Stepping on the scale on Wednesday, May 27, just a few days after returning home from Cancun, I weighed 274.9 pounds. Considering five days at an all-inclusive resort, travel, restaurant meals, and the inevitable water retention that comes with flying, the number wasn’t much of a surprise.
This Sunday morning, May 31, the scale read 270.9 pounds.
That weight will serve as the official starting point for my new long-term project:
Fit After 65: The Road to 230.
My goal is simple: continue improving my fitness, lose weight, and reach 230 pounds by January 1, 2027.
At first glance, the challenge looks daunting. From 270.9 pounds to 230 pounds means losing just over 40 pounds in seven months. When I consider that I lost only about 15 pounds during the four months leading up to my Cancun trip, it’s easy to wonder if this goal is realistic.
But goals become much more manageable when you break them down.
To reach 230 pounds by January 1, I need to lose roughly 1.5 pounds per week. That’s about 6 pounds per month and approximately 42 pounds over the next seven months.
When viewed that way, the goal feels achievable.
The biggest change won’t come from finding a magic diet or some secret workout plan. The change will have to come from my daily behaviors and habits. Consistent movement. Better food choices. Portion control. More intentional eating. Better focus.
The truth is that I struggle with these things every day. Like many people trying to lose weight, I know what I should do. The challenge is doing those things consistently over time.
That’s why this journey is about more than a number on the scale.
It’s about building the discipline to make good choices when I don’t feel like it. It’s about staying focused when progress is slow. It’s about becoming the type of person who follows through on commitments made to himself.
Each Sunday, I’ll post an update that includes my weigh-in, what went well during the week, what challenges I faced, and what adjustments I plan to make moving forward.
If you’d like, I invite you to follow along on the journey.
My ATM Goals
I’ve read about OTM goal setting, which stands for Outstanding Goal, Target Goal, and Minimum Goal. I’ve decided to put my own spin on it and call it ATM Goals.
Why ATM?
Because reaching goals is a lot like making deposits into a bank account. Every workout, every healthy meal, every walk, and every good decision is a deposit toward the future version of myself.
Here are my ATM Goals:
Awesome Goal: 220 pounds
Target Goal: 230 pounds
Minimum Goal: 240 pounds
While 230 pounds remains the primary target, reaching any of these milestones would represent significant progress and a healthier version of myself than the one stepping on the scale today.
The Reward
Goals are important, but rewards can provide extra motivation.
If I reach my Target Goal of 230 pounds, I will reward myself with a trip to Las Vegas in 2027.
That trip isn’t just a vacation. It will represent seven months of discipline, consistency, and commitment to becoming healthier at age 66.
Today is Day One.
The destination is 230 pounds.
Now it’s time to put one foot in front of the other and start moving down the road.
Embrace the journey.