Resolution - Be Fit (Diet and Exercise)
My first Groundhog Day Resolution is, as it is every year, to be fit. I always want to be in better shape than I was the previous year. This usually stems from how exhausted I feel after our year-end ski trip and I vow each New Year’s that I will not be so tired out by a sport that lets gravity do most of the work for me.
As I mentioned in my 2006 review, I actually ended the year in worse shape than when I started.
SMART Goals
They (you know, “THEY”) say that goals should be SMART. That is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. I guess going with a simple list like the following just won’t do:
- Eat less
- Exercise more
I did a little research online and found a great goal setting worksheet at Uncommon Knowledge. The goal worksheet helps by providing a format for SMART goals. Here’s mine for my “Be Fit” goal.
- Goal Statement
- My goal is to lose weight and add muscle tone. I will also improve my cardiovascular health so I am not so winded after activity. I would like to accomplish this goal by my birthday, August 21.
- Measures of Success
- Unsatisfactory - I did not lose any weight, or actually ended up gaining weight.
- Could do Better - I lost less than 25 pounds.
- Expected - I lost 25 pounds. This should be attainable, it is 1 pound per week which is a healthy amount to lose.
- Distinguished - I lost 30 pounds.
- Tasks
- Get the weight bench repaired.
- Eat less (see below).
- Exercise more (see below).
Eat Less
I’ve followed some diet systems in the past (like Weight Watchers), but I found that all the tracking involved in that system made it difficult to sustain. After reaching my target, I simply stopped counting my meals. Eventually, my bad habits crept back in and I gained the weight again.
A new plan is in order, one that follows tiny discipline. The simplest diet I could find is the No S Diet. There are three rules and one exception:
- No Seconds
- No Sweets
- No Snacks
The exception is “Except (sometimes) on days that start with ‘S’“.
What makes this diet so great is its simplicity. In any given situation, I can make a tiny choice: eat the cookie or pass on the cookie. I don’t have to calculate the amount of dinner I’ll have to skip to have a snack. It is boolean. Since that cookie breaks two of the rules, I’ll pass on the cookie.
The exception comes in handy as well, especially since most get-togethers occur on the weekends. I still choose my “No S”s as I would normally, but I can let it slide for a bit of birthday cake. The ease of this diet allows me to get back to it quickly.
Exercise More
In the frozen tundra that is Wisconsin, this time of year is constrained to the indoors. Fortunately for me, I don’t care much for exercising outside anyway. We have an elliptical machine, a weight bench and a recumbent stationary bicycle in our basement, but finding the time to use them can often be difficult.
A post by Gretchen at the Happiness Project gives some excellent tips for staying motivated in an exercise program. A few that resonated with me:
- Always exercise on Monday. This sets the psychological pattern for the week.
- Never skip exercising for two days in a row.
- Give yourself credit for the smallest effort. (I gave my self credit for 2 minutes of exercise one day - that’s all the time I had.)
Overall, these are great tips that are easy for me to follow, making my diet and exercise program more motivating to me.
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