We are six weeks into the New Year. How is that New Year’s resolution of getting into shape working out? Did you abandon that idea two weeks into January? Most people have great intention and lousy follow through on the plan. It is just a fact. We are basically lazy and want change by osmosis. Let me say, osmosis does not work. You need to be dedicated to your change in life or in fitness. It all begins with a choice. What is your choice?
Since October of last year I have shed 30 pounds and I did it without an official diet. Diets do not work for me. They are pain and pain is not something I thrive on. So, how did I do it? Below are 9 things I did to shed those pounds and feel healthier, full of energy, happy to fit into pants two sizes smaller, and generally ecstatic about my transformation.
1. Trade in your regular dinner plate for a salad plate.
By placing my food on a salad plate I automatically ate less. At first I thought I would starve to death. This did not happen. As a matter of fact I was full. Eating mass contents of food was a conditioned habit of my mind. Change the condition and you change the outcome.
2. Remove the straw from your soft drink at restaurants.
Sounds ridiculous I know, and the truth is, you will drink less soda. I found that using a straw allowed me to suck down one soda and belly up to number two. When I removed the straw I only drank about half a glass.
3. Move the candy bowl away from you.
Basically we are lazy and if we have to get up and move over to a bookshelf or inside a cabinet to get our candy fix, we won’t do it. If the bowl sits on a table or desk in front of us, we will indulge ourselves.
4. Replace soft drinks with water.
Instead of reaching for the soft drink, reach for a bottle of water. You will be reducing your sugar intake and helping yourself to feel much fuller.
5. Place a starvation rock in your pocket and use it.
This is an idea I came up with based upon the book “The Secret.” In this book the authors share information about using a gratitude rock to keep track of all the good things that you are thankful for. This starvation rock is similar. When hungry or an urge to reach for a sugar or carb snack you pull out the starvation rock and it will change your pattern.
6. Eliminate or reduce your alcohol content.
Wine and beer has a huge amount of sugar and calories. I found that setting a goal of reducing my alcohol consumption by 50% saved me extra calories, helped me be more alert, and I managed throughout the day without an extra layer of fog in my mind.
7. Dust off your treadmill and turn it on, step on, and start walking.
I set a goal to get on the treadmill for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week. It was hard to get moving at first and when I wrote out an affirmation about walking, it became easier to accomplish.
8. Replaced French fries at home with carrot sticks.
When eating homemade hamburgers, I substituted the typical French fries with carrot sticks cut just like a French fry. The good news is I avoided extra carbs and calories and this allowed my treadmill walking to have better results.
9. Give yourself a crisis.
In my case, my crisis was a cracked wisdom tooth. I was unable to dash into the dentist and have it pulled because I was riddled with high blood pressure. This was surely a genetic condition and I would bet it was also perpetuated by my eating habits and lifestyle. This was my crisis for change. You don’t need something so severe. As a matter of fact, you can make up your own crisis and act on it right now.
Without an official diet plan, I was able to shed 30 pounds. This helped me feel better and look better. In the end, I believe my actions were worth the effort. As a matter of fact, I believe I now have some new habits. What change do you need to make? What habits do you need to break?
Choose today to change your fitness life and choose to do it without an official diet. As always, check with your doctor before setting out on any fitness or diet program. We are all different, so don’t hurt yourself.
