I've been reading a lot about people reaching a weight loss goal that they've set. I haven't set any goals, but maybe I should. I just watch the scale every day, making sure it is going in the right direction.

What are your thoughts on setting goals? Do you reward yourself when you meet one? How do you reward yourself?

I also have a very bad knee. I had an accident about 20 yrs ago and as a result i know have severe osteoarthritis and my left knee has no catilage and i have a displaced patella. I boke my tibia and have 2 playes and screws. Since losing the weight i feel so kuch better. I still deal with a little pain but i can now run and jog. I never thought i would ever be able to do that. I was nervous at first but i am holding up great. I am now down to 260 from 356 and loving life. It only gets better. Good luck to you!

You can run and jog! You are going to be my new inspiration...lol! I used to run a lot, and hated it. I would make myself run about 7 miles 3 times a week, and managed to get my weight down to 130 (back in the early 1990s). It was the only way I could keep my weight down. Now that I can't run, I long for those days that I had the ability to run. I think I'm going to go back to the doc and see what I can do to make that happen.

It is possible. I have had three knee surgeries and one hip on the opposite side. I have rheumatoid arthritis and deal with joint pain. However now that I weigh about 135 the pain of running and doing daily activities is so much easier. All things and dreams are possible!!

Rena, I started pre op weight at 302 and have lost 55 pounds. I got cortisone shots in my knees three times a year and lived on NSAIDs. At 247, I went to Italy with nothing but Tylenol. I walked my butt off on hills and stairs and cobblestones every day for two weeks. Miles and miles every day, several cities. Although my knees hurt by the end of the day, they recovered daily. My feet hurt like hell but also recovered every day. Amazingly, I was not out of breath, and I kept up with our tour guides easily. Just that small amount of weight lost changed my physical abilities. I look forward to how much more I'll be able to do when all the excess weight is gone.

Sounds like you came out of that a lot stronger. Maybe if I exercised my knees a bit more, the muscles around them would get stronger and help with the pain. I am such a baby....lol! I don't like pain. Very strange when my operation was not very painful at all, and I recovered quickly.

I haye working out too but i do it 5 days a week. I had a lot of knee pain but i sucked it up cuz i knew it would make it better. Eventually my body quit fighting me and now i still have some pain on hard workout days but its worth it cuz i know it will get better. I have perm. Damage so i know i will never be pain free but after 20yrs im accustomed to it but i barely need meds anymore. Good puck.

OK...back to goals. I'm making one right now. When I finally reach "onederland" I'm going to go buy me some really good walking shoes and throw away the worn out ones I have right now. Shoe shopping always feels good, and isn't food related. I think that will also motivate me to get to the track!

@@Rena's got this --- Go for the shoes! Had a funny experience yesterday -- the cardiologist wanted me to have a treadmill stress test before surgery and the nurse was really nice. He looked at me and said "Oh, you'll do fine on the test... the technician and I have noticed everybody with Nike's does fine on the test." Then he showed me his shoes -- Nike's.

So, Nike's come highly recommended! lol

I'm pretty small goal oriented. Having something to look forward to always makes the journey a much more joyful one for me and so far I haven't struggled much with the dark side much because of my focus on the little goals set forth ahead of me. My first goal was set for 75 pounds because I have over the course of my life lost 70 pounds a few times and gained it back (with extra). So this time I'm going forward and my reward is a few choice pieces of clothing that fit a little better. My next goal is when I get to 299 pounds at which time I'm going to buy me a bicycle! I used to live on one of those when I was young and I really miss it. I live very close to a great paved biking trail and I can't wait! My first big goal was to be able to fit in an airplane seat without worry (started a thread about that today). Even when I reach that goal I will have a long way to go but it won't matter because I will feel such a renewed sense of freedom and pride in what I have accomplished. I haven't looked any further ahead than that. Right now my blinders are set on that next 5 pounds!

I did set a personal goal with a "prize"...after I lost 100 pounds, I bought a Coach watch (on sale mind you) because before then, they were too small... I feel great wearing that everyday as a reminder of what "was"... on that same note... some time ago, I found a beautiful, braided belt at a thrift store for $1.00; only to find out it was Coach!!! It was too small, but I bought it anyway, thought I'd sell it on ebay or something... well after we moved, recently, I came across it and it FIT, with room to go into the loop!!!! No one ever sees it, but I wear it everyday for that same reason...it makes me smile to know I "made it" so far... I am holding steady...still have some more to lose, but I'm not gaining...so I'm happy over all...

I, too, have RA and no cartilage...so I had to lose weight before surgery was considered, but I couldn't lose weight because I couldn't more...vicious cycle...this surgery has been a life saver for me, and I look forward to the NEXT surgery of getting my knees done... and maybe some plastics...down the road

I just started this whole process - VSG expected sometime around November 2014 - but I already have several non-scale goals:

• Ride a horse without feeling bad for the horse
• Wear a dress/skirt without worrying about my thighs rubbing together so much its painful
• Not feeling like every moment is an epic battle not to eat a bunch of fast food. Achieving a sense of normalcy with a healthy lifestyle.
• Not feeling self-conscious when I step off the elevator because I know it is going to bounce after I leave
• Buying clothes that are NOT from Lane Bryant (side note: why do designers think that larger people only want ugly clothes? we want the same clothes as other people - only bigger!)
• Wearing high heels comfortably
• Crossing my legs without moving my whole body around

I will be so happy when these things happen.

Edited June 27, 201412 yr by easymack63

One that's on the top of my list is being able to ride a roller coaster again.

A few years ago I tried to ride a ride at an amusement park and they couldn't get the bar to close on me. That was the last time I ever tried. I had to walk past a long line of people that knew what happened to me. Also, they had to wait until I got out of the way to start the ride for the other people. I literally wished I could have died.

I want to run and play with my kids.

I want to fly on an airplane again without having to ask for a seatbelt extension

To be able to take a pic of myself and not be embarrassed to post it.

To not be invisible anymore

I've purchased my Nike shoes, and wore them to Six Flags recently where I rode some of the roller coasters! I had no problems fitting in the seats this time!!!

Also, I was finally able to ride my daughter's bicycle without feeling that I was making the tires go flat. I need to make some new goals now!

Originally my goal was 138 even though I had multiple doctors tell me that it might not be too feasible with my frame. I'm now aiming for 148. I'm trying to reward myself with things that aren't food related. Like I think when i make my next mini goal I'm going to go horseback riding.