But go easy on the Hummus. Everything will get better for you.
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Category: Weight loss
Start But Don’t Stick?
Goals were written and you started off great! But then the wheels came off. Your great new habits have been slowly becoming one-offs rather than habitual. With that, your confidence has taken a hit and old habits are creeping back in.
What happened?!?!
- Did you write your goals down?
- Were they specific?
- Did you put the process element in your diary?
- Did you set up your environment to win?
- Did you review your goals 1, 2, or even 6 times per DAY?
- Have you been reviewing and tracking HOURLY or DAILY?
- Do your goals align with your values?
- Have you adjusted your self-perception?
This last one tends to catch a lot of people out. If you’ve spent a long time saying you’re not sporty, it can be pretty hard to stick with walking, running or more engaging activities and sports.
Years of saying ‘I’m not a reader’ or ‘I don’t read’, will make it difficult to read a book per month.
You will likely benefit from adopting a mantra that reflects the new you that you are becoming. Mantra’s like, ‘I am a runner’, ‘I am fit, active and healthy’, or ‘I am a reader’ and ‘I am a well read person’.
If you’re good at starting new initiatives, habits and activities, that’s great! For many, that is the hardest part. You just need to become the outcome. Become a completer/finisher. State with strong intent, ‘I am disciplined and results driven.’ Fall in love with the process. And then, like a miracle, you’ll become who you decided to be.
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Consistency Is Powerful
Getting started can be tough. Continuing can be even harder. But that is the work you need to do to succeed. Consistency is powerful both in terms of confidence and outcomes.
A consistent drip of water is enough to put a dent or hole in a rock over time. You may not get the result you want straight away, but over time the probability of reaching your goal increases.
You can see this with any goal you are aiming at. If you are consistent with the foods and drinks you consume, you can reduce or maintain your weight. Keeping to a daily and weekly exercise regime will work wonders to tone your body and improve your fitness.
The great feeling of seeing daily or weekly improvements also builds confidence. Inconsistent approaches return uncertain results. This in turn weakens your faith in the process. With a reduction in faith, you are less likely to continue to do the things you are supposed to do. This creates an unnecessary loss in confidence.
You see, the flywheel can work both ways. It can help you improve, gain confidence and flourish. However, the negative reinforcement can also accelerate your demise.
Consistency is powerful. Use it to your benefit.
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Who Inspires You?
Stop and think about this. Is there anyone? Was there a person you followed as a child or in your youth? Who inspires you?
It may not simply be a who either. It could be a what that provides you with inspiration. For example, the idea of paying off your house mortgage might inspire you. Alternatively, becoming a fine doctor and saving people’s lives might do it.
Inspiration can come from other places too. You could be looking ahead to the person you want to be in 10 years time. It might be easier to consider someone else. You might even pick and choose certain aspects from many different people. What qualities do you like or appreciate? Which ones would you absolutely love to have, without question or hesitation?
When you know who has a positive impact on your mental state, you can consider how you could think like them in a given circumstance.
The moment of inspiration reminds me of the saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” At some point, something or someone will inspire you to do something. You may decide to get your house in order or your finances. You might change jobs, start exercising or build your ideal life.
Whatever sparks a quest in you to improve your life, or that of others, should be appreciated. Make sure you give thanks.
Who inspires you?
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Diet Needs A Rebrand
Is it just me or is the word diet strongly associated with a restricted and unpleasant reduction in food? I think diet needs a rebrand.
The word is often used quite generically. People say, “I am going on a diet.” However, they already are on one. Now you may go on a healthier one or natural one. In addition, you may already be on a poor one, high sugar one or a low-carb diet. You may even need a new one compared to what you’ve been using.
However, people love to shortcut or use shorthand when they can. So there is a presumed weight loss or slimming element to any new discussion of a diet.
I’d like to talk about my diet without it sounding like I am on a slimming or weight loss program. I think it would help others in their discussion too.
It feels like the word could use some help. Perhaps we could do something similar to what is happening to prunes. They are more frequently being called dried plums. This is still accurate, but plums sound better and have a better brand connotation.
Diet: The food and drink that you eat and drink regularly
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
It would be great if everyone could agree to use diet in the normal eating way. Then people would need to be specific if they were changing it. By changing our relationship with the word, it might help people embrace their new or healthier diet.
Diet needs a rebrand.
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Losing Weight
As we exit lockdown, I hear people talking about the weight they gained, which they now would like to lose. However, losing weight needs a rebrand.
It is a common phrase and quick to the tongue. The trouble I find is the use of the word reflecting loss. Losing and loss are usually associated with sad or frustrating things.
