Is It "Go" Time?

Where has the springtime gone? The temperatures are starting to rise and the a/c is on already! Summer is right around the corner! Yesterday I had a great phone call with one of my college sorority sisters; with the advent of electronic communications, it was a welcomed change to actually hear someone's voice! She's had her products for a while and finally decided now was her "go time" to get healthy.

Along this journey I have found not everyone is ready to "go", even when they think they are. Over the past year I have helped a lot of people (probably 50+) get on product and work out their health goals; but I would honestly say I have maybe 2-3 people who followed the plan and got their expected results within the 24 days. Those results weren't all necessarily huge weight loss, but for some it was simply to get out of that rut/feeling "blah"; increasing their energy; getting out of that "sickness-spin"; toning up;  and weight loss was an added bonus for them. The majority of people stopped taking product since they weren't seeing results fast enough; or they quit their journey because they weren't ready to commit to a change in their nutrition and exercise lifestyle. It's so easy to stick with what is comfortable; it's stepping towards the "uncomfortable and hard" that is the challenge. Think about how many people in your close circles choose the "easy"? And when you step out from that and make a change, are they the first to tear you down to bring you back to the "comfortable" with them?

Looking at my own situation, I've spent the last 10+ years in a moderately sedentary lifestyle with bad nutrition choices. It's to be expected that my weight is not going to drop off quickly. I think when I started this journey a year ago, I had high expectations that the weight would drop quickly. With life getting in the way and honestly, not giving 80%+ focused-effort on what I need to do, my weight loss isn't spectacular; but my energy levels are great and my clothes fit better.

I recently started reading "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson and it has helped me to have a shift in my thinking. The basis of the book is that small changes over time will compound into big success. With that thought, instead of looking at a specific weight loss number by a certain date; I have to look at what I need to do on a daily basis to reach that goal. Small lifestyle changes and daily actions will get me there much quicker than fixating on the ultimate goal (and the negativity/self-doubt that comes with not hitting that goal by the goal time).

Tieing this back to my conversation with my college buddy, we set a 90-day plan that takes her up to a race she plans on running. Her weekly goals are about a 2-3-pound loss; with the emphasis to not deviate/lose hope if she doesn't hit that goal every week (since this journey is a marathon, not a sprint). After having this conversation with her yesterday, it has given me renewed energy to kick-up my focus and travel alongside her in this journey. Today I am going to work out my 90-day plan and really think through what I need to do on a daily basis to get there. Those little daily changes will include less sitting, more push-ups/sit-ups and jump-roping, any getting back on the wagon with my running. It will also include less "sneaking" of the stuff I know is bad for me.