I know this probably shouldn't come as a surprise to me, but I'm not very good at keeping my word. Actually, I'm really bad at it.
I don't want people to worry about me being untrustworthy or anything. I say this in reference to promises I make to myself that I never end up keeping. Almost a month into the new year, and it feels like I've gotten nowhere with my attempts at eating better (and less) and exercising more. It occurred to me that the possible cause for this, besides my general lack of self discipline, is that I never wrote down my goals or shared them with all you lovely people in the first place.
To add another kicker, just because I like to keep things fresh and possibly because I'm a masochist, I've also decided to include a couple consequences for not meeting these goals. Someone or something has to hold me to my word, so maybe if I enforce consequences on days when I'm down, it'll help me get back on track.
So without further ado, here are my weight loss and health goals for 2014, along with brief explanations.
Goals:
-I must log everything I eat into My Fitness Pal, even if the calories go over my daily limit. When I re-downloaded the app, I set a limit of 1,500 calories based on the number of pounds I eventually want to lose. I got into this bad habit, though, of neglecting to update my meals and calories if I knew I ate something that pushed me past my limit. I don't know why that's so embarrassing. I'm the only one looking at it. But maybe that's my brain telling me I'm just ashamed of myself and I don't want to own up to my transgressions. There shall be no more of that vicious cycle. Who cares if I eat 1,700 or 2,000 instead of 1,500? At least God blessed me with food. The next day, I'll start over again.
-I must complete at least 30 minutes of exercise every single day. This should include walking, Leslie Sansone workouts (I love that crazy lady and I'm not ashamed), light weight training, boxing, and any other type of moderate physical activity I can muster. I have another bad habit of completing a really great workout one night, then cutting myself some slack in the days afterward because I already exercised. Once a week is enough, right? Wrong.
-If I do snack late at night, I must make sure it's healthy food, not full meals or leftovers or junk. At this point, I don't think Chris's work schedule and my frustratingly relentless appetite can handle the "no food after 9 p.m." rule. However, if I change what I'm eating at night, at least that will ensure that I'm not filling my stomach with crap. If I really can't shake the late night cravings, I'll stick to healthier foods like veggies, fruits, or whole grain crackers, and I'll have to practice strict portion control. I don't think it's hunger so much as wanting something to munch on that makes me eat so late, but at least I can try to control what it is I'm consuming.
-I must limit myself to 3 alcoholic drinks a week. I don't really know how much alcohol I usually drink in a week, and I don't know how I came up with a cut-off of three. It just seemed appropriate. What I do know is that alcohol has a ton of calories, and it's way too easy to destroy my healthy eating and dieting during the day if end every night relaxing on the couch with a couple of beers. I also think that I still probably drink too much in one week than I should. I don't have the same habits I did in college and I don't believe I have a problem with alcohol at all, but it's never a bad idea to cut down on something that has proven negative effects on your health.
Consequences of not meeting these daily goals:
-I have to own up to it on my blog. That's right, trusty readers. I'm going to try to write one post every day from now on, and if I'm too lazy to get my butt off the couch or I go to town on a package of Oreos, you're going to know about it. You're welcome in advance for the cheap entertainment.
-I have to weigh myself. (After I buy a scale, of course.) Some of you may be concerned that this is an unhealthy way for me to view my weight or my body, and I can't necessarily disagree with you. The fact of the matter is that I don't really know my exact weight because I hate looking at the number. But I can't track my progress if I never step on the scale, so I'll eventually have to do it anyway. On days when I overeat, neglect physical activity, or just feel plain discouraged, weighing myself won't just be my punishment, though. It will be a reminder of why I started this journey in the first place. Knowing my weight can provide me the motivation to keep going, especially if each time I see those numbers, they're gradually getting smaller.
Whew. Sorry this post was so long guys. I know sticking to these goals won't be easy, but hopefully I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help me out. For instance, since I usually blog later at night, I want to start documenting what I ate during the day on each post. Then I can reflect on the nutrition I'm putting into my body, and maybe even share a few recipes with you guys. As I keep telling myself, I know this process won't be easy. I just hope it's worth it.
And now to end the night, I'll leave you with this adorable kitten getting ready to take a snooze.
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