Take It One Day At A Time
The first one is the most important one for me. It may be different for you, but I know that I can't look too far forward or I'll get discouraged by how far I have to go. I also have to remember that I can't look backwards. I may have a bad day, or even a bad week, but I can't go back and change it, so why worry? I just have to remember that today is a new day and I can make better choices.
Surround Yourself With Positivity
Not just positivity but encouragement. I have been lucky to have great coworkers who are onboard with my new lifestyle choices and are okay with me having to say "no" to things because of them. I had to decline an invitation to a happy hour on Thursday because 1. I shouldn't be drinking (because of calories and because it gives me headaches) and 2. I need to be at the gym. I won't be able to go next Thursday because of a work teambuilding event, so I have to make it happen this week.. My coworkers and friends have also been great about picking somewhere that I can eat healthy when we go out. My roommate doesn't complain when I fill the fridge with my groceries for the week, which take up SO much more room than bad stuff. (BTW, it still irritates me that it costs more and takes up more time and space to eat healthy. That's just backwards!)
Create A Dream Board
Dream boards aren't really my thing, but I think that's because I'm not really a visual person. I'm an auditory learner, followed by kinesthetic, then visual. But I know that they can be a great tool for some people, so I encourage you to try it out! I've seen lots of different tools for this, but one that I've considered is keeping a picture of me at my smallest in eyesight in my room so that I am constantly reminded of where I want to end up. Another will be discussed in the Recognize Your Progress section below.
Ask Yourself What You Want, And Make Realistic Goals Accordingly
Let's be real: it's not realistic for me to want to be 110 pounds. For my height, even with my (believe-it-or-not) small frame, I should end up between 130 and 160 pounds. 110 would make me look emaciated, aka not healthy, and that's not what I want. My end goal here is not to weigh a certain amount. Sure, it's a way for me to measure my progress, but if I end up as a healthy-looking size 4 who weighs 165 pounds, I'm not gonna beat myself up about it or try to lose more weight. My goal is to get healthy and stay there, whatever that looks like.
Reward Yourself
I am a big believer in intrinsic motivation, but sometimes you just need some external rewards! I've already said that this tank top will be my reward for getting back into one-derland. My dad has also told me that he'd better be the first person that finds out about me reaching my goal, and I'd say he's earned it. None of my successes so far would've been possible without him. He has been financing my weight loss efforts. He has paid for my new running shoes, some new workout clothes, my Polar FT4 heart rate monitor, my home step platform, home weights, and my gym membership. Both of my parents have been incredibly supportive, so this isn't to discount my mom at all. She texts me support often, which I'm thankful for.
Believe In Yourself
This is key. If you don't think you can do something, you'll create a self-fulfilling prophecy. I used to think that I couldn't do a pushup, so I never tried. During my Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred video, she said, "Just TRY. What's the worst that could happen?" I was in the comfort of my own home, so I tried.. and I did it! Now, I couldn't do more than one in a row without losing my form, but I did one. I proved to myself that I could. I try things in classes at LA Fitness, because if I fail, who cares? If I drop the weight, if my legs shake so much that I fall over, who cares? The people in the room won't laugh; they'll celebrate because they know that I gave it my all. And the next time I try, I'll get further.
Case in point: In January, I could hardly run for 30 seconds without getting winded. Now I can run for 15 minutes. It is possible!
Acknowledge Your Attributes
Honestly, I'm kind of struggling to determine what this one means, but here's how I'm taking it: accept the things that make you who you are. If you're like me and "predisposed" (not quite the right word, but it'll do) to be lazy, that's okay. You just need to find a way to fight that. For me, it's been writing down in my planner what I plan to eat and when I plan to workout for the week. If it's written in vibrant colors in permanent ink, I'm more likely to do it. I don't want someone to see my planner at work and say, "How was your step class yesterday?" and not be able to answer them. Planning has always been a great stress-reliever for me, but it's made my life so much easier lately.
Recognize Your Progress
It's hard to see your progress when you're in the moment, so I'm trying to photograph myself every few weeks so that I can compare the change. I'm also learning to measure progress in my weight/inches lost.. but also in my gains. I can do more squats than I used to before getting tired. I switch out the lighter weight for the heavier one with some of the arm moves in our BodyWorks class. I run further than ever before. Those are huge!
I also love this idea that has been all over pinterest:
I haven't made one yet but plan to this week. I worried about it being discouraging by looking at how much I have to lose, but I know that seeing the other side fill up will be incredibly motivating! This is a great representation for those who are visual learners.
Visualize Accomplishing Your Goals
I mentioned above that I have a picture of myself at my smallest, right around my high school graduation, posted in my room. I look at it often to remind me where I want to get. I think about how I'll feel when I can walk into a store and buy a great pair of shorts that fit me well. How it'll feel when I run into an old friend and see them do a double take. That feeling is what keeps me going.
Be Kind To Yourself
Not every day is going to be perfect. You're going to eat badly or skip a workout. Or the devil inside your head will tell you that you can't do it. That you're not good enough. That you don't deserve it. Listen to me:
That is a LIE. You deserve to be happy with yourself. Don't let anyone tell you differently. You. Are. Worth. It.
Don't Compare Yourself To Others
I am notoriously bad about this. I get really frustrated when my friends lose weight faster than I do. When they can just cut out certain foods and drinks like it's nothing while I constantly crave them like an addict. When they can eat whatever they want, never work out, and not gain a pound. It's not FAIR. But you know what?
Anyways, life is tough. Life isn't fair. I am going to have to work HARD to get where I want to be and stay there. It sucks, but it is what it is. There's a reason for it. I may not know what it is yet, but there is a reason that this doesn't come easily to me.
This ended up being WAY longer than I intended it to be. Thanks for sticking with me. If you made it, go grab an apple and take a lap around your office, house, neighborhood... something. Get up. Get active. Every step counts.
No comments:
Post a Comment