Before I continue with the steps, I would like to ask you to think about something…
You do not have to tell me your answer, but I think it is good for YOU to know the answer. It is good for YOU to know what your motivation is and what benefits you hope to see.
Think about this and maybe consider writing it down. Putting it on paper so you can see it and refer back to it. Michael Hyatt has a good article about WHY you should write down your goals.
Ok…on to more steps…
4. Exercise. It’s the most important predictor of whether you’ll succeed. How you burn your calories doesn’t matter…it just matters that you burn them. The interesting thing is, if you are not currently an exerciser, then it probably won’t take much exercise to see some benefit. Keep in mind, you can start by walking around your block. Or going up and down the stairs in your home an extra time or two. Park farther away from the mall or grocery store. Look for little ways to add movement to your day, then gradually increase it over time. In the beginning, it doesn’t take a lot, it just takes SOMETHING.
5. Make complex-carbohydrate-rich foods, like whole grains and vegetables, the mainstay of your diet. I am not going to spend a lot of time on this because there is varying thoughts on what you should eat. But keep in mind…food in it’s most natural state is always a good idea. When I worked for Weight Watchers I had a member tell me she used the “water test” when in doubt about eating something. I asked what that was. She replied, “I put it under running water, if it is still edible, then I eat it.” For example, an apple, a banana, raw carrots, broccoli, meat, etc…edible. Cookies, cakes, brownies, chips…not so much. Interesting food for thought! 🙂
The last step we are going to cover today is a biggie…
6. Ask yourself what you really need at the moment you’re about to eat a comfort cookie (or 10). I have learned that often times when I am reaching for a less than healthy snack, it really ISN’T about the food, it is about something else. There is usually something else going on. For me, if I am eating poorly, then I am probably tired. For you, it might be stress or tiredness or laundry or any number of things. The key is to try and figure out what it is that causes us to reach for the less-than-healthy food. That might involve writing down how we feel, what is going on, etc. in our food journal. You know, that thing we talked about last week!
It is important that we recognize that we cannot make all these changes at one time. Take one thing and work on it this week. Just one. Not three, not the six we’ve discussed so far…just one.
You might be surprised the difference that just one change can make in the way you feel and the energy you have.
I will wrap up the last steps next week and I have some exciting news that I’ll be sharing with you in a couple of week. If you are following this We Can Win! series, then I think you will like what is coming up!
Thanks for doing this series. I really appreciate it as I have several personal goals to reach this year!
Thank you for the encouragement Tereasa. I'm praying for you as you strive to reach your goals!!
Thanks Mary! So far I've gotten the right amount of sleep and have been drinking more water and I can see the difference already. As for exercise, I had gotten in the habit of asking the kids to "go get such and such upstairs", or "go let the dog out" instead of getting up and doing it myself. But now I don't ask. It's a very small step, but it's a start, right?
Yes, Kathleen, it is certainly a start. Glad you can see a difference.
If I were close to you, I would give you a big hug…Surely God led me to your blog today….Just the encouragement I needed today….Thank you so much…..
Dear Nancy…I feel your hug through the internet! Thank you. I am so glad that you found something useful here.
Oh friend, thank you for this post. Yes, I need to write my goals down. I need to make this lifestyle change for me, so that I will be happy and healthy, able to enjoy my grandkids when they come along 🙂 I am not exercising at all right now, although I am hoping to keep up with the exercise challenges over at Kim's blog. You are an inspiration, my friend!