My Weight Loss Goals

Ok, Time to lay out my goals and rewards:

GOALS

1. My weekly goal is 1.5 pounds
2. My second goal is to get below 275 by the end of the year
3. My third goal is to lose 40 pounds between Jan1, 2010 and July1 2010
4. My last goal is to get to 199 before I turn 40 (July 2012)

The first goal is just a standard goal that I always shoot for. On most weeks if I eat to plan and exercise I usually lose 1-2 pounds.
The second goal is a challenge toward dealing with changes in my normal routine. I am traveling north for Thanksgiving, and then I am going on a family vacation the last week of the year. In order to lose 18 pounds in the last 7 weeks this year, I'm going to have to deal with being away from home and outside my routine.
The 3rd goal has some big significance to me. Next summer I am going to Maine to visit with my family and a lot of old friends. Because I live in Virginia, I haven't seen a lot these people in several years. I really would like to surprise everyone by showing up a slimmer, healthier person.
Now I know what you are thinking about my last goal: "it seems a little weak". To be honest, I'm hoping to get to 199 long before I hit 40, but at the same time I'm trying to be realistic. Even at my current weight I go through periods where I don't lose anything. This year is a perfect example. In the first quarter of this year I went from 314 to 289 (25 pounds in 3 months). Since then I have managed to keep most of it off, but the days of losing 2 pounds each week have come to a halt. Now I'm back at it trying hard again, but I am certain I will run into those periods of no losses now and then. I am also thinking that as I get closer and closer to my goal, it's going to get harder and harder to lose weight.

Rewards

Now for some rewards. I decided not to tie my rewards directly to my goals (except for the first one) and instead focusing on reaching certain milestones:

1. If I reach my weekly goal, I will allow myself to eat a little more on the weekend. (my calories should not increase by more than 20%)
2. When I reach 270 I'm going to buy a mountain bike. I love biking but at my weight it can be hard on the bike (and my ass). When I get to 270 (hopefully by March) I'm going to buy a bike and start riding regularly with my oldest daughter.
3. When I reach 230 I'm going to start playing hockey again. I love hockey! I played organized hockey all through my childhood. By the time I hit college I was too big to play anymore but a lot of my friends played in a pickup league. It was hard to not be able to participate. When I hit 230 I'm going to look into joining a men's recreational league in Roanoke.
4. When I hit my final goal of 199 I'm going to take a big vacation. It might be a cruise or a trip to some far off beach or maybe even just a family trip to Disney (by then I'll be able to fit on the rides). I'll decide as I get closer to reaching it.

So these are my goals and rewards. I think the goals are SMART and the rewards fit the milestones and will help support me to the end.