What Does it Take to Not be That Person
The previous blog post, 5 Keys to Getting Healthy Eating and Exercise Back on Track, was the introduction to a five part series.
This series is intended to help you not be that person.
You may know that person because it may be you.
In case you do not know if this is you…
I am talking about the person who goes all out in the beginning of the year to change their eating and exercise habits, only to fizzle out within two to three months.
You don't want to be that person anymore, do you?
In fact, I'm guessing you are tired of being that person. Or…
You want to make sure you do not become that person.
To help you with that, part one of this five part series focuses on you discovering your why.
Your why?
Yes, your why.
What follows are the two whys you should know in order to not be that person.
Why #1: Why Do You Want to Change?
Now you may be thinking that it is pretty obvious why you want to change. So, let me ask this:
How many times have you told yourself why you wanted to lose weight, change your eating habits, or exercise more, but yet you remain the same?
Too many times, perhaps.
That is why it is essential that you go beyond considering why you want to change. Here is what you do:
- List ALL of the reasons that you want to lose weight, change your eating habits, or exercise more.
- Write down why you want to be committed to each of those items.
- Then for each of those items, write the actions you will take and when you will take them.
- Lastly, move on to why #2 below.
Why #2: Why Did You Get to This Place?
Check out what I wrote in Chapter 2, When You Have Had Enough, Dig Deep Into Your Why?, of my book, Diet-Free Me: How to Stop Struggling, Lose Weight and Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle.
That Moment When You've Had Enough of You
But something more happened in that moment. I did not simply say to myself that I needed to change what I was doing. At that time, I was doing nothing of what I knew needed to be done to change my situation. I had traveled the weight-gain to weight-loss road before. I knew I needed to exercise and stop eating like I had no sense.Know What's Really Going on with You
That is the point you will have to reach as well. It is not enough to decide you will lose weight and start exercising and changing what you eat. You must be prepared for what losing weight and keeping it off entails. You have to understand the behaviors you possess that got you to where you are know. You have to understand what triggers those behaviors. You also need to be sure you understand when your behaviors and triggers hit.
Do you give your behaviors and triggers consideration when you decide to change your eating and exercise habits?
In order to no longer be that person, you must know why you do what you do in order to begin changing what you do.
The chapter goes on to tell you how to address discovering your behaviors and triggers. For example:
- List situations in your life when you tended to eat unhealthy food.
- Document the emotion you felt in that moment (i.e sad, pressured, tired, angry, etc.).
Doing this exercise will open your eyes to why you do what you do so you can do something healthier about it.
What is Key to Losing Weight? Knowing Why
Note, you do not have to hold off changing your diet or starting a workout routine until you identify those behaviors and triggers.
I am not giving you a pass to start your change. What I shared above was to help you make adjustments and better prepare you so you are successful with your change to get back on track.
The key is for you to know why you want to change and why you got to where you are in the first place.
When you determine that, you are well on your way to not being that person.
In the next post I will on knowing what to change.
Chime in: Why do you want to change your eating and exercise habits? Share in the post comments, on Facebook or Twitter.