Last time I posted a list of the one-at-a-time changes I made in 1996 to get healthy. A decade and a half later, sixteen of the twenty-eight changes are still part of my life to a satisfactory degree. Yeah, I wish I’d held on to all twenty-eight. Still, sixteen healthy habits are a lot more than yo-yo dieting ever did for me. More importantly, those fifteen years are water under the bridge. Looking to the past so I can thump myself over the head for my lapses isn’t going to help. Looking to the past to remember what worked for me and then rework it for my current lifestyle IS helping.
Right now I’m working on a new one-item-at-a-time list including strategies to make sure I don’t backslide too far. Yes, the lapsed items from 1996 are going on there, but that’s not the whole list. I remember writing a lot about weight loss in my journal during 1997-1998, so I want to glean that for ideas. (I get through a month or so of entries every day during Eli’s nap.) I’ve also read some great books lately that are giving me ideas.
It isn’t just making a list of health changes. It’s also the order. This time I want to put some of the changes that will affect my weight towards the top and work on them first. I’ve lost a few pounds since starting the Persistent Elephant project, but I need a taste of success to spur me on. In particular, writing my “health autobiography” and reading old journals made me realize what a key role stress plays in my weight and health efforts. I’m going to target some stress management habits to put at the top of my list.
Getting organized is the first order of business. But I wanted to work on a good habit or two while I’m still in the Grand Planning Stage. In July, I worked on getting back into a regular exercise habit. My walking had definitely increased, much to my joy. As far as eating goes, I know that sweet things are often my trigger, so throughout August my goal is to kick the artificial sweetener habit (going down to just once a week or so) and then to wean myself off sugar for a while. More on that later, but I know some readers are following along on a parallel path, so this post lets you know how the project is unfolding. Stay tuned.
What about you? What are you doing to get organized or stay organized for being healthy?
Tomorrow will be 2 weeks back from my Kripalu experience. I continue to practice mindful eating (just being very aware of eating, chewing thoroughly and making a meal a meditative exp.) and practice eating whole food, local and organic, good protein esp at breakfast and work towards 8-10 servings of fruit and veg, balanced meals between carbs, protein, and fruit and veg. So, I spend more time shopping and cooking. I'm practicing, which pretty much happens in the moment, so not much planning needed for that, but it does take a commitment. I sooo wish at times to eat my meal in front of the t.v., but I don't!
ReplyDelete