I hope you had a great Christmas and whether you over indulged or not, with the start of a New Year comes all the hope for a new YOU. If your New Year Resolutions include living a healthier lifestyle, to lose weight and being more confident in yourself, then please subscribe to this blog. I'll be here to help you over the course of your goals and for the years to come.
Step 1: Set your objectives
So on the assumption that you are taking this seriously, the first thing we need to do is to set our objectives (our goals), what is it we are aiming for, what do we want to achieve?
You may have noticed I used the plural, objectives - if you only have the one objective (eg to lose weight) I'm sure you'll soon get knocked off course and give up. Having multiple goals can help spur us on for longer.
Your goals need to be written down, I recommend you use the SMART (Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time) approach as this can really help. In fact I'm going to suggest that not only do you write your objectives down but that you keep a log of your progress. This is all a part of getting you to 'buy in' to the new lifestyle.
Here are a few example objectives, you need to make your objectives relevant to your own specific circumstances:
- To lose 2 stone (28 lbs) within 3 months
- To drop 2 dress sizes before my daughter's wedding
- To lose 4 inches off my waistline within 4 months
Step 2: Information phase
It's time to ask yourself some very personal and direct questions. You must be honest with yourself if you are going to make a difference to your future.
Ask yourself:
- Did I achieve any health and lifestyle goals last year, what worked well and why, what not so well and why didn't they work well? If you understand the reasons (root cause) for not achieving something then it is easier to do something about it
- What do I find easy to achieve, what do I find hard to achieve, why is this?
- What time will I be able to put aside to do this properly or more importantly, how am I going to build this into everyday living? What needs to change?
- How am I going to ensure I stick with it?
Step 3: Plan Do Review
a) Plan
There are so many different diets out there your have to select one that is right for you. As there is so much choice and dietary experts appear to change their opinions on what the answer is too frequently, the only person who can really choose is you. So find one that you think will give you the best chance of success. Remember unless you need to loose weight in some ridiculously short time scale then this is probably more a marathon than a sprint. Choose a diet that appeals to you, for example it is no use selecting a diet specialising in spicy Indian food if you do not like it.
Remember the key to most diets is balancing nutrition, portion size and regular exercise and making it a routine part of your daily life. To start with the diet will have a novelty value, perhaps even have a fun element, but this can soon evaporate. You have to build the change in food intake and exercise into your daily routine, it has to be allowed time to become the norm, almost to the point where choosing healthier options comes naturally - be warned this is not an overnight thing, this takes a lot of time.
b) Do
Most dieting is a psychological challenge, mind over matter, having the ability or drive to see it through will be the key to your success. For me the hardest part is having sufficient will-power to control the urges so that I do not to succumb to those sweet treats or extra helpings of savoury snacks. My free gift to you 'Living a Weight Loss Lifestyle' for signing up to my blog can help you here, so sign up today and take advantage of this free guide.
Think about having a support network, it may be just your spouse or partner or a close friend who can help you rather than challenge you. Keep reading about nutrition, read this blog, invent new and healthy recipes, there are lots of ways of maintaining your interest and of course, do not lose sight of your goals. I know people who stick their goals on the fridge door, one as a reminder and two to keep them out of the fridge!
I do recommend you keep a log of not only what you eat but also how you feel. It will provide you with a great sense of achievement to look back at how far you have come.
One aspect where you can make to easy wins is by cooking and eating meals at home. Shop bought ready meals are not known for their healthiness and are full of additives and preservatives, preparing your own meals with fresh produce is much healthier and will also give you a positive sense of achievement and save you money. If you prepare extra you can put this either in the fridge for tomorrow or maybe freeze it for another day.
c). Review
It's good to know what works well and repeat it but equally tweak those elements of what does not go well. It has been said that if you eat a food you do not like 11 times, by the 11th time you will like it! So this is saying try something different but don't give in if you don't like it the first time (unless you have an allergic reaction of course!). I've actually come to love snacking on organic raw broccoli through this method!
Throughout all of this you must not to be too harsh on yourself and if you fall off the wagon, just remember to get back on it straight away. Remember for a successful outcome, you are in this for the long haul so don't give up without a fight. Subscribe to my blog for regular updates, hints and tips for moving to or maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
Here's to a healthier and new YOU!
TTFN
Peter
Source: Peter Abell
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