[frogguruami]

Great thread, and very timely for me!

I have problems with setting goals. I tend to hate "general" goals like "lose weight". It just seems so broad. I am more of a "lose X number of pounds by such and such date" kind of person.

The problem with that is that now that I am lifting weights that throws a monkey wrench into those numbers. Definitely in a good way but I don't know how to compensate. When losing weight was my only focus (I did weight watchers and lost 70lbs.) it was easy to say "I will strive for an average loss of 1.5 pounds per week until I reach goal." And I could then estimate when I would "reach goal" based on that.

Now I need to think in terms of measurements and clothing sizes because the scale is a poor representation of progress and I don't know what is a reasonable time scale. Is it reasonable to set a goal of losing 4% BF each month? Is 3% better? I just don't know what is possible because I have never measured it before.

How do you go about setting short and long term goals that are reasonable and obtainable when you don't know of what you or your body is capable? I truly have no concept of what I will look like in December. I have no idea what clothing size I will fit into. I have no idea what my ideal measurements would be when I "have reached goal".

Perhaps I am being to number oriented but it is how I work! LOL I love charts and graphs and number trends. I love watching the correlation between my BF%, measurements and scale weight. I am fascinated by how little weight I have lost yet still managed to lose 7 1/4 inches and 4.5% BF in a month and a half. However, I hesitate to base my goals on those numbers because I don't know if I can expect to continue that trend.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how one goes about setting long term goals when venturing into new territory.