Stay on track!

I posted this in my Back On Track Together OH Group.  I think it is very important as we greet the New Year today.  So, I wanted to share here on my blog.

Here we are - January 1st.  The day of resolutions.  I don't like resolutions.  I have made so many throughout the years only to experience yet another failure in losing weight. 

New Year's - it provides a sense of hope and renewal.  When I think back over my dieting career and failed to achieve resolutions, is New Year's a set up?  We've been given a clean slate with yet another chance to ditch bad habits of the prior year and reach for your ultimate dreams of losing weight, getting back on track, etc., etc.

It has been reported that 92% of all New Year's resolutions end in failure!  Less than 1 out of 10 people will successfully accomplish their resolutions in 2009.  Yikes!  So, what do the 8% that reach success do?  How can we BOTT and be in that 8% that succeed?

The 92% that failed took on too much.  The motivation of January 1st can be compromised as we march on throughout the year.  The momentum of a January 1st mindset wanes.  They become overwhelmed by trying to do too much all of a sudden and give up.  Essentially, the resolutions are committing to do too much.  Life and the realities of day to day living set in and in a few weeks or even days into their reformed resolution-filled life, they gave up.

In the 92% group, they approached their resolutions with an "all or nothing" mindset.  Once the "all" was too difficult and overwhelming, they went into "nothing" and gave up.  Poof - another resolution ended in failure and accompanying negative feelings about ourselves.

Enough about the 92%, we want to BOTT be in the 8% group.  With the appropriate and realistic strategy, we can enjoy that 8%.  How do they do it?  They set realistic goals that are attainable.  In a previous post, I shared with you about creating monthly goals to be back on track.  Rather than make your list of goals to be back on track and commit to all of them all at once, break them down into manageable successes.  Be realistic.  One of my favorite quotes is "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  You don't climb a mountain or travel a thousand miles all at once.  You success with the mountain or a thousand miles in steps.  Why not apply the same to being back on track?

So, if your ultimate goal is to be/stay on track, try these examples as your action steps:

* Rather than making a resolution to lose 50 pounds by June, commit to exercising a certain number of times each week.

* Instead of commiting to give up all carbs, commit to healthy snacks that are planned into your day.  Pass up the vending machine or baked goods at the coffee cart for healthy options you've planned.

* Rather than resolving to drop two sizes in two months, commit to losing weight consistently to reach your desired size.  You'll get there with the focus on losing weight sensibly.

* Instead of making a resolution to never eat out, commit to eating healthy all week and allowing yourself one meal out on the weekends. 

If you want to succeed at your resolution to get back on track, think in terms of realistic steps to get there.  It doesn't sound as exciting as the resolutions that the 92% group make but they don't reach them anyway.

The point of New Year's resolutions are to take advantage of the clean slate, the hope and renewal we feel, along with the possibilities that are ahead.  Small changes made consistently will make the difference to achieve your desired success. 

So, here's to all of us in the 8% group - Happy New Year!

Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator

I love Thanksgiving. Before losing weight, a big part of enjoying Thanksgiving was turkey and pumpkin pie and stuffing and etc., etc….. I still enjoy Thanksgiving food but in moderation.

Thanksgiving is a special time for me personally. I always try to live my life in gratitude every single day. It is important to me that the people close to me always know how much they mean to me and how I feel about them. Thanksgiving allows me the official opportunity (see the calendar - it is an official day of gratitude!) to express my appreciation for the blessings in my life.

Thank you to my husband and sons….I love you always and forever. To my best friends and friends….thank you for the joys, laughs, and trust we share. To my always will be my boss…it’s been quite a ride this year and to my co-worker that are more my friends than someone I work with; thank you for your support. To my clients and professional colleagues…thank you for our work together. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without all of you in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

With appreciation and deep gratitude,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator

Are you putting off being happy until you lose weight? If so, you’re living in limbo. When we are overweight, we delay doing certain things, going places, and essentially delay our happiness. If not now, when? We put our lives on hold.

Today Is The First Day! Rather than delay participating in an activity or event until some magic point in the future, do it now. Enjoy where you are today. Guess what…if you make the decision to be happy now, no matter what you weigh, it will make your desire for emotional eating less. If you feel fulfilled and satisfied in your life, the need to fill yourself up with food will decrease. Life doesn’t start at a certain weight or body size. Live your best life today. You are so much more than a mere number on the scale or a tag sewn at the back of your clothes.

Live your happiness now.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator

There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Just as you budget and know how you spend your money, how do you spend your 1,440 minutes. The activities you do in your day are a reflection of what you value.

Do you say that you don’t value television but upon your reflection of your 1,440 minutes, your evaluation shows that you spend many of those 1,440s watching mindless television? For many of us, we say that we don't have time to exercise but, do we?

1,440 minutes is a lot of time. Every minute counts. Make yours count and reflect what you value and your priorities.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator