Easing Into a Disciplined Lifestyle

Discipline is just doing what you know you're supposed to do.  Sounds simple enough.  But if it were that simple, we'd all be in perfect shape, have great health, lots of wealth and life would be like riding down easy street.  The truth though is, I am my own worst enemy.  I rarely really want to do what I'm supposed to do, but I'm very happy when I commit to doing the right thing.  It starts with a fair share of foresight.  You know what the ultimate goal is and there's only one way to obtain it.  So, if I want what's at the other end of the spectrum, then I have to do what it takes to get there.  So, will power is the bottom line.  It starts with a decision to do what you're supposed to do at that moment. It's unreasonable to commit to being perfect forever.  But whatever decision is before you at that moment, commit to making the right one at that moment.  Conquer one bad habit one day at a time - not all of them at once.

An example that I'd like to use is that I've gotten a lot better at going to the gym at least four days a week after work. It started out with just one day a week, then I gradually increased that commitment.  Besides, it's also kinda hard to make excuses when  you work in the same building where the gym is located.  It would be pretty pathetic to walk past all the exercise equipment everyday.  Now, I actually look forward to working out and feel deprived if I don't. I never thought that feeling was possible.    

Smarter eating habits have become a part of my disciplined life.  I purposely don't buy soft drinks and processed foods at the market.  I have a weakness for pastries, and I don't say I never eat them, but I've learned it's not smart to buy a bag or case of anything and bring it home.  Every now and then I might by one item that I'll eat and afterwards, I'm done.  There's not the temptation of going back and forth in the kitchen snacking on something I know is killing me.  Instead, the remedy is to have healthy choices at home...fruit, nuts, organic air popped popcorn is one of my favorites.  That beats the greasy, salty microwave popcorn any day.   The key is to prepare ahead of time, knowing that if you've already planned your meals and health snacks, you're less tempted to stop at a fast food place or eat junk food. Eating foods prepared properly at home is much healthier than pulling up to the drive-thru window.

Another area that I've noticed that I have to watch when trying to incorporate discipline in my daily life are the people who influence me.  Disciplined people tend to surround themselves with other disciplined people.  Just like at the gym, there tends to be the same crowd of folks that work out the same time I normally do.  There's a community of accountability.  In fact, the days I just don't have time to go to the gym, a few of my gym buddies will playfully harass me for not working out with them.  On the other hand, spending a great deal of time with people who have poor eating and exercising habits can influence you too.  Ultimately, you are responsible for your own behavior, but if you are prone to bad habits that you're trying to overcome, it would behoove you to spend more time with like-minded people to encourage you.  It's really a no brainer.  Think of the alcoholic going to AA Meetings, fighting for a life free of addiction.  Then imagine that person spending time at the bar with his drinking buddies, trying to stay strong.  It just doesn't make sense.

The final word about discipline is that you can't expect to see results overnight.  Habits are created over a period of time.  That's why fad diets and health gimmicks never work.  It's a lifestyle change.  You must believe that with consistency, you will see the results and others will notice too.  Don't give up, even if you mess up. It takes time to achieve discipline. It's only a matter of having a made up mind and keep reaching towards your goals.  Pretty soon, what once seemed very difficult, will be second nature.

Your Mind Must Say Yes

I did something amazing this past week! I got on a treadmill and ran 1.2 miles.  That's the first time that has ever happened.  It all started with a challenge.  Jennifer, my co-worker (and subscriber to this blog) is currently training to run in an upcoming marathon.  We tend to work out at the same time in the evenings, where I get updates on her progress.  Well, over a week ago, she challenged me to match the minutes that she runs in miles.  She was up to 12 miles and that meant I had to run 12 minutes.  As I heard the words coming out of her mouth, I found myself nodding and accepting that challenge.  By the time I got to my car, I was wondering what I had just agreed to.  I had never run over 2 minutes on the treadmill. Yikes!  But something inside of me reassured me that I needed that challenge to push past my comfort zone...past my fears and step up to a new level of activity.

Well almost everyday until this past Wednesday, I tried to prepare for this challenge.  I agreed that I had to break up my run into intervals of running/walking. I ran three minutes/walked a minute...three more minutes, then walked a minute, then I did my last three minutes.  When I was actually on the treadmill, with my personal trainer beside me and Jennifer in front of me telling me to keep going and stop looking at the time on the treadmill. I had to keep thinking "I can do this!" My body was praying for it to be over. I could hear them both, as well as other familiar voices in the room, encouraging me.  For a moment I had a flashback of Henry Ford Hospital in the labor and delivery room when my son was born.  Just like then, I felt surrounded by  a cheering squad telling me to push and breathe.  When it was all said and done, I reached my time on the treadmill and there was that similar joy that mothers have when they realize the worst of labor is over and they have a beautiful baby to show for all of the pain, sweat and tears.  At that moment, I was just happy that I didn't have to run another second, coupled with the excitement of knowing I actually did it!  

