Motivate me to change: Goal setting, new decisions
What motivates you to change? Is it having a plan, or goal, or achieving the goal? But in order to change - you need to want to change - that's the first thing. The second step in goal achievement is having a plan. The final and crucial step of course is action. Acting on the plan that will take you through the steps to achieve those goals you say you want to achieve. But when do you find time to plan?
I tend to plan whilst walking. Something I haven't done much of in the last couple of months I have to confess. As in I haven't done much walking or planning, which probably explains why I feel like my life has been one of reaction rather than proaction. It's hard to be proactive when you haven't taken the time to plan the next steps, let alone the next few months or years.
Yesterday's daily dose got me thinking - yes I do mean what I say when I never ask you to do things I am not willing to do myself - that's hypocritical. So I have begun by putting the first of my $1 coins into a jar - but I've also added all the silver change as well - well I'm a bit behind if I want to get to $365 by the end of the year. Given what I spend during Christmas and the New Year period in the past few years, every little bit is going to help. For those of you who don't know, but the new school year starts in February here in Australia which means new school books, stationery and fees on top of my daughter's birthday - Jan 6th 2010 my daughter turns 18 ... my car registration bill is due in January and of course there are always presents to buy and thinking about it seriously $1 a day whilst a good start will not begin to touch the amount of money I will need to have put aside this year. But it is a start and I can revise my plans as I go along.
The second major decision I have made is to drop a massive 17 kilos in weight, reduce my body fat by 10% and as someone put it recently "get my sexy back"... how am I going to do that?
Well my diet is relatively good. I have incorporated more fruit and vegetables into the diet. I rarely if ever drink colas and fruit juice, eat crisps (chips), cakes, biscuits or pastry, but have been gaining weight steadily over a couple of years. Basically I don't do anywhere near enough exercise to warrant the amount of food I am eating - which isn't that much in all fairness. So what am I going to do - well the only thing I should and will get rid of is alcohol. And mum's recent visit included sampling every beer this side of the equator. Now you would think that with mum heading home it would be relatively easy to drop a few kilos, but I am also a wine drinker. So until the 17 kilos have gone I am going to limit my alcohol to one day a week. No I don't mean binge drink - just that one or two glasses of wine at night is obviously not doing much for the size of my rear end, or my liver come to that.
I am keeping a food and mood diary - and will look to publish both the results and the book for you to keep yours in.
And hand in hand with the improved eating plan goes the exercise. I have a sore achilles (left side) and the pain is travelling up into my calf as I sit here and type this. The reason is simple, I have done little or no exercise for the entire time my family were here. I put my own needs to one side and played hostess and tour guide. And now my body is getting its own back. This week I have eased back into the walking - but today I decided that I would see how the leg was after 2 k's and then I had to decide - push it to do the larger 8km circuit or cut it off at 4km's. I did the 8k's which took me an hour and 20 mins...100 mins to do the 8k's. Given that I really cut back on the speed over the last kilometre, I didn't think that was too bad for the first day out.
So - three new resolves, all starting today and today I feel good about the plans I am beginning to make again.
When do you do your planning? How good is your planning? And more importantly perhaps - how good is your staying power and completion rate?
February 22, 2009 at 11:55
Reader Comments (2)
If I cut out wheat I lose weight (and a potbelly) really quickly. I run 5 miles three times a week (but I am not fast) and that seems to do it. And I feel so much better if I run and stick to REAL foods.
Beer is the hardest to ignore - when it is hot of an evening and someone suggests visiting Little Creatures, I do relent.
Good luck with it anyway.
Ah Little Creatures - memories of long lazy lunches and several pints of beer. Thank goodness it's a long walk from the office - and yes I do work in Fremantle. Actually since mum went home, I have not felt the urge to drink copious amounts of beer / lager or cider ... and my liver is most happy about that.
Cheers !! :-)
Elle