Here is something to think about........
According to Garbrielle Reece, who writes for Yahoo Health, you don't have to make the change all at once.
Gabrielle
says, "I love it when people wake up one day and say, "That's it. No
sugar, pasta, bread, alcohol. I'm going to work out 18 hours a week, and
no more fun."
I
wonder if it occurs to them that this approach may be one of the
reasons they don't make it to the second week. Granted, for a small
percentage of individuals out there, this works. However, for the rest
of us flesh and blood humans, change is difficult.How about we approach the change with a slow and steady strategy?
1. Write down what changes you want to make in your day-to-day lifestyle.
2. Make a list of foods that you can't live without and foods that you are willing to give up.
3.
Figure out what forms of exercise are attractive to you, that you
relate to, and that you can see yourself participating in on a regular
basis.
4. Create some goals.
- lose weight
- have more energy
- exercise 3-4 times a week
- go out and do something fun, just for you, once a week
- read more
- laugh with your family
- be more spontaneous
- take that risk you have been contemplating
OK, you get my point. These are just ideas, but make it your own list.
After
you've written all of this information down, start to create your
strategy. If you can't live without pasta, then start slow. Don't go
cold turkey but try to eat it less often. If you eat it three times a
week, then make a vow to only eat it once. You could even begin by
"substituting" healthier alternatives (e.g., rice pasta). If you can't
live without five diet sodas a day, switch to an unsweetened tea and
only have one soda a day.
Are
you sedentary right now? Well don't start hitting the gym 5 days a week
and kill yourself. Begin with walking and doing little things at home
with light weights, and then start heading to the gym. Start by taking a
few classes and lifting 2 times a week. You don't need to begin by
going 2 hours a day -- start with 30 minutes.
How
does that sound? I know you can make the changes. Just have a real plan
to support you while going through the process. I like the idea of
keeping a journal and writing it all down.
If
you are up for it, you could even create a calendar to keep track of
all of the changes -- what activities you're doing, what foods you are
or aren't eating. This way, the change will not only become obvious in
you, but you'll be able to track how far you've come.
Hummmmmmmm........... this is definitely something to consider.
Hummmmmmmm........... this is definitely something to consider.
