As much as having stretch goals is important, you also need to be both realistic and safe. Just don't use those things as excuses.
Case in point - my goal. I was gunning for 10% body fat or below after I hit my weight goal of 185 (I'm now between 175 and 180 on any given day). I started at 19.5% body fat on July 1, 2011, and am anywhere from 11.5-12.5% now. That's on my Tanita scale. On my calipers (using a 3 point Jackson-Pollack method), I'm 7-8% body fat. Tonight, I got a new scale (the Omron model I suggest in our store - it's fantastic), and it said I'm 7.7%. So what am I?
This is a conundrum Tim discusses in the book. They're all wrong, most likely, but the key is to be consistently wrong throughout your journey so you are at least tracking relative progress.
So here's what I'm writing about tonight. My 10% goal for my reading on my Tanita scale may not be physically possible, or at least may be medically unsound. Why do I say that? Well, if the calipers and Omron are right, or close to it, I don't have much fat to lose before getting down to where 'healthy' ends, and 'too low / danger' begins. For my age and height, this is probably around 6% based on everything I can find.
So, if I have about 2% to lose according to the Tanita scale, then, even if it's half right, that puts me pretty low on the calipers and Omron. In fact, I was 7% on the Omron earlier tonight - just reinforcing this message.
I've been holding back on abandoning my goal because I would be left goal-less, and feeling like I gave up. However, I'm damn fit. Sorry, but it's true. Relatively speaking (relative to where I was and where most 33 year olds are), I'm damn fit. Am I Lance Armstrong? No, not in the slightest. But I'm very fit. So is it so bad to walk away? No.
Then again, I'm not walking away. I have a goal of running my first race this summer (only a 5K, but you must start somewhere, and it's still more running than I've ever done in my life). I also have a goal of maintaining my fitness level. I also have a goal of keeping on this program to the 1 year mark before allowing myself any adjustments. None of these things is trivial, and they're all healthy. If I push to burn more fat than would be wise, I'd be jeopardizing all I've achieved. I think it's time to back off that goal, which I made with imperfect information. If I get there naturally, that's fine, but I am not going to try to get there purposefully. I'm going to try to stay healthy, fit, active, and on top of my dietary health - as I have been - and will keep making myself happy and proud with what I've done and maintained and the example I'm setting for my son.
I should be feeling dejected by this conclusion. I'm not. I'm empowered by it because I'm not scared of what will happen. If I was not in the mental place I've come to, I'd be scared, and I'd be starting a reverse or downward slide. Not now. I have a new mind, and it started with a new body.
How about you?
I definitely don't think you should be dejected! I'm as goal-oriented and motivated as anyone, but it's always key to keep in mind the purpose behind your goals. 10% body fat is/was a signifier of more important objectives--fitness, health, commitment to a certain lifestyle--and as long as you're still striving for those things, I think that's really what's most important.
ReplyDeleteAs for me....late last year I set a running goal of a certain half marathon time. Until about a month ago, I felt pretty solidly on track for that goal, but a brief but poorly timed injury has put it into question. My next race is in less than two weeks, and I had to take three weeks off to nurse an achilles injury. Taking the time off was beyond smart--if I had tried to push it, I probably wouldn't even make it to the start line--but right now my goal time is up in the air. I've still got a shot, but I've already decided that if I don't make it, it's time to move on to other running goals. I've been focused on turning in faster times at the same distance for a couple years now, and frankly, while I think I can still get faster, it feels like a stale goal.
So, it's on to the next challenge...I'm taking my running into the mountains, aiming to see what I can do on hilly mountain run, half marathon and longer. It will test my physical and mental stamina in all new ways, and will make my stronger in the long "run" :) And most importantly, I'm more psyched about these next challenges than I have been for any run in a while.
OK, this may have been premature. I was not using the Omron scale correctly last night. Today’s AM reading was 10.8% body fat. This leads me to believe that a) the Tanita scale was likely not working for me, and b) my goal is still sensible and achievable (though still a real stretch goal). While I will keep it, my thoughts above still stand, and the comment from Jess T backs it up – be smart and be dynamic. If a goal is going to do more harm than good and risk detailing you from the amazing progress you’ve made in rebuilding your life or keeping in the right place, then adjust or replace it.
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