Set Yourself Up For Success
Happy Monday! Did you ever notice that Monday is the international start day for all diets? That’s so you can get your last food hurrahs in over the weekend.
Or, if you started the #SLIMethod 31 Day Challenge, you used that time to set yourself up for success.
Day 1: Write your fitness goals, then take a 20 minute walk. Continue walking throughout the week.
Do you know someone who just sort of floats through life and then ten years later wonders why she’s still treading water in the middle of the ocean? The way to stop this is to figure out what you want (writing goals) and then swim in that direction a little bit each and every day until you land at your island paradise of achievement.
Write your goals and post it somewhere you will see them daily. By committing your ideas to paper you give yourself a visual reminder that you are on a mission that requires focus. And by all means, make your goals difficult, yet attainable. This will help to increase your confidence by the end of the month.
My goals are:
- To be bikini competition ready by the end of the month
- Drink 1 gallon of water every day
- Encourage others to get healthy
The second part of Day 1’s challenge is to take a 20 minute walk. Walking helps to relieve stress and boost your creativity (about how to achieve all those goals you just wrote). Walking requires no special equipment. And in the grand scheme of your time-pressed schedule, just about anyone can find 20 minutes to walk around the block.
Day 2: Clean your pantry of all junk food.
You don’t need it there tempting you all month. Your husband and kids don’t need all those empty calories either. If they are giving you huge blowback on this, put all the chips, cookies, etc. into a plastic box and put it in the garage or some closet you don’t frequent. That way they can eat their junk without interfering with your health goals.
Day 3: Start a food journal. If you’ve read my book “She’s Losing It!” you know that the food journal was the bane of my existence. I hated that thing. Yet I make all my weight loss clients keep one when they are getting started. Why? For one reason, it makes you more mindful of what you put in your mouth so you’re not grazing all day long. For another reason, it’s great at helping you identify potential problems. You may note that you skip breakfast and lunch and don’t start your first meal until 2pm, at which point you’re starving and eat five candy bars from the vending machine and order a huge hoagie. You may notice that your eating is tied to emotions.
Whenever I feel sad I tend to eat chocolate. When I’m angry I gravitate towards something salty and crunchy, like chips. You may also notice for the first time that you’re drinking a lot of Starbucks and your drink of choice is 540 calories. That’s good information to have if you want to make progress.
My journal entries always include the date, my weight that morning, what I eat and the time of day I eat it. You can go old school with a notebook or use one of the many nifty apps available. Just make sure you consistently track what you’re doing.
Have you started the challenge yet? If not, feel free to start today. Each time you post a picture and tag me in it you get entered into a chance to win a totally awesome T-shirt 🙂
Be healthy!
Lisa 🙂
This is a challenge, but remember that only you know your body. Check with a doctor first before trying this or any health program. Listen to your body and go at a pace that works for you.
If I can do it, you can do it!
If you are looking for a more in-depth program, check out my SLI Method Program. For a one-time investment of $79 you get exclusive access to:
- Meal Plan with Grocery Shopping List
- 24 complete workouts (no gym required!)
- Instructional and Motivational Videos
- Private Facebook Group for Q&A with me
- Exercise Video Library
Want something more hardcore with strength training and a customized meal plan? For $125/mo. I provide online training. Email me at sheslosingit.net@gmail.com for more info.
Are you local to Austin, Texas and looking for a personal trainer in a private training facility? Mention my blog and you will get the special discount rate of $279 for 5 private sessions. (Women only, please). Only accepting a limited number of clients right now! Email me at sheslosingit.net@gmail.com for more info.
Be healthy!
Lisa 🙂
Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two….and Original Cast Member of AMERICAN GRIT, starring John Cena, on FOX!!!
ShesLosingIt.com (c) 2012-2016 Lisa Traugott. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, video, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission.