Evaluating your daily progress

I find it helpful when pursuing goals to do a daily evaluation noting what went well and what could be improved. For example, I am trying to lose weight. What went well today was that I made healthy choices and didn't eat too much. What could be improved? I got in some exercise (about 4000 steps) but could have done much more (my daily goal is 10,000).

So for anyone who would like to join the conversation, what is your goal? And for today only, what did you do well (or reasonably well) and what could be improved?

I'm kinda at square one today, needing to set some goals, but I think you have a good approach

Goal: weight loss
Did okay - ate mostly healthy food in good portion sizes
Needs work - 6500 steps - I think this could be improved by planning for longer walks or some other activity during the weekend. I don't get enough when I stay inside all day.

Goal: de-clutter my house
Did okay - cleared another area - i feel better when there is empty space.
Needs work - too often i just move the mess around - i need to pick smaller areas to work on so I can finish before I run out of energy.

On day 16 of being abstinent from alcohol. Great progress there. Still not exercising on the stationary bike...my goal is 3 x week. I'm eating pretty healthy but too large of portions.

Goal: weight loss
Did well: 14078 steps - more than 4000 over goal - i had some errands today
Needs work: Work means coffee - coffee means something sweet - sweet too often means eating too much of the wrong thing - i need to unchain these habits.

Goal: de-clutter
Did well: Picked up my living room so it is clear again - When I see the clear space, I feel happier and more energized.
Needs work - Felt overwhelmed by the rest of my home - I think i do better when I have something picked out - tomorrow i will clear the top of my vanity area - I should have enough energy to finish.

Goal: weight loss and be healthier
Did okay - 7530 steps - not quite 10000 but not too bad
Needs work - did some binging due to nervousness and the food be convenient -

Goal: de-clutter
Did okay: cleared my vanity area.
Needs work: planning my work time - just lost energy today getting home - had to push myself to finish my one assigned task.

For tomorrow - clear left wall area of bedroom

I still don't have any goals because I have insomnia and feeling really out of it!! but I am inspired to make some progress over the next couple of days. I think it's great even to do a corner of the room or pay a couple of bills, because it's when you feel overwhelmed and give up that it just gets worse and worse!!

Marla, Thanks for the encouragement. I hope your insomnia improves. I often struggle with that issue myself.

Goal: Weight Loss
Did well: 12164 steps
Needs work: When I struggled with an issue today, I went for the sugar. I need to come up with other ways to soothe myself.

Goal: De-Clutter
Did well: Made sure the areas I have cleared remain so. I cleared the left of my bedroom room so I can see the clear space increasing.
Needs work: I will get to the piles of things I have hidden in the spare room. I just need to remind myself to work slowly and not get overwhelmed.

For tomorrow - clear bathroom counter.

New goal starting tomorrow: Work on social anxiety issues
Tomorrow - smile at three people and don't take their reactions personally (if they don't smile back)

Day 19 abstinent from alcohol.

Ate junk food this morning

Good for you on the abstinence Gary.

For weight loss and healthier eating:
Did okay - 7500 steps
Needs more work - ate large portions throughout day trying to fill my my emotional holes.

De-Clutter
Did good - put things away as I came in to keep things clear. Wiped the counter and put things back in the right location.

Social goal:
Smiled at least 4 people - didn't notice any negative reactions

For tomorrow, to try:
1. Get most of steps in early by going for long walk
2. More time so I can de-clutter one of my hidden piles.
3. Smile at three people

Weight Loss:
Good - Did 9450 steps most of them early this morning when I went for a walk.
Needs work - ate an ice cream bar - had bought it because it was there not because I was craving it.

De-Clutter
Good - Keeping cleared areas clear and found permanent locations for one small pile.
Needs work - Feels like most of my energy just sputtered away today.

Social
Good - During my errands this morning smiled at at least 3 people.
Needs work - felt very disconnected from people today and isolated.

Weight Loss:
Did okay- about 6000 steps. I also tried to do some hula-hooping for about 5 minutes and some arm exercises. Ate mostly healthy in normal portion sizes.
Needs work - I have a hard time leaving my home on the weekends when I don't have to. I can't get the steps in if I stay inside all day.

De-Clutter
Did okay - I'm keeping my public areas cleared. If anyone comes by, I won't be embarrassed to let them in.
Needs work - The piles in my spare room seem a little overwhelming. Some stuff I just keep moving from place to place. I need to get to the mindset that if it isn't useful or brings me joy, I shouldn't keep it around.

