Outcomes vs. Goals
Goal setting is crucial to make a change; along with honesty. But I do find often we mix up our outcomes with our goals. Which impedes us from really achieving our goals and creates frustration with our outcomes. This becomes a vicious cycle of guilt and resentment that makes us stall in the process or worse, move backwards.
A friend shared an awesome post on her Instagram feed from @thesoberbuilder; “the expectation that you will lose 2lbs a week because you nail your plan is 100% a premeditated resentment. You are only in the action business. The results happen as they will. Find joy in the journey..”.
By definition goal setting involves the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a person toward a goal. A goal should be specific, attainable and measurable. Whereas an outcome is how things turn out. Often when asked what a person's health and nutrition goal is; I hear ‘to lose weight’. Sustainable weight loss is not a goal in my mind. It is an outcome of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, in our world today too often people are seeking a lower number on the scale; often as fast as possible. This mindset results in guilt and negative self-talk and ultimately weight gain.
A healthy body is a body that is nourished, well-rested and taken care of. In my house, we move our bodies and we fill our bodies with colourful healthy foods. Why? We want to have energy. We want to sleep well. We want to be strong. We want to be positive. We want to be ready for life.
I have struggled a lot over my life with body image. Before kids, I ran marathons and half marathons. I participated in triathlons. I was always trying to lose weight and was far from healthy. I would eat a low carbohydrate/ high protein diet. I would live off of protein shakes and meal replacements. I would try any new fad diet out there. My body would hold that weight no matter what I did. Why? Well, nothing I did was a sustainable way to do life. I didn’t have clear goals. I was filled with negativity. When I would weigh myself and I didn’t reach my goal I would be frustrated and deflated. Then I would binge and have to start getting back on track. I know I am not alone. I would hear the same conversations over and over.
It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with the first autoimmune disease that I had a mind shift. The weight I was trying to lose was the outcome of my body being in an unhealthy place. I needed to start the journey to get healthy. When I started accepting my body as a powerful vessel that needed to be cared for and loved; in addition to prioritizing both a healthy mind and body things started to become easier.
I started by setting healthy goals; such as drinking 3L of water a day, moving my body daily for at least 30 mins, and reading 20 min before bed. These goals are very cut and dry; I either did it or didn’t. If I didn’t I would ask myself why? What obstacles stood in my way. Are they obstacles that I can constantly move around? If not how will I adjust my goal to make sure it is consistently attainable. These are goals that will move my body to a healthier place. These goals are establishing new daily habits.
While I think it is amazing to have an outcome of where we would like to see ourselves. We do need to make a plan of action. How are we going to get to that outcome? We need to give ourselves permission to learn and adjust along the way. Most of all we want to make sure that the journey is successful and long-lasting. We don’t want to have to repeat this journey over and over. Make sure the changes you make are sustainable.