Since then, I've come to realize that I wasn't limited physically from running.  I had been working out for over a year and building myself up all this time, but I was being held back by the limitations I set in my mind when it came to running.  That's the key.  I just have to take the limits off my mind.  So this week, I've gotta meet my new challenge.  Fifteen minutes on the treadmill this Wednesday.  I welcome the challenge once again.  I'll be back next week to report how that goes.  What will you challenge yourself to achieve this week?  I'll be happy to have you share it with me.     

One Order of Skinny Thighs Please

I don't really like change.  Nobody does, do they?  What's familiar is usually pretty easy.  Life throws enough my way without having to learn something new or force something that I'm not used to.  Yes, I want to be thinner, healthier, stronger, better, faster...(I sound like the Bionic Woman), but who has time to commit to working out and the money to shop at Whole Foods?  It's easier to just keep things simple, zip through a fast food drive thru and stop making a fuss about fitness. I've got more important things to keep me busy than trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Besides, we all have to die with something. What's the big deal, right? - WRONG!

Change will never happen without modifying our thinking.  Once the change begins to occur in your thoughts, that affects your actions.  When actions change, then you'll see a change in your lifestyle.  When your lifestyle changes, then you'll see the results of the whole process.  However, too often we never start with changing our mind.  We try to go straight to the results.  And the diet and fitness industry makes millions, if not billions, off of people who don't understand the process of change. Fad diets, drastic cleanses, pills that melt fat while we sleep are all gimmicks that promise results, yet require little commitment or effort from you. We can't wish it away or even pray it away.    

Speaking of our quests for sudden results, at the age of eight years old, I recall being taught that God answers prayer.  So, while on my knees at bedtime, I made my request, just like I was sitting on Santa's lap at the mall.  I told God that I didn't like fat thighs and I was putting in my order for skinny ones. All night long I was anxious to see what would happen by morning. The next day I yanked the cover off in excitement, but was quickly disappointed to see that my thighs were still fat!  What happened Lord?  Thirty-seven years later, I still have fat thighs!  It's because I kept eating. No mystery there. 

I'm happy to say that I'm finally catching on to the way change happens.  Two years ago when I decided to take baby steps towards better health, it was a gradual process. It's not about dropping the pounds (or skinny thighs) for me any more.  It's about quality of life.  I'm striving to think different so that my behavior will change permanently.  I'm making progress, but it's happening gradually.  Over all I've lost about 30 pounds.  My cholesterol has dropped from borderline high to below 200 for the first time in my adult life.  My blood pressure and glucose levels are normal.  This has come after modifying my diet to eating more fruits, veggies, nuts and fish.  And less fast foods, processed foods and sugars.   It all sounds pretty common sense and easy for some, I'm sure.  But to the person who clings to bad habits like a security blanket, it's not so simple.  Change can happen for anyone.  They just have to want it bad enough.  I do. Do you? 

Drinking Your Way to Health

I have to admit that drinking a cold glass of soda on a hot summer day, used to be so satisfying.  But it never was just one drink, it was usually a few soft drinks a day to quench my thirst.  Well, since I started monitoring how I eat, I also began to monitor my drink choices.  Many of those unwanted calories were being sipped through a straw. From sugary colas to rich cups of hot chocolate, I was getting bigger around the waistline just by drinking.

Believe it or not, my weight began to decrease when I started substituting water instead of sweet drinks with my meals.  Water has so many benefits that improve health that it's a wise decision to make when implementing small changes in your lifestyle.  We are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day just to stay properly hydrated.  Rarely did I ever reach that goal.  But now, water intake is a big part of my daily diet and sometimes exceeds the recommended amount.

I also discovered that adding fresh slices of lime or cucumber to my ice water added flavor without the calories.  Unsweetened iced tea is another favorite of mine.   In fact green teas have great nutritional value.  They have antioxidants that help to fight free radicals in  your body - thus decrease risk of certain cancers.

Now I still enjoy a glass of lemonade every now and then.  I even drink orange and cranberry juices.  They have sugar nonetheless, but they at least have some nutritional value.  I just make sure I keep it to a minimum.

Try cutting back on the sweet drinks for a few days and see if you don't experience a difference.

You've Got to Move It!

