21 Days and Counting

Hello blogosphere. It's been awhile, I know. The end of the summer is quickly coming to a close and I have been uber busy preparing for my last semester of grad school! With that said, my motivation slipped for quite awhile, but not for long!

Part of what I have been doing to get settled back into my apartment has been to clean, clean, CLEAN. I've been de-cluttering my life throughout the summer, but am in a high-speed de-cluttering mode. Tonight, I spent the evening flipping through magazines that I've let pile up for the past 9 months or so, cutting out recipes, fitness tips, beauty tips, fashion photos, etc to save. In the rather large pile of magazines, I came across a special issue of Shape magazine from March '09 that was all about a body makeover in 21 days. Since I spent $5 buying the damn thing, I figured, WHY NOT use it to jump start my motivation and get back in the swing of things.

The opening article states that "research shows that it takes 21 days for new habits to take hold. This plan guides you through each of those 21 days--helping you establish the healthy living, eating, and exercise strategies you need for long-term weight-loss success"...and that is EXACTLY what I plan on doing, documenting it all here for your entertainment, of course ;)

The magazine breaks down the 21 days into three phases: Week 1 is all about getting yourself back in the game; Week 2 gives strategies for breaking bad fitness and health habits; Week 3 gives support for sticking to the program during the home-stretch. Day 1 starts with prep-work. According to Shape, you can only change your body if you're in the right mid-set and can figure that out by thinking abot the following:

• Be Honest About Your Motivation--Whether it's dropping to a certain size, of improving our chances at beating a weight-related disease, post reminders. Hang up a goal outfit, or post pictures of loved ones so you constantly know what you're working towards.
• Deal With Distractions--You must have the emotional resources to take on weight-loss so if you're dealing with something right now, focus on maintaining your weight until it's resolved.
  
• Take The Mood Out of Your Meals--Come up with a non-food outlet when you're emotional or stressed (this is my biggest problem right here. me = emotional eater)
• Benefit from Your Mistakes--Look at what you've done before and commit to doing BETTER because failed strategies don't work the second time around.
• Pick a Start Date--choose a typical day, not one where you have a lot of other events going on, making time to prepare i.e. grocery shopping, preparing workout times, etc
• Make Your Environment Weight-loss Friendly--Don't use big spoons, and shift to use 9 inch plates for portion control; Look out for small servings, where you think you can eat more than you actually should, ultimately causing you to overeat; Keep the table/counter CLEAR, so you'll be less likely to reach for something to snack on.

What's on the menu for tomorrow? Scrambled eggs, fruit, steak salad, string cheese, firehouse turkey chili, and a frozen fudge bar. What's the workout goal? Just get moving. The first day article states that focusing on how good it feels to move is the perfect place to get started, for about 40 minutes. And OOOO! There's a quiz! I love quizzes :) This one is supposed to tell me the secret to reaching my goals...let's try this out, shall we?

Whelp, it's a tie..I marked down equal "B" and "D" answers. What does it mean? I'm a competitor and a planner. Not surprised. As it relates to weight-loss as a competitor, I should "channel your drive to win into your diet by starting a pool with friends or family to see who can slim down the fastest. Weigh yourself weekly; Your spirited nature will challenge you to keep the scale moving in the right direction. Train for a 5k (eventually--this is a long-term goal for me), or sign up for a tennis clinic, where you can use your love of skillful strategy. At the gym, try using programs on cardio machines that pit you against an imaginary opponent. Or compete with yourself; Wear a pedometer and try to beat the number of steps you took the day before.

As a planner, "keeping lists will really pay off. First up a food and activity log. Then blend fitness into your orderly life by setting workout dates with yourself. Because you like structure, choose classes that will help you hone a skill--like mastering asanas in yoga. Exercising solo also works; You're focused enough to stick to a schedule and won't be distracted from your goals."

Well, anyone want to have some friendly weight-loss competition/workout with me on a structured schedule?

Goals for tomorrow? Grocery shopping first thing in the a.m. and getting that 40 minute workout in. Oh, and sticking to the diet, obvi.