Not to count my chickens before they hatch, but I've already been thinking about what I should do to celebrate once I make it to 100 pounds lost. Monica asked me the other day what I would do once I stepped on the scale and saw the number I wanted to see, and it's gotten me thinking. I have a big reward planned for after I make it to 100, but it's not the kind of thing I can do the same day. I weigh in on Fridays, so I'll be headed to the office shortly after weighing in (unless it is Friday, March 11, because then I'll be headed to the airport later that day to fly to England!).
So, this is where you come in. You can vote in the poll below and/or make suggestions in the comments. How should I celebrate?
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Streakin'
A big part of sparkpeople.com's weight loss strategy is the idea of the Streak. It has nothing to do with inappropriate nakedness, but a lot to do with building consistency and healthy habits.
From their website:
From their website:
Consistency can be helpful, but it can also be motivating. When it takes the form of a streak, consistency is an underrated way to get your blood pumping again. Keeping a streak alive, even for a short time, is an instant power boost. It breeds confidence, builds momentum and puts you on the winning side again if you’re starting to feel yourself slide.
I took to streaking right away when I joined Sparkpeople last, last August. They have a way for you to track your water, exercise, fruits and veggies and calories, so that once you record them, it keeps track of your streaks for you. Each day when you log on, you can easily see how many days in a row you've had your water or how many weeks in a row you've met your exercise goals.
I love lists and checkmarks next to items on lists and the feeling of accomplishment that goes along with it, so streaks were right up my alley. They just make me feel good and will put me back in control (hopefully.) I'm hoping to get some good streaks going beginning today. I'm hoping to maintain several streaks (water, fruits and veggies, exercise and planks). So far today it's been going well.
If, you're just getting started on your weight loss journey, just pick one thing and try to do it consistently. If you can keep up with that change after a week or two, then add something else. Starting small and building slowly is the best way to begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle change. We can do it together!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
My Perfect Day
My friend Abi, who just had her second baby in August, was feeling overwhelmed last month with all she needs and wants to accomplish on a daily basis. She came up with a plan to write out her perfect day, including everything she hoped to accomplish, and then try to live it daily.
She suggested I do the same, and I think it makes a lot of sense for me. I love lists and checking things off. Plus, this kind of planning helps you visualize what you need to do, which makes you more likely to actually do it. I made mine just as it applies to diet and exercise. Here's what I got:
Make cereal with almond milk and fruit topping for breakfast. Savor each bite of the sweetness. Drink a glass of water with breakfast.
Go to work. Start in on my first liter of water within the first half hour. Be refreshed by the cleanliness of it. Finish the first liter by 10 a.m.
Eat snack of fruit (banana or clementine) at 11 a.m. Remember that God made this fruit specifically to nourish our bodies and give us energy. If hungry earlier, eat two morning snacks, one at 10 and one at 11:30 a.m. Be glad that I brought an extra snack to work for this reason, and not upset that I am extra hungry for no reason.
Finish second liter of water by 12:30.
Go workout at 12:30 p.m. Either run, swim, elliptical or walk with a friend for 45 minutes. Be thankful for the time away from my desk to clear my head and re-energize. Remember and appreciate the physical changes of the last year that allow me to move this way.
Return from gym and eat lunch brought from home that includes one veggie at about 1:30 or 2 with half a liter of water. Be glad that I took the time to prepare for the week properly on Sunday by cooking and packaging my meals. Feel relief from the water after my work out.
Eat snack of almonds or protein bar at 3:30 or 4. Finish third liter of water. Recognize the full feeling that comes from protein.
After work two nights a week, go to weight room for 30 minutes. After work once a week, Turbo Kick! Take note of my new-ish muscles and have fun kicking and punching to awesome music.
Get home from work and eat prepared meal with at least one veggie, a glass of water or Cystal Lite and a second fruit or veggie if needed about 6:30. Unless it's a TurboKick night and then eat when I get home at 7 p.m. Be thankful for veggies and their naturally low calories, yet surprisingly filling, and enjoy the tasty meal.
No snacks after dinner. Because I have goals!
Planks before shower if I have not done them in the weight room that day. Note how I have improved in form and time with these planks since the beginning of the year.
Reflect on the day and bible reading before bed. Remember that weight loss is not all about what I eat, but a lot about mental preparation.
I maybe need to print this out and put it somewhere I will see it a lot so I remember all of this. But right now, I want to know - What's your perfect day look like?
She suggested I do the same, and I think it makes a lot of sense for me. I love lists and checking things off. Plus, this kind of planning helps you visualize what you need to do, which makes you more likely to actually do it. I made mine just as it applies to diet and exercise. Here's what I got:
Make cereal with almond milk and fruit topping for breakfast. Savor each bite of the sweetness. Drink a glass of water with breakfast.
Go to work. Start in on my first liter of water within the first half hour. Be refreshed by the cleanliness of it. Finish the first liter by 10 a.m.
Eat snack of fruit (banana or clementine) at 11 a.m. Remember that God made this fruit specifically to nourish our bodies and give us energy. If hungry earlier, eat two morning snacks, one at 10 and one at 11:30 a.m. Be glad that I brought an extra snack to work for this reason, and not upset that I am extra hungry for no reason.
Finish second liter of water by 12:30.
Go workout at 12:30 p.m. Either run, swim, elliptical or walk with a friend for 45 minutes. Be thankful for the time away from my desk to clear my head and re-energize. Remember and appreciate the physical changes of the last year that allow me to move this way.
Return from gym and eat lunch brought from home that includes one veggie at about 1:30 or 2 with half a liter of water. Be glad that I took the time to prepare for the week properly on Sunday by cooking and packaging my meals. Feel relief from the water after my work out.
