Jillian Michaels - one of my weight loss coaches
My number one New Year’s Resolution for 2010 is to lose weight and live a more healthier lifestyle. My specific goal is to lose 30 pounds in order to be in my “ideal” weight range by August of 2010, when I turn 40 years old.
The good news is that I know how to lose weight and live healthier. Then again, we all do, don’t we? Putting it into practice is another matter.
In my case, I’ve already been a big fat loser, having lost 70 pounds about 14 years ago. I did it the old fashioned way: I exercised more and ate less.
Since then, exercising regularly and making healthy food, snack and beverage choices on a regular basis has been a challenge for me at times. The biggest reason: I haven’t always stayed motivated to do it or been willing to pay the price. And I ended up gaining back about 20 pounds.
This year I’m going to lose 30 pounds by following these ten steps for success in achieving New Year’s Resolutions:
- Turn the resolution into a goal by specifically identifying what I want and when I want to accomplish it: I want to lose 30 pounds by August 31, 2010.
- Be specific in setting the goal – write it down: I just did!
- Be realistic in expectations and deadlines: I think this goal is realistic. To lose 30 pounds in eight months means I need to lose about 4 pounds a month (or 1 pound per week). Years ago, when I lost 70 pounds, I averaged a weight loss of 2 pounds per week.
- Identify resources or tools that can help: I’ve been a member at my local YMCA for years, so I have a lot of resources there at my disposal, including exercise equipment and personal trainers. In addition, my wife and I have started using Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred
video as part of our workout routine at home (Jillian is one of the trainers on The Biggest Loser). Lastly, we’ve been using Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook: Delicious Recipes That Will Burn Fat and Re-Shape Your Body!
at home for meals.
- Identify obstacles that could keep me from achieving my goal and potential solutions: Three big obstacles immediately come to mind: 1. I love to drink Coke. 2. I eat out a lot at lunch time. 3. I travel frequently, which means I eat out for 3 meals a day when I’m away from home, and I don’t often exercise. My potential solutions are to drink more water and less Coke, bring a lunch from home more often, and make better food choices when I do eat out.
- Enlist the support of a mentor or accountability partner who will encourage you to toward the achievement of your goal: As I just mentioned above, my wife and I working out together and we’re enjoying healthy meals at home as a family.
- Set aside a specific time each week to work on your goal: We get up at 6:00 am Monday – Friday to workout together.
- Virtualize your success – imagine what your life would be like, in vivid detail, when these goals are achieved:  I have created a vivid picture in my mind of what I would look like after I’ve lost the 30 pounds and how good I will feel when I achieve this goal.
- Keep track of your time invested and progress made – you must inspect what you expect. I’m going to weigh myself each week and keep track of my eating and exercise using an iPhone app called Lose It!
- Plan to reward yourself when the goal is accomplished: That’s easy – I’m going to go out and have a big meal to celebrate! Just kidding…Actually, my reward will be to go out and buy a new wardrobe! It’s a reward of necessity.
Now you know my New Year’s Resolution and what I’m going to do to make it a reality. Please go down to the comment box below and tell me what your New Year’s Resolution is, and what you plan to do to accomplish it.
And while you’re at it, subscribe to my blog so we can stay in touch and encourage each other toward greater success in 2010.
You might also like:
Nine of the Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions
How to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions
Nine Reasons Why You’ll Never Achieve Your Dreams
Here’s a diet that works:
http://www.squidoo.com/does-the-every-other-day-diet-work
You sound like you’re well on your way Rich!
My goal/theme this yr is DISCIPLINE. I plan to operate as I never have before-I will do routine activities for 150 days straight! This is completely against my nature. I’m a carefree, go with the flow, night owl. Being carefree has gotten me far in my crazy world of homeschooling-5-children-while-running-a-home-base-business. But I KNOW that focused attention is now what I need to multiply my success.
We’re 7 days into Jan and so far I’ve carried out my “routine” longer than I have ever done in my lifetime. LOL! PTL!
Phew Rich! You’ve got your work cut out for you! I know you will do it!!!
Rich, great job detailing out what you want to accomplish. It’s so cool that your wife is joining you on your weight loss journey. I have been doing a lot of thinking and planning action steps for my goals this year. I’m claiming this year as a year of breaking free and transformation with two HUGE goals, one a weight loss goal and one a debt-free goal. But like you I’m backing those up with plannning, visualizing, and action.
Looking forward to hearing when you’ve met your goal!
…Shannon
Shannon, my wife has been passionate about healthy living/eating for a long time, and I’m slowly catching up to her! 😉 We’re really enjoying getting up early to work out together. I wish you the best in achieving your two big goals this year too!
Rich
I really liked how you turned resolutions into goals as that is much more effective, and was impressed that you dug down and identified the steps you need to take to achieve them. Identifying obstacles to your progress is setting a great model because we all experience obstacles in achieving our goals. I have identified goals in different areas of my life – spiritual, family, work (offline and online) but to achieve those goals I have to master the biggest challenge and that is to maintain my F.O.C.U.S (Follow One Course Until Successful).
Yvonne, thanks for your comments. I love your F.O.C.U.S. strategy!
Rich
I really like how you outlined your goals. I didn’t make a new year’s resolution or if I did, I don’t remember, LOL! However, looking at your outline, I think I can create some very specific to-do lists and keep up with them better.
Best wishes on conquering your new year’s resolution – with a focus like that you have no choice but to win! 😉
Hi Rich,
Your goals are definitely doable. I did a case study on my 30 days with Jillian. It was a good workout! If you want to read about it you can click on the 30 Day Shred category at my blog.
Did you mean visualize for # 8? Just wondering. As for the iphone app, I’m looking at Lose It now. Thanks for the resource.
I linked to my goals above and one goal not on my list is to run/walk in the Reggae Marathon (1/2 marathon) with hubby in Dec. in Jamaica. I have a lot to do to prepare because I don’t currently run so I’m in the research process of accessories I need, etc.
Best to you with your weight loss goals!
Hi Angie, thanks for your comments. I do mean “virtualize” instead of “visualize.” Because I don’t want to just envision what life would be like when my goals have been achieved – I want to start acting like they’ve been achieved. Hope that makes sense.
I wish you success as you prepare for your Reggae Marathon! I was in Jamaica for an hour two weeks ago. We were on a cruise and had a day in Ocho Rios. Sadly, it poured rain for most of the day.
Rich
One of my biggest goals for this year is achieving my ideal weight. I’ve lost already 44 pounds but have been stagnant in losing more. I truly need to focus and move forward in my weight loss goals. I know that looking at the prize is the biggest way to achieve this. Focusing on that end result and just not allowing myself to get unmotivated no matter what.
I loved your goals- very inspiring.
All the best,
Eren
What a fantastic list of Resolutions…and goals.
And congratulations on your 70# weight loss from the other time! That shows you can do it.
It’s terrific that your wife is your accountability partner because it’s a lot easier exercising and eating right when your SO is there beside you.
That Jillian Michaels video looks interesting; I’ve been considering getting one of those, too.