Creating Habits

Although I don't post to the blog very often, I have been very diligent in my eating and workout routines. It has produced great results. Even though I have not even reached my original goal from May 2006, I have had much success. I am pretty close to my initial goal (even if it took me an additional 6 months). However, what I am most excited about is that my eating habits have become just that ... habits. And really good habits. Eating salads two or even three times a day is habit. I crave it and it is hard to imagine me saying that a year ago. I feel, for the first time in my life, I have enough knowledge and desire to keep these habits throughout my life.

My wife gave me the pocket version of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People a long time ago. I know a lot of people have read this. In the front of the book is a simple picture showing the three circles of Knowledge, Skill and Desire overlapping. In the middle where they overlap is "Habits". Very simple chart. Really hits home these days. First, I really want to eat better for many reasons (better body, good example for my kids, greater daily energy, etc.). My desire is there. The other part is knowledge. I ready articles and books on nutrition almost daily. I really have gained a lot from reading the books and knowledge also really fuels my desire in this case. Knowing in my brain how eating well helps me also makes me want to eat well. Skills are from just implementing, tracking results and reassessing periodically.

So even though I did not make it a conscious goal to make healthy living the way I live ALL the time, it really should have been because that is the greatest gift I could have received.

BFFMIC Post - AH-HA Moments

I made this post today on the Burn-the-Fat-Inner-circle website. It got a comment from the author saying my points were really well concentrated. I am going to post here becasue they are some of the best things I have learned from the book.

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Great topic Kyle.

I purchased the BFFM book in December 2004. I didn't start really adopting lifestyle changes until May 2006. Almost a year ago. I have been very diligent but far from perfect. I have had great success and several AH-HA moments usually at the point I hit a plateau because I would invariably read the book again.

Moment 1: The mind is the missing key for most. Honest truth ... I bought the book in '04, and skipped straight past the goal setting to read about nutrition and training. That was all I thought I needed from the book. I did not write goals and I just set out to follow the plan. Some short success followed but ultimate failure. When I revisited the book in 2006, the early chapters on goal setting really hit home with me. I set my first goals and a lot of early success followed. It is so critical.

Moment 2: Track Results Frequently. This came at the same time as moment 1. Seeing results on a spreadsheet or in pictures will always help motivate you to improve or worst case, help you to not fall too far off the wagon.

Moment 3: Bodytyping ... Accept it and get over it. I am an endomorph. No one in my family tree is lean (or ever has been). I can whine about my inherited genetic barriers or I can turn around and make them be my biggest blessings. The fact I have to overcome more than many may mean I have to do more cardio, be more careful with cheat meals and train on weights harder than others but it is the greatest thing that could have happened to me because it is forcing me to overcome. This was an incredibly powerful realization.

Moment 4: A quote from the book ... "People often underestimate the amount of effort it requires to develop a lean body.". Maybe the fourth time through the book this quote really struck a chord with me. After early successes that seemed to come easily, as you get leaner it gets more challenging I think. This quote reminds me to examine my food intake, change workout routines, change intensity, work harder, visualize more, drink plenty of water, etc.

Moment 5: The body loves nutrient rich food. Improving my diet has taken a lot of time and self examination. Due to my body type I realized maybe a tuna sandwich on wheat bread would not be as good for me as a tuna on a bed of greens and other vegetables. I have no history of ever being able to eat salads with any consistency. Now I absolutely crave them and eat them twice a day. This was an impossible thought to me a year ago and not something I strived for necessarily but I eat salads with protein and good fats and the effect on energy levels, immune system, mental health is nothing short of miracle.

Moment 6: Do not approach this as a diet. Make lifestyle changes at a pace that you are comfortable with. Different than anything I have tried to get lean in the past ... this has become a lifestyle. It really took time to get to this point but my body enjoys this so much that there is no missing processed foods. I go out and it is easy to eat right. The body is happy.

There are many more but I will stop here. I am leaner, stronger and happier at 37 yrs old than I have ever been in my life by far. I look forward to more ah-ha moments as I go forward.

Thanks,
George

The next goal ...

Things have been going very well. My fitness is as good as it has been in my life. I feel I still have a way to go but I am really happy with the progress and my next target is our trip to disneyworld. I will be 180lb by then.