7 Steps to End the “I’ll Start My Diet Monday” Rut

7. September 2009Uncategorizedpammcreynolds0 comments

Before you even start reading this article, get a fresh new notebook and a pen or pencil.

For years I told myself, “I’ll start my diet on Monday.” Of course, it never happened, and as Monday’s would come and go, the pounds would come and stay. I longed to lose the weight and there were some Mondays I actually started a diet, but it never lasted. So, Monday after Monday, week after week, month after month, year after year that one Monday, the one that would change my life forever never came and I continued to pack on the pounds. I began to wonder, “Would Monday ever come?”


Does this sound familiar? Well, guess what? My Monday finally came!


The exact date was March 22, 2004. I was about to turn 45 and knew it was time to take control of my life. It was now or never. I pulled out a purple 70 sheet, college ruled, spiral notebook and wrote down several goals for my life along with how I planned to meet them. By Wednesday the 24th, I had made another decision. I was going to run. I found a race, Buddy’s Race for the Cure 5K, which would take place October 9, 2004.


Of course, that wasn’t the end of what I knew I had to do. That Wednesday, I ran for the first time in years. It may have only been a short tenth of a mile, but it was a huge step for me. An idea began formulating in my mind, “If I’m going to be successful, I need to let the family know what I’m doing.” I knew I needed to put it out there so that I would be accountable to someone. The family rallied around me and encouraged me. Each time I met a new milestone, running my first mile, my second and so on, they cheered me on. As I crossed the finish line of my first 5K, they were there waiting for me, my son having crossed the line long before me.


Since my Monday, I have run in five 5K’s, and a half marathon. My family has followed my lead and we have changed our eating habits. I no longer prepare meals filled with fried foods, tons of butter and a rich dessert to follow. My triglycerides and cholesterol are normal. After losing about 25 lbs, I can now breathe easier and am healthier than ever before. My stress levels are down and I feel better about myself. I am proud of myself and my accomplishments, and so is my husband. I still have weight to lose, but am still moving forward.


It doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes years to become overweight and learn unhealthy habits, and it can often times take years to regain your health, lose weight and learn how to take better care of yourself and your family, but you can do it!


Are you ready to end your “I’ll start my diet Monday” rut? The following steps will help you. As you read, I want you to really take action. You do have a notebook and pen or pencil ready, right? If not, go get them now. Those two tools are the ones used in every step and are the foundation for your success. Step one is also the biggest secret to success. This step will either make you or break you, and unfortunately, it is the one step most people skip.


Step 1 – Write Everything Down


To lay the foundation for successful weight loss, you must write everything down. Include anything that helps you stay on track. In my notebook I include my daily:


  • Meals and calories consumed.
  • Exercise and calories burned.
  • Amount of water consumed.
  • Number of hours slept.
  • Weight and monthly body measurements.
  • Progress notes, thoughts, comments, and kudos.

You will also write down information from each of the following steps, which includes your motivators, goals, and plan of attack, support team, attitudes and celebrations. Are you ready? Grab your notebook and pen. We will begin by writing down our motivators in step 2.


Step 2 – Find Your Motivators


For years I had this deep rooted desire to lose weight, but that’s all I had. While desire is important, it will not help us to lose the weight. Desire is only a thought of something we want. To lose weight we must move beyond desire and find something that will cause us to take action. We must dig deep and discover the things that will motivate us to get off our butts and do something about our situation.


For me, I had several motivators. As you read them, note how many were realized in my story above. In finding my motivators I knew I wanted to:


Be a good example to my family. My good ole southern cooking and baking, and bad habits had taken its toll on everyone in the family, not just me. We all had weight issues. I knew it was time for me to be an example to them of how we should be eating, exercising, and taking care of ourselves.


Improve my health and the health of my family. My triglycerides and cholesterol were high, as were my husbands, and probably my children. And, of course, like many who are overweight and unhealthy, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.