One of the small changes that I've incorporated into my new life of fitness is just moving more.  Living a sedentary lifestyle can become a big problem over time and I recognized that I was just not moving my body enough.  Working out is ultimately an activity that one should make time for on a regular basis, but I'm not even talking about working out.  I'm talking about just living everyday life with what should be "normal" activity.

I used pray for parking spaces at the mall that were close to the door and drive up and down lanes until I got one that was maybe one or two spaces over from the handicap parking.  Ridiculous!  That's just plain lazy.  But I know I'm not the only one guilty of that.  But now, I park in spaces that allow me to walk farther, thus more exercise.  When I have the option of taking the stairs versus the elevator, I use the stairs.  In my youth, I remember how I kept weight off...moving all the time.  I was involved in modern dance, basketball, gymnastics, roller skating, bike riding, and walking to the store several times a day with my friends.  Now I drive everywhere, sit at my desk at work and even now, I'm sitting down to write this blog.  I'm not going to give up my car, quit my job or stop using my computer, so I have to look for opportunities to move my body.  Our society is moving towards convenience and technology at a rapid pace.  However, just because something is more convenient, doesn't make it better for you.

Last year for a period of time I used a pedometer.  I began to monitor how many steps a day I was taking.  The goal was 10,000 steps a day, but rarely did I actually make more than 8,000 steps.  On average, I racked up between 4,000 and 6,000 steps a day - which isn't nearly enough to be considered active.  So with that knowledge, I began to make minor changes and walk to nearby places instead of drive. Just like with keeping a food diary, the pedometer is just one inexpensive way to gauge your activity. So, as soon as I finish writing this blog, I'm going to get it moving!  I hope you join me.

Faith is the Fuel

In any undertaking in my life, faith has to be the foundation that success is built on. Making changes to my eating and exercise habits are very much connected to my faith in God.  Yes, there are choices that I have to make and things I have to do.  I can't blame failure on Him.  Neither can I say my success is only because of Him. But the truth is, I have to do my part and He does His. I rely and trust in Him to help me in these areas where I feel weak. But I still have to take action. So, yes, I joined the gym, started my journal and realized that more steps need to be taken to accomplish my goals.  Faith is an action.  Without action, faith is dead.

One of the thoughts that prevail in my mind is that my body is a temple.  And since it is a temple, I have a responsibility to make sure that I'm treating it in a respectable manner.  Carrying around excess weight is not in line with a life of faith.  It's disrespectful to put garbage in the temple or allow it to be sluggish and not operate at its fullest potential.  So my faith has a direct connection to the actions that I must take to be a healthier me.

This year, I plan to let my faith be the fuel that burns in me to do better than I did in 2012.  And I have to push myself to do more and not become complacent with the small accomplishments.  I challenge you to use your faith to help you reach your goals.  

From the Plate to the Page

After I started working out at the gym for a period of time, I began keeping a Food Diary.  At first it was a pain in the butt to carry a little journal around and jot things down every time I ate, but it's a habit that became easier for me to develop over a few days.  I actually was taught to do it from my Weight Watchers days several years ago.  I believe Weight Watchers is one of the better life-changing programs out there and really helps people to develop some good skills if one adheres to them.  Taking inventory of what you eat is all about developing accountability to yourself.  Every time you put something in your mouth, it should be written on the page.

Before I started my Food Diary, I would eat and then forget what I ate and eat more later. I didn't realize when I was eating, how much I ate or how often. Again, it's about honesty. With a food diary, you begin to realize how the calories creep up on you.  Now in conjunction with the Food Diary, you may want to invest in calorie counter guide.  Today, it's much easier with smart phone applications. They have apps that allow you to scan items, or type in the names of foods, even items on the menus at restaurants and it will provide you with the amount of calories being consumed.  For me, I was able to blow the dust off of my Weight Watchers booklet that follows the Point System - Based on my weight, I wasn't supposed to consume more than 28 points a day.  I discovered that I had been consuming more than double that in a day.  The key at first was not to modify my eating habits, but simply record my habits as they were.  It was clear to see why the weight wasn't budging.  I was eating too much of the wrong foods and eating them too often and late at night as well.  It was easier to see the error of my ways with the journal.

I began to limit the number of meals, make better food choices and eat smaller portions.  Who wants to record that they are eating a deluxe cheeseburger, fries, milkshake and an apple pie for lunch?  Even if it tastes good, it looks wrong on paper for someone who is trying to lead a healthy life style.  I'd rather write down that I ate a 1/2 turkey sandwich on whole wheat, spinach salad and unsweetened iced tea.  Call it psychology or just plain common sense, but it does work.

Try writing down what you eat each day for a week.  I bet your little journal will help you learn a lot about yourself and you'll see some improvements in no time.