The key for long-term changes in my life, has been identifying the biggest obstacles that will arise, and figuring out a plan to deal with it before I even begin. Or at least recognizing the times that will be hard to work through, and set my mind to not get off-plan.
For example, when I started to exercise last fall, I knew I would NOT want to leave my house in January when it was cold and windy and snowy. BUT, I decided that I would just DO IT. Was it hard? Yes. But I would remind myself that I wanted to change, and that I was tough enough to do this! It also helped tremendously to have a workout buddy!
When I decide to lose weight, I think about all the 'excuses' that I know will come up... vacations, birthdays, church events, parties... then I decide if I will happily cheat those days, or else how to eat heathy those days. Either way, figuring it out ahead of time help me get right back on track morning after, instead of giving up because I 'blew it'. 😉
Currently, writing consistently is my biggest challenge. It has been for some years. I am still figuring out a routine that works for me. I can't write in the evenings - my brain starts shutting down after 4 pm. I get too busy/sidetracked in the afternoons, and mornings I like to study. But I will keep trying!! 😀
I read that if you decide you will stick to something long-term, it's more effective at reaching goals, than saying " I can do this for xx days". The mental act of committing long term helps us keep going. I can say that is true for me.
Don't make excuses, don't give up. Identify your weak spots, figure out how to deal with them, and keep going! A baby falls dozens of times while learning to walk - it gets up and starts again. You can fall and flub up too - just get up and try again! 🙂
For me, I can not think of it as "dieting". Diets don't work for me. I have figured that I can safely eat 1800 calories a day. So I have been using my smart phone for journaling what I eat each day- an app called MyFitnessPal. It's been working for me.
I've enjoyed looking through your blog. It's bookmarked! Thanks.