Eat snack of almonds or protein bar at 3:30 or 4. Finish third liter of water. Recognize the full feeling that comes from protein.
After work two nights a week, go to weight room for 30 minutes. After work once a week, Turbo Kick! Take note of my new-ish muscles and have fun kicking and punching to awesome music.
Get home from work and eat prepared meal with at least one veggie, a glass of water or Cystal Lite and a second fruit or veggie if needed about 6:30. Unless it's a TurboKick night and then eat when I get home at 7 p.m. Be thankful for veggies and their naturally low calories, yet surprisingly filling, and enjoy the tasty meal.
No snacks after dinner. Because I have goals!
Planks before shower if I have not done them in the weight room that day. Note how I have improved in form and time with these planks since the beginning of the year.
Reflect on the day and bible reading before bed. Remember that weight loss is not all about what I eat, but a lot about mental preparation.
I maybe need to print this out and put it somewhere I will see it a lot so I remember all of this. But right now, I want to know - What's your perfect day look like?
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Calendar of Power
Okay, so since I've mentioned my daily goals a couple of times, on this blog and this blog, I thought I'd let you in on a little secret. Last year for Christmas I got this awesome calendar from my parents. It allows you to track up to four daily goals, as each day is divided into quadrants. This is how I keep track of my daily goals. It's a very visual reminder, and satisfying to see all the little boxes checked off. I would include a picture of mine with all of the little check boxes, but it was hard to capture. Instead, here's the pic from Sparkpeople, where it is available here.
*The top of each page is a cheesy picture and inspirational quote, but the quotes aren't that inspirational, so I just keep the calendar side showing.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Over-prepared and Under-prepared
I was super prepared for this week. I had written this post last weekend about the food challenges I could anticipate in the week ahead. This turned out to be a great thing. It got me thinking and planning about how I would tackle each event; it gave me a game plan. I did great food-wise this week and made it to 97 pounds lost at my weigh-in on Thursday.
The weird thing was that this week I thought so much about Monday through Thursday that when Friday came, and I hadn't thought about it at all. So today, when I was kind of tired and not feeling the mid-day work out and suddenly* found myself thinking that I needed to eat lunch out, I had no defense against this train of thought because I had given Friday no advance thought. (Note, I did have a prepared meal for today's lunch available.) An unscheduled lunch out on a Friday is a particularly poor choice because I usually eat dinner out with friends on Friday and eating out two meals in one day makes it virtually impossible to stay within your calorie count for the day.
Anyway, I went to Moe's with a friend and suddenly* found myself thinking, "Well, if I'm going to eat out, why not 'go all out' and order the Billy Barou." The Billy Barou is their nachos, which I love, but are practically a full day's worth of calories. I came so close to ordering them, I really did. The guy at the counter even had to wait while I had an internal battle with myself about. He was seriously staring at me for like 30-45 seconds while I was debating about it. (This is after debating it the whole time I was waiting in line to order.)
In the end, I ordered the Joey Jr. burrito, which is one of the better options, calorie-wise. Victory #1 of the day. I was still certain I would eat dinner out though, just because I always eat dinner out on Fridays. However, after work I decided to do my weekly grocery shopping early to get it out of the way before a busy weekend. After spending 45 minutes shopping for healthy food, I decided to go home and eat the chicken dish that I was supposed to eat for lunch today and didn't, instead of going out with friends. Victory #2 of the day.
Against all odds, I met my regular food goals today: I stayed within my calorie count, ate all five servings of fruits and vegetables and I drank all of my water. I didn't work out, but I think my body deserved the rest. It was a successful day, even though it was a battle. Now I'm beginning to think about the week ahead. I want to be as dedicated in the upcoming week as I was this past week, because even though I have no big events on my schedule, there are no easy weeks. I need to be ever vigilant as I close in on my goal!
*I love how I use the word "suddenly" in this blog. I am very good at sneaking up on myself!
The weird thing was that this week I thought so much about Monday through Thursday that when Friday came, and I hadn't thought about it at all. So today, when I was kind of tired and not feeling the mid-day work out and suddenly* found myself thinking that I needed to eat lunch out, I had no defense against this train of thought because I had given Friday no advance thought. (Note, I did have a prepared meal for today's lunch available.) An unscheduled lunch out on a Friday is a particularly poor choice because I usually eat dinner out with friends on Friday and eating out two meals in one day makes it virtually impossible to stay within your calorie count for the day.
Anyway, I went to Moe's with a friend and suddenly* found myself thinking, "Well, if I'm going to eat out, why not 'go all out' and order the Billy Barou." The Billy Barou is their nachos, which I love, but are practically a full day's worth of calories. I came so close to ordering them, I really did. The guy at the counter even had to wait while I had an internal battle with myself about. He was seriously staring at me for like 30-45 seconds while I was debating about it. (This is after debating it the whole time I was waiting in line to order.)
In the end, I ordered the Joey Jr. burrito, which is one of the better options, calorie-wise. Victory #1 of the day. I was still certain I would eat dinner out though, just because I always eat dinner out on Fridays. However, after work I decided to do my weekly grocery shopping early to get it out of the way before a busy weekend. After spending 45 minutes shopping for healthy food, I decided to go home and eat the chicken dish that I was supposed to eat for lunch today and didn't, instead of going out with friends. Victory #2 of the day.
Against all odds, I met my regular food goals today: I stayed within my calorie count, ate all five servings of fruits and vegetables and I drank all of my water. I didn't work out, but I think my body deserved the rest. It was a successful day, even though it was a battle. Now I'm beginning to think about the week ahead. I want to be as dedicated in the upcoming week as I was this past week, because even though I have no big events on my schedule, there are no easy weeks. I need to be ever vigilant as I close in on my goal!
*I love how I use the word "suddenly" in this blog. I am very good at sneaking up on myself!
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