to be there. Don’t let the number hold the power over you. Don’t let the number dictate who you are or who you want to be.

You are the only one who has the power to change and to be you. You control it. Set some non-scale goals along the way. Enjoy the process along the way. Live your life along the way. When you pay more attention to the journey and to what happens during the process, you learn how your body responds to things and you learn way more than you would checking out and chasing a number. Check into your life and learn about yourself. Take back your body and take back your life.