This has nothing to do with the post, it just needed to be shared
If you keep up with my life, you know that I am trying to sell my house. With that comes the joy of keeping the house clean.
I'm not what you would call neat. Like most super geniuses, I keep my office a wreck. But I know where everything is.
What do you need? Look under the third pile from the left.
So I did a really good job of cleaning up my office. It looked great! But I just noticed something.
It's messy again! How did that happen? Did a bomb full of papers and note cards explode in my office? That had to have been it.
What actually happened is I fell back into old habits. I went back on auto pilot, quit relying on the systems I had set up to keep my office clean, and started doing what I had always done.
This ever happened to you?
Started exercising and eating healthy on a regular basis, lose weight, felt great, but then fell back into old habits. Quit the exercise program, quit eating healthy, and the weight came back on.
It happens to the majority of people. The sneaky part is that it does not happen overnight.
You gain a pound here, 2 pounds there, and next thing you know the 25 you lost is now the 30 you put back on.
How do you avoid that?
1. Rely on systems, not will power
If you have brownies and ice cream in the house, guess what you are going to eat? If all you have is vegetables and chicken then that is what you will eat.
Find a workout that you enjoy, that you will show up to consistently, and that works for you. Doesn't matter how effective a workout is if you don't like it, don't show up for it, and is not your style.
Will power goes away, but having systems will always lead to success.
2. Don't trade short term success for long term health
Ever been on all salad and water diet? You probably lost 10 pounds pretty quick, but then you put it all back on and then some. You need something that is sustainable.
Working out 7 days a week for 2 hours will knock weight off of you too. But can you keep that pace up?
Find a way of eating healthy and exercise that you can do for a life time. Think big picture and you will get there.
3. Celebrate the victories
Give yourself some credit! If you reached a goal it is ok to pat yourself on the back. Enjoying the victories is what will help motivate you to keep going and get to the next level.
Take the time, it's worth it.
4. Don't let that slip become a fall
So you messed up, no big deal. The sun will come up tomorrow and you can get right back on the path to success.
What you don't need to do is pitch a fit because you ate like crap and didn't workout for a week, then quit. Don't take the easy way out, keep going.
5. Write down meaningful goals and look at them every day
I want to lose ____ pounds is not a meaningful goal.
"I want to lose 40 pounds so I can be a healthy role model for my kids" means a whole lot more.
What is going to keep you going when you don't want to get out of bed to workout?
What is going to keep you from eating fast food every day?
What is going to keep you motivated when you hit a plateau and the results have stalled or stopped?
Find a goal that moves you, write it down, look at it every day, and you will accomplish it. Don't be afraid to dream big, that's how dreams work.