Social
Good - I went out this morning for breakfast and actually made small talk with three different people (two had to since they worked there but it was a little more than usual). It really picked my mood up to actually engage directly with people.
Needs work - come up with other ways to engage with people that are not too threatening

For tomorrow, I aim to do the following:
1)Weight loss - Do a walking break instead of eating something from the vending machines. Bring a healthy lunch and snack.
2)De-Clutter - Put things away as I come in. Pick up 10 things from the spare room to toss.
3)Social - Try to make small talk with at least one person.

Weight Loss: Good - ate healthy-no vending machines; needs work - more activity only about 5000 steps

De-clutter - Met my goal of tossing 10 items.

Social - Made small talk with a new person at a meeting.

For tomorrow - do my best

weight loss: 10335 steps met my goal; ate good portion sizes - need to eat more vegetables

De-clutter: Kept areas clear and tossed 15 items.

Social: Attended meeting and contributed. Wished I didn't second guess my comments so much afterwards. When I leave an interaction with someone, it stays with me through the evening and even the next day. I wished my mind could leave the interaction as easily as my body does.

I do looser goals/evaluations. I see my primary care physician every 3 months so I use that for health and weight loss evaluation (they weigh me each time on their scale :-)

I've been unable in 15+ years of trying to get an "exercise" thing going and my philosophy on that has changed over the years too so I have backed off on trying to change myself so much; I want to do what I want to do (and, it looks like that's what I'm going to continue to do :-) and don't think spending my time trying to get myself to do something I don't want to do but the outside world says is "good" for me, is what I want to spend my energy on anymore. I'm getting up there in age, started receiving Social Security last year, and don't see any marathons in my future so I'm not going to train like that or even think about it; I have other things I'd rather think about.

goal: not binge eating and weight loss: bought a pedometer to measure my steps.
goal: 10,000 steps a day
goal:to get a handle on my stress so I don't binge eat

Weight loss: okay - 6770 steps, needs work - better food choices
De-Clutter: tossed 10 items
Social: around lots of people today - emotionally exhausted

Weight loss: okay 6060 steps, my food choices could have been better today
De-Clutter: Good - I took a moment to notice that since I've made a habit of putting my glasses and keys in one place, I've not lost time in the morning leaving the house because I couldn't find one or both items.
Social: Good - ate lunch with someone else today and didn't second guess my conversation afterwards.

weight loss: off day- only about 5000 steps eating so-so
de-clutter: put my things away
social: no plan today so not sure if I made any progress

glad you are staying with this, all my best intentions have gone out the window lately...but this is inspiring to me maybe because your goals are what mine should be too. I really really need to eat a more healthy diet. It hasn't been hard to add fruits and vegetables, now I need to work on the healthy protein part and not buy snacks full of carbs. see, you helped me work out a goal!!!

Health - did only about 5000 steps, ate well today
De-Clutter - cleared one stack from spare room
Social - made small talk with a couple of people today

I am still trying to push out those negative thoughts that are virtually nonexistent when it comes to addressing the issue with my peers. I tell them that you guys always treat me thus and they tell me that we never looked upon you as this and all you've been saying is in your own head. So, is it just me or do I let me deceive myself?

Today I thought I would review my reason for my goals as a reminder why I am wanting to push myself this way every day.

Lose weight: I am very overweight. I have eaten too much of the wrong things too long because it seemed to be a way to comfort/reward/punish myself. With this daily checkin, I believe I am becoming more in tune with the results of my food and exercise choices. Today I did well by making good choices with my food. I felt nourished but not stuffed. For exercise, I got about 8000 steps in and did some strength exercises.

DeClutter - In the past I have gotten too much stuff because I thought I would do something with it or the process of buying it made me feel better. I realize I don't enjoy seeing all my mistakes. I'm tired of moving it around because I can't find a place for something. What I am doing right is keeping the areas I use the most clear. I don't have to be ashamed if someone comes by. I am making progress on my spare room and storage areas with the eventual goal for everything to have a place or not be here.

Social: This goal is the hardest. I would like to be at the point where I can go to events and not feel uncomfortable that I am there alone. I would like to get the courage to invite a person or two out for coffee or lunch without being panicked about being rejected. I would like to feel more comfortable during meetings at work and not spend so much time analyzing what I said or did wrong. Today I did well by getting out of my home and having a short conversation with someone at the store.

Today I have come this far as to block out all thoughts of the past. I am ready to move on but there are still some thoughts that keep me from moving forward. Like the thoughts that seem to belittle me, like you'll never be able to do this or you are... this. I am not that and I will be able to. I believe in positive thinking.

Weight loss: 7425 steps - okay, ate healthy
De-Clutter: Picked up one bag worth of trash
Social: Ate lunch with a couple of people