Be proud of myself. After years of failing to get the weight off, I wanted to be a success. This is one of those motivators many of us struggle with. It’s hard to admit failure, and often times hard to imagine ourselves being successful after failing so many times. We feel embarrassed and find ourselves believing that no one will believe we can be successful at weight loss. This, I discovered was not true, especially when I moved on to step 4. More on this later.


Take care of me. I had spent so much time and energy being Super Mom and Wife that I had failed to take time for me. It was time to focus on my needs, which in turn would lead to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. Just taking time to go for a walk or run by myself was time for me to just clear my head. It actually made me a better wife and mom taking time for myself and taking care of me.


Do things I’ve never done before. I wanted to really enjoy life to the fullest. I couldn’t do all the things I wanted to when I couldn’t breathe due to the fat on my body. I couldn’t do any of the things I wanted to when I felt like crap all the time because of my unhealthy condition. Now I hike, bike, run, boogie board, and look for adventure, rather than hide from it.


Open your notebook to page 1. Think about the reasons you want to lose weight. What is it that motivates you to want to lose the weight? Write down, “My Motivators” and below it make a list of the reasons you want to lose weight.


  • I want to look good.
  • I want to lower my cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
  • I want to get my blood sugar under control.
  • I want to improve my heart health.
  • I want to be able to breathe better.
  • I want to be an example to my children, husband, others.
  • I want to buy new clothes.
  • I want to be able to live longer.
  • I want to be able to play with my children.
  • I want to save money, rather than give it to doctors.
  • I want to ____________. (You fill in the blank.)

Writing down these motivators in the front of your journal and reviewing them daily keeps you reminded of why you want to lose weight and will motivate you to keep moving forward.


Step 3 – Set Goals


Setting goals helps you to know exactly what it is you want to accomplish. The most obvious goal is how much weight you want to lose. However, as you get into finding motivators and having a plan of attack, you may discover other goals you need to put down.


Example Goals:


  • Lose 75 pounds
  • Reduce my cholesterol from 250 to 200.
  • Run a 5K
  • Put $300 in saving account this year – This could be the money you save not going to doctors. With the co-pay amount my insurance requires, a monthly visit to my primary care physician with the usual aches and pains and other problems that go along with obesity, I could be building my savings account by $300 a year.

In your notebook, on the same page as your motivators or the next, write down, “My Goals” and below it make a list of the goals you want to set for yourself. As with your motivators, looking at your goals on a daily basis will help keep you on track.


Step 4 – Have a Plan of Attack


Now that you’ve determined what your motivators and goals are, you need to decide how you are going to take the action necessary to meet your goals.


Example Plan of Attack:


  • Lift weights 3 mornings a week. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
  • Run 3-4 days a week. (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Stretch every day after exercise.
  • Put $25 a month in savings account. No doctor visits unless really necessary.

When looking at your plan of attack, you need to use a calendar. Write each activity and the time you plan to do it in your notebook. I also set up a calendar, which keeps me reminded of what activities I am going to be doing on what day and at what time.


Step 5 – Get a Support Team


This is a hard step to take. I had tried so many times to lose weight, and I was embarrassed to tell my family and friends that once again I was going to attempt to get the weight off. As you read my story above, I’m sure you noticed my family rallied around me in a big way. If you find you don’t have the support you need from your family, go to your friends and co-workers. Who ever you decide to bring on as your support team, remember they need to be people who will be a positive influence. Write down who you’ve chosen to be your support team. Write down the things they say that encourage you and read those passages over and over. They will keep you lifted up, even when your family and friends are not right there with you. Think about the encouragement they’ve given you while you are working out, when you are eating, and especially when you feel self-doubt starting to creep in.


Step 6 – Change Your Attitude


Ah, yes, attitude. Attitude is part of what got you where you are right now. Many of us are emotional eaters. I admit it, I am an emotional eater. When I get down, I eat. Sometimes I even eat because I’m happy. Be sure to journal how you feel. Are you eating for a reason other that to supply energy to your body? Are you mad? Hurt? Frustrated? Excited? Write it down. This will help you know what triggers you to eat. You can also keep track of how you feel about your motivators, goals, plan of attack, support team, as well as your victories, which will be discussed in step 7. This notebook you are writing in is your journal. It’s the one tool that will help you keep moving forward. Any thing that can hinder or encourage your success needs to be written down. Don’t hold anything back. Did you eat more than you should have because you were mad about something? Write about it. Hate an exercise you did? Write it down and remind yourself to find an exercise you like to replace it. Did you lose 5 pounds and are so excited you feel you could bust if you don’t tell someone? Write it down. Good, bad, ugly – write it down, write it down, write it down.


