Okay, so you have your goal in mind. And you have a time frame in which you plan to accomplish your goal. You have written it down, told your friends and family, and maybe even stuck an inspirational photo up on your fridge to help remind you. (I have a photo of Dara Torres in a bikini on my fridge. That woman is seriously inspiring!) What next?
Break it down! If you have three months in which to lose 12 pounds, then your goal awesomely breaks down into a pound a week. Losing a pound per week is a great goal because it means you can take baby steps. Choose one action that you will do this week in order to move toward that goal. Your action might be to drink 12 ounces of water before every meal or snack. Fill your belly up with calorie-free water, stay hydrated, and tend to eat slightly less at each meal. Win-win-win! Or your action might be to take a brisk walk at least once a day. This is a great baby step if you have been getting zero exercise. If you already walk every morning, add an evening walk after dinner as well.
Then what? After a week of executing your new habit every day, you should have a clue whether or not you are headed in the right direction. If you lost your pound, and you're feeling motivated, keep your new habit and try adding the next step. Maybe drink your water before each meal, AND add your evening walk. Or attempt a daily jog instead of one of your walks. Remember, make sure all your steps are baby ones. Your small changes should feel doable, not overwhelming. If you feel like you can do this step, no problem, then it is the right choice. If it scares you to death, back off and try something else instead. We are looking for SUCCESS, and the way to get there is one baby step at a time.
And set yourself up for that success. If you plan to walk first thing in the morning before work, lay out your clothes the night before. Put your walking shoes right by the side of the bed so you will see them first thing in the morning. Make it easy to do the right thing. If you want to take a salad to work for lunch, chop all your veggies the night before while you're making dinner. Stick them in a tupperware container and you are ready to grab it and go in the morning. Make a plan to walk after dinner with your spouse or a friend. Sign up for a Zumba class with your sister, then pick her up on the way there. Play tennis with your kids. Be accountable to others. Remind them of your goal and ask for help. And keep in touch! I'm here to support you and cheer you on!
Break it down! If you have three months in which to lose 12 pounds, then your goal awesomely breaks down into a pound a week. Losing a pound per week is a great goal because it means you can take baby steps. Choose one action that you will do this week in order to move toward that goal. Your action might be to drink 12 ounces of water before every meal or snack. Fill your belly up with calorie-free water, stay hydrated, and tend to eat slightly less at each meal. Win-win-win! Or your action might be to take a brisk walk at least once a day. This is a great baby step if you have been getting zero exercise. If you already walk every morning, add an evening walk after dinner as well.
Then what? After a week of executing your new habit every day, you should have a clue whether or not you are headed in the right direction. If you lost your pound, and you're feeling motivated, keep your new habit and try adding the next step. Maybe drink your water before each meal, AND add your evening walk. Or attempt a daily jog instead of one of your walks. Remember, make sure all your steps are baby ones. Your small changes should feel doable, not overwhelming. If you feel like you can do this step, no problem, then it is the right choice. If it scares you to death, back off and try something else instead. We are looking for SUCCESS, and the way to get there is one baby step at a time.
And set yourself up for that success. If you plan to walk first thing in the morning before work, lay out your clothes the night before. Put your walking shoes right by the side of the bed so you will see them first thing in the morning. Make it easy to do the right thing. If you want to take a salad to work for lunch, chop all your veggies the night before while you're making dinner. Stick them in a tupperware container and you are ready to grab it and go in the morning. Make a plan to walk after dinner with your spouse or a friend. Sign up for a Zumba class with your sister, then pick her up on the way there. Play tennis with your kids. Be accountable to others. Remind them of your goal and ask for help. And keep in touch! I'm here to support you and cheer you on!
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