There are only a few times where losing someone or something is a good thing. The two that come to mind are when someone is chasing you and when trying to have greater fitness.
Most of the time, loss is not good. We are rarely happy saying things like I lost the race, the match or the series. Nor do we enjoy losing our keys, health, friends, jobs or minds (though we may not notice the last one so much).
Our minds also work overtime to resolve the loss. So even if you lose weight, your mind sets off to find it again. This is rarely ideal if you’ve been making the effort to be slimmer or more fit.
So while we wait for the world to stop combining those two words, try using others. Perhaps, “I am getting to my best weight” or ”my ideal size“. “I am getting fitter every day.”
Stop losing weight and start finding your ideal you.
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Keeping Fit Is Essential
There are a lot of reasons why you should want to be as fit as possible. From feeling better, moving well, and feeling confident, keeping fit is essential. At least it is for me.
Maybe growing up in a house with a type 1 diabetic, made me more aware of the role of food and exercise in our lives. Maybe my Dad’s high level of physical activity was a great role model for me. Eating healthy was important. Not paying attention to food and exercise and how it affects you was potentially lethal.
Food wasn’t simply an eat all you want, of any kind, until you’re bursting. And exercise was premeditated and planned. Training for the Montreal Marathon in the early 80’s could have been a disaster. However, thankfully it was not.
Keep fit by walking more, with a friend or with a podcast or audio book. Perhaps you could develop a love for running too. Clubhouse is also excellent to listen to, or even participate in, while being active. You could do 200 pushups a day as well.
But even more important than the exercise is your consumption. Learn to observe, investigate and monitor your food intake. Sleep is the other major challenge for many people. Getting enough sleep can be critical.
Keeping fit is essential. Don’t let your one and only body go to waste.
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Get Good Sleep
Staying up too long can be devastating. You can start to weave, get the head nods, fall asleep and feel pretty bleh. Get good sleep. It is very important though often the first item to let go.
I do love sinking into bed after a long or tiring day. It could be physically tiring or it could be mentally tiring. Either way, it is nice to lay back, dream away and then get some good shut eye.
Keeping someone awake for too long can become a brutal weapon of torture. It doesn’t even take that long. Sleep deprivation is a real thing and can lead to unfortunate and even severe consequences. Be smart with the amount of sleep you get.
You generally need 7-8 hours of sleep per night. You should aim to get to bed earlier than later. Sleeping hours before midnight seem to be rated higher than those after midnight. In addition, try to get to bed at the same time every night. This is assisted by having a consistent bedtime routine. This winding down routine should not involve any screens (tv, phone, computer).
Drink your eight glasses of water earlier in the day. It will help you stay hydrated but also keep you from waking up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. No one needs that kind of unnecessary sleep disruption.
Get good sleep.
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What’s The Point?
Shouldn’t there be a reason why you do the things that you do? And is the reason the same now as it was when you started on the path? So, what’s the point?
Some days I wonder what the point is. And it is good to remind yourself why you do something. Or at least try to understand why you do something anymore.
We can develop really useful habits but sometimes they become unnecessary. Many years ago, I used to read a newspaper on most days. I greatly reduced that when I asked myself this question. What am I getting from this that benefits me, or anyone else for that matter?
I’ve done the same thing with almost all tv, save for some movies and a few sporting events.
Be careful not to eliminate too much though. That can be a slippery slope into thinking nothing has a point. Which isn’t true. Everything has a point. You simply need to understand what it is for you and others.
For example, I used to run to compete. Then I ran for fun. At one time, I ran to lose weight. I then ran two marathons for a personal challenge. Now I run for fitness, fun, conversation and education. The reason can change.
Just be clear why you do what you do.
What’s the point?
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Making Adjustments In Our Life
Conscious changes can be difficult to make. Not all of them of course. But making adjustments in our life can be quite difficult and mentally challenging.
A few examples of things many people try to do, and often struggle with and stop are, losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking less, waking up early, meditating, exercising, saving and finding a better job. There is a formula for each one of these, though few people want to follow it.
Often people want to do it their own way. Or they will adjust the body and not the mind. You can simply quit smoking, but if you still see yourself (your self image) as a smoker, you are very likely to pick up the habit again.
Changes that happen naturally are sometimes easier to accept. Examples are growing up, ageing and progressing through primary school. So try to make things happen naturally or set up your environment so it feels natural.
Remember to modify your self image so you can accept the changes before or while they are happening. For example, immerse yourself in the daily thought that you are an early morning person and soon you will find waking up early is a breeze. Set up your environment to assist with this with a good wake up system and earlier bedtime.
Making adjustments in our life is worthwhile and easier than we want to acknowledge.
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