Step 7 – Celebrate Every Victory, No Matter How Big or Small


Nothing is better than to experience success, to meet a goal, to win the race. I write every little victory down. Because I write it all down, I can share my entry for my first mile with you. May 17, 2004 – “1 mile! I ran 1 mile today! Met Melissa at the end of my run. I am so excited! 1 mile!” I still celebrate that first mile. I am where I am today because of that first mile. Every minute, every mile, every rep, every step you take toward meeting your goals is a victory. Write it down.


Now that you’ve taken your notebook, pen or pencil, and written down your first steps, your ascent out of the rut has taken place. Yes, your Monday has come. It is my sincerest hope you will share with me some of your motivators, goals, plans of attack, support team comments, attitudes, and victories.

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Meet Your Goals – Use a Fitness Journal

28. May 2009Uncategorizedpammcreynolds0 comments

In my previous discussion, I talked about setting goals and changing how you think. Here I am going to share with you one of the most important things you can do to meet those goals, change your thought process, and develop new habits – a fitness journal.

“Oh, no!” you might say, “I have so little time already.” Journaling doesn’t have to be like writing a novel. You can be brief, use codes, or write for hours. It’s all up to you. However, the more detailed you are, the better chance you have for success.

Here are some key items you may want to incorporate into your journal.

  • Weight – Weight can be logged on a daily or weekly basis. There are different schools of thought on this subject, but I like keeping a daily log to keep myself in check. Weight may fluctuate slightly from day to day, but it keeps it in front of me and keeps me moving forward. Weigh at the same time, morning tends to be the best time, every time you weigh.
  • Body Measurements – Usually I like to check these once or twice a month so I can see how I am progressing. Often times you will find you’ve stopped losing weight, but are losing inches due to toning and gaining muscle mass. It can be very encouraging to see the inches drop when the scales are staying still. It is progress towards your goal of a leaner fitter body. You may also want to keep track of your body fat percentage. Do measurements at the same time of day each time you measure.
  • Sleep – I keep track of how many hours of sleep I get at night. Sleeping beauty knew the importance of a good nights’ rest. Sleep has been found to be important to weight loss and health. When working out you need to get a good nights’ rest so the body can recover. If you find you are not sleeping well at night, it could be a sign of hidden health issues. Talk to your doctor. Sleeping pills are not always the answer. Sleep apnea is a problem many people have, but don’t realize it. Basically people with sleep apnea stop breathing in their sleep. It is a dangerous problem to have. Sleep apnea alone can affect your body in negative ways and cause cardiac problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and so much more. The list is quite long. Once diagnosed, apnea patients are set up with what’s called a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine that helps them breathe throughout the night. Google sleep apnea and learn more about it.
  • Calories Consumed – List all your meals. Eat six small meals a day to keep your insulin levels in check and keep you from eating too much due to drops in your levels. I list each meal separately and write down every morsel I eat, then list the number of calories in each item above the entry and total it in the right hand column. Then I can tally all the calories for the day. Writing everything down keeps you constantly alert to what you are putting in your mouth. When you see the calories, you think twice about eating that candy bar or ice cream.
  • Calories Burned – Write down all the exercise you get in a day. Did you bike, walk, lift weights, do Pilates? Write it all down and again, write above the entry how many calories you burned and tally it all in the right hand column. Compare the calories burned for biking to the calories you consumed eating that ice cream. How far do you need to bike to burn off that ice cream? Writing things down make you more accountable to yourself, as well as more conscious of what you need to do to lose or maintain your weight.
  • Water Consumed – Water is so important to your body and your weight loss. It is a natural diuretic. Drinking water will help flush out toxins and keep your body hydrated for the exercise you are doing. It is recommended you consume 8-8oz. glasses each day.

  • Weather – Keep track of the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, cold, or hot? You might notice the weather affects how your mood is and as a result how much food you consume, or how you do with your workouts. If it’s rainy out, find exercise you can do in the house. Keep busy. Don’t just sit on the couch and eat. Look for things to do that make you happy so you won’t get depressed and turn to food. If you are asthmatic, you may not be able to do your workout outside due to humidity levels, etc. Lupus? Avoid the sun. You get the idea.
  • Time of Workouts – When is the best time for you to workout. Morning? Afternoon? Evening? Journaling can help you find out.

  • Medicines – Do you take medicine? Medicine can affect how you do with your eating, working out, and so much more. Keeping track of these things can help you, and possibly your doctor, to see other problems you may not be aware of or give you a guide as to what works best for you.
  • Goals – Be sure to list your goals, which you learned about in the last discussion “Setting Fitness Goals.”

  • Other – Keep a section where you just write things like how you feel. Did you reach a goal? Celebrate here. Let yourself know what a great job you did! Did you mess up? It’s okay, just use this time to refocus yourself. Don’t use negative talk. Self talk needs to be positive to help you succeed.

Your fitness journal needs to fit your goals, needs, time, and personality. You will find your fitness journal will become your best friend. It will know everything about you. Miss a day, just pick it up and begin again the next. Make it a habit and you will find success in meeting your goals. It can also be a great tool for your emotional and spiritual well being. You can set up your journal on a computer or write it in a notebook or composition book. Carry it with you. Use it to plan your meals for the next day. Your journal is versatile and can be anything you want it to be. Happy Journaling!

So, what will you be keeping track of in your journal? Was this article helpful to you? I’d love to hear from you.

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Setting Fitness Goals

27. May 2009Uncategorizedpammcreynolds0 comments

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
- Dr Wayne Dyer

In this discussion, we are going to look at how to change the way we look at setting and meeting goals.

Do you need to lose weight? First, find out how much you need to lose to be in your ideal weight range. Write this down as your goal, but that’s only the beginning. Usually when we set goals, we look at only a number or other limiting information. Here we want to go a step further. Beneath the initial goal weight, write down all the benefits of losing this weight.

• Reduce risks of diabetes, heart disease, lower blood pressure, etc.

• Ability to do more, like play with children or grandchildren, hike or bike, whitewater rafting or rock climbing, boating or swimming, and so much more.

• Opportunity to shop for a new stylish wardrobe and look great in that new swim suit.

After you have written your goal and listed the benefits, write down how you plan to reach your goal.

• Reduce daily calorie intake.

• Exercise more.

• Cut soda/high calorie drinks and drink more water.

• Run a 5K. This can also be listed as another goal. Sign up for a race and begin training. Don’t forget to write down the benefits and how you plan to reach your goal (running three times a week, reading about running at runnersworld.com, etc.).

Finally, tell the people in your life about your goals, the benefits you are hoping to receive as a result of meeting these goals and how you plan to meet them. By telling others, you give yourself an additional motivator – accountability.

Use this formula for all your goals. Write down your goal, list the benefits, write about how you plan to meet the goal, and make yourself accountable. Look at these on a daily basis. Surround yourself with positive supportive people. Believe in yourself and your ability to meet these goals.

Remember to change how you look at your goals. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat too much one day or don’t get in the exercise you planned for that day. Instead, pick yourself up, read over your goals, and get out there and do what you need to do.

No longer will you look at this as failure, you’ve changed the way you look at your goals. With your new way of looking at things, you now look at these days as lessons. The lesson has been learned and you are well on your way to meeting your goal. You have taken a giant step forward in striving to become a better, healthier person and have learned from your mistakes. You realize now that you really are going to meet your goals and reap the benefits of a healthier life!

What are your fitness goals? What are the benefits you will receive as a result? What is your plan to meet your goals? We would love to hear from you.

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