I thought it would be motivating to have a thread dedicated to each mini goal we accomplish. That way, we can share or our scale and non-scale victories as well as the means we rewarded ourselves for our dedication and effort.

My first mini-goal is to weigh under 300 pounds. I have about 15 pounds to go in order to accomplish this.

My husband says he will plan something special for this occasion, so I don't really have a reward in mind at the moment. Of course, something with diamonds would be great!

What about you guys? What are your mini-goals and rewards?

The other day, I actually made a list of what my minigoals would be - basically: getting under 400 lbs, losing over 100 pounds, minigoals of 25 pound intervals, getting under 300 lbs, losing over 200 lbs, and so on down to my goal. Since I have a longer trek than you guys, I get more rewards!

I made two columns of reward: one of the columns are physical things - I've been meaning to get more tattoos, so when I hit certain weights, I'll get those. When I hit goal, I'll have a suit made, hand-tailored, and half a dozen shirts. And every year I stay at goal, I'll have another one made.

The other column is kind of tragic - it's a social column. It's about seeing people I haven't seen for a long time because I didn't want to see how they'd react to all the weight I'd put on. It's obviously much more about my own insecurities and whatnot than it is about their reactions - they'd love me either way, but I just didn't want to have them see me as I've become. I imagine some of you may recognize the emotion. SO, different weights before making plans to see old friends, old girlfriends, etc.

Banded March 27, 2008 I have been reading all the posts, I guess we all really feel the same. I want gas and bloating to go away. I sit all day at work and feel like my insides are in my chest at the end of the day

TATTOOS!!!

Yes, yes, yes!

I already have my goal tattoo all planned out........

I'm going to get another one in between as well.....

and I'm thinking about doing one now as a reminder....I want to get sort of a nautical compass on my wrist....as a reminder that I need to "stay the course".....

Ahha! I've been considering a tattoo as a reward as well. I've wanted to get a certain one for a long time - it would be on my upper arm and I just hate the fat, flabby arm so much that I wouldn't be able to show it off. :tt1:

Such a great idea, you two. I think I may add this to my reward when I reach my goal weight. I'd like to get my name in Thai characters around my upper arm along with a tribal band. Something else to look forward to!

I'm going to get mine on my lower arms, mostly because the skin of the lower arm will change less than the skin of the upper arm with marked weight loss.

Also, whimsy - when you take your Thai Holiday Reward for reaching goal, you might discover that tattoos are still seen as declassé by some Thais.

Although I do love Angelina's Thai - or, actually, Cambodian, I think - tattoos on her back.

All this talk has convinced me I need to go see my guy next week.......

this is sort of what I want....and I'm going to put it on the inside of my right forearm....

All this talk has convinced me I need to go see my guy next week.......

this is sort of what I want....and I'm going to put it on the inside of my right forearm....

That's gorgeous!

I too have more tattoos as one of my goals - I'm going to extend my back piece once I get to goal, and i've got some more plans for my wrists and ankles as well. The problem is,my family only knows about one of my tattoos (I currently have four), and my mum is super traditional, she hates it! I've been brought up in a way that, even though I absolutely adore my tattoos, I also have a tremendous feeling of guilt and shame about them at the same time. I know, F**ked up!

But I'm still getting more... I have big plans for my body/canvas!

I was banded mar25,I am doing great I never had any nausea and very little gas.I have none now and I can burp and drink pop.Does this mean something is not right with my band. My mini goal would be for my wedding rings to fit again I have no idea how long that will be

I want to keep hearing those small goals for our rewards. I was banded on March 17th, and have lot 22 pounds since I began my pre-diet on March 3rd.

I already get my nails done a lot, and I don't want to buy clothes. I was much thinner 2 years ago, and I like all those clothes I bought then!

People have other ideas for rewards?

Well, this week I passed a mini-goal - 50 pounds lost - but I didn't have a reward in mind for it. The first will be when I get below the 400 pound mark, and I have no clue what I'd decided on.

The thing is, there's not much I want. A couple of tattoos, but those can wait. The social rewards I mentioned above, but, again, no real hurry. I'm going to have to dig up my list again, just to remind myself.

I think that, for me, the weight loss is its own reward. I know that sounds dorky, but it's true: both the scale Victories and the Non-Scale Victories feel really great. I guess my rewards will be less "rewards" so much as recognition of another step in the right direction.

am so close to my first mini goal that i can, um, almost taste it. i wanted to lose 30 lbs from when i first met with my lap-band surgery in mid feb. thankfully, i'm a little less than one pound away. am headed to the gym later today to see if i can get that off by monday.

my other goal is to get to a bmi of under 40. that'll take another 10 lbs or so. one step at a time, right?!

don't know what my reward will be, but i am planning on using my tax refund to get a month's worth of personal training sessions. i'd love to be a little more toned for the summer.

but despite all the aesthetic issues, i already feel happier and healthier than i have in a long time. when i move or want to do something sporty, i no longer feel like my body is fighting me. that alone has already made this experience worthwhile.

One thing that is great - a reward in its own right, really - is that I eat so much less than I used to that I'm saving a huge amount of money.

Still, I am also finding other ways to spend it. For example, I used to be a chocolate bar demon, probably four a day. Now some days I take a huge detour on my walk home, and go to a chocolate boutique, and buy one or two chocolate bonbons. Since they're flown in from France each day, the cost for two small chocolates is $5.16. But damn, they're worth it!

My first mini goal is loose another 20 pounds by month 2 post op.

And I'm going to match you by losing 21 by 1 June.

Actually, no; I think I'll match you by losing 22 by 1 June. That'll be a colossal feeling of satisfaction, because I'll FINALLY be under 400 lbs.

Well, this week I passed a mini-goal - 50 pounds lost - but I didn't have a reward in mind for it. The first will be when I get below the 400 pound mark, and I have no clue what I'd decided on.

Wow Fenton! 50 pounds! Congratulations! **Round of Applause**

And to think we were banded the same day - can I bask in some reflected glory? :biggrin: