Day 16: Strategy Set 2 of 13

Today's Overview:

In his book "As a Man Thinketh," James Allen writes that people focus on the negative effects in their lives without concentrating on the cause. Today, to address this, I will be focusing on tools you can use to set a new baseline of behaviors so that