Just in... I received this progress report by email from one of the fifteen participants in The Fitness Race. I'm looking for a couple of things in these e-mails from each participant:
1. Determination
2. Postitive attitude about future progress

In this e-mail, despite the fact that more than four pounds has been lost in four weeks, from the tone of this, I'm concerned about discouragement in this individual. The emails are in "reverse order" with my response at the top and the first email in the series at the bottom. Read them all & see what you think? Are you worried for this person?

LM,

Let’s focus on the future… you HAVE made progress. Now, how many pounds per week will you need to lose in order to reach your goal by the target date? That’s what I recommend in order to track your progress benchmarked against your goal.

It’s unlikely that weight training is having a significant impact, competition weight lifters feel lucky to gain one pound per month in muscle. So, the best bet is to focus on nutrition and pray for strength to re-examine what your daily calorie target should be & then contemplate if you have the resolve to stay below that number.

Would you like additional mentoring?

I’m here to help you reach your goals for the reasons that are important to you.

Best,

M
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From: L M
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 4:38
To: Mark Little

Subject: Progress

Mark,

Thanks, but I don't feel like I'm making great progress. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I thought I would have lost more weight by now. The weights I have been using are adding to my weight, I'm sure. I just need the weight scale to go down so that I can feel like I'm really making a difference!

My benchmarking update is attached.

By the way, I really appreciated the quote you added to your email:
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals"

I really needed to see that today!

Thanks,

LM
----- Original Message ----
From: Mark Little

L M,

You're doing great with your efforts to transform yourself, I am particularly impressed with your commitment to sticking with your goals.

Please send me the progress you've made thus far... benchmarked against your goals (using all the benchmarks you are tracking).

Mark

Mark M. Little
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals

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It is an important "next step" for the group to create a customized "Plan for discouragement" so they have a step-by-step process to follow for those inevitable times when things aren't going as well as hoped.