I recently wrote a blog about setting goals and making a plan for results. In this I talked about setting yourself challenges. However whenever you set yourself a challenge or are following a new exercise regime or perhaps a diet it will only work if you see it through.
Last night after doing a week without sugar treats I was really struggling - in the evenings it really gets to me. I posted on my facebook page "Can I keep it up?" and one person replied "yes you can" and we ended up talking about how they were struggling too and how they'd had a bad evening and ended up eating lots of naughty treats. We shared tips with each other and it made me realise I'm not alone and to come up with a new plan. Introducing 'The dealing with frustration and cravings plan', which I'll go to whenever I'm struggling.
These are my 25 top tips:
1) Share you struggle. Post in on your facebook status, twitter or start a blog journey like me. Or start a group on facebook with friends that are working on goals too. Sometimes all it takes is someone saying you can do it. Or simply check in with me - leave a comment on the fanpage or tweet me.
2) Take photos! You may dislike them but let that fuel you. Don't avoid taking them because you dislike what you see - let the photo drive you. Nobody has to see it. Take a picture of yourself in your underwear in the mirror so you don't have to ask anyone to do it (if you don't wish too) and every 4 weeks take another. Let the photo from the previous month motivate you for the next month.
3) Put that photo in your purse! Whenever your out and nearly go to buy a treat open up your purse and remind yourself that for every treat like that = the photo won't change.
4) Visual aids. Get two plastic clear cups so you can see through them and watch your progress. Count in pennies (or whatever you wish) the amount of lbs or inches you wish to lose (depending on which way your measuring your progress). Then write on one 'lbs/inches lost' and on other 'lbs/inches to go'. Then place the pennies in the 'lbs/inches to go' and as you get closer to your target watch the 'lbs/inches lost' fill up. Place in your kitchen to remind yourself to keep going.
5) Don't weigh, re-take photos or measure yourself without a good gap. Re-do these things every month, it takes approximately 4 weeks for you to notice a change so don't allow the scales to mislead and depress you. Restrain yourself!
6) Give yourself enough time!
7) Start a diary/food logger. Sometimes we don't realise how much we are eating until we write it down. Begin keeping a journal of everything you eat and drink and ensure you control your portions sizes, but are eating enough to keep burning calories. Your body will store fat if you don't feed it with enough good nutrients.
8) Check you are in fact being healthy! Sometimes we think we are eating healthy because of the way food has been marketed or because of the media. Don't assume anything. Google what your eating and check it supports your goal. You might be surprised.
9) Find some inspiration! There are so many motivational posters and success stories online. Google 'Inspirational' images. Put the story or photo that sticks out for you on your fridge!
10) Buy some health magazines and books. Knowledge is key! Some have great tips and it can be really motivating reading other peoples success stories.
11) Remember one defeat isn't DEFEAT. It ain't over till you say. Forgive yourself and move on.
12) Remind yourself why the foods you are giving up are bad for you.
 |
| You'll never look like this with junk food! |
13) The little things count. Whilst reading this are you drinking water? Is your tummy pulled in and your shoulders back. Do it now :-)
14) Remember you are the only person that can nourish your body. Treat your body, not your mind. Your body isn't craving bad foods but will pay the consequences. Reward your body, don't punish it.
15) Think you can't lose much weight doing short exercise busts? Think again. Doing short intense work-outs will burn a heck more than choosing to do nothing. 20 minutes WILL and CAN make the difference!
Effective but only 4 minutes long :-)
16) Be honest with yourself. If you want it enough you won't quit. Ask yourself 'Do I really want it? How bad do I want it?
17) Keep busy and if it's late on an evening and your considering eating naughty food then just go to bed. Plenty of sleep will only help your results.
18) If you do decide you can't hack it and do indulge then make sure you earn it! Pick an exercise you find really challenging and do 50 reps before allowing yourself to binge. Do warm up and cool down though.
19) Rather than focusing on weight-loss or creating a more defined you focus on becoming a FITspiration. The fitter you are the better you feel and the more likely you are to succeed.
20) Prepare yourself! It will take time, it will suck, it will hurt and it will be emotional, but look at those people who've made it and I doubt you'll find one that will say it wasn't worth it. Expect it to be hard work and suck it up. Be determined. Find a way to stop letting money, time, motivation, stress, depression and so on stop you achieving. Fight for it. Earn it and own it. It's yours for the taking but you can't wish for it you need to work for it.
21) Say 'No' with pride! People will challenge you and try to tempt you. Be proud of what your doing and tell them LOUD AND PROUD 'No thank you'! and when they say 'Surely you can have one' you say 'Yes I can but no thanks, I'm not on a diet you see but I care enough about my body to not load it with junk'! Think about it....they probably don't really care if you succeed or not as they don't feel about you and your body the way you do. They may not feel you need it, but your doing it for YOU not them. Practice saying 'No thank you'!
22) Don't become fixated and worried about everything you eat. Enjoy the learning process. Trial and error wins the race. It doesn't matter if you don't get it quite right, in fact getting it wrong means you'll succeed because you've learnt from it. Don't beat yourself up and don't obsess over everything you eat.
23) Get friends on board. Meet up once a week to share how your doing, start a joggers group. Join classes together. Walk the kids to school together. Off load your frustration and listen to theirs. You'll soon see your not alone.
24) Treat yourself after the small successes. Those small successes all add up and are helping you on your way. Acknowlege the achievements and stop only focusing on the slip ups. Reward yourself after the little successes even if it's just with a file and polish.
25) Finally START NOW! Don't say Monday! Remember COMMITMENT = SUCCESS
I hope you find this useful, please do share you tips too x
No comments:
Post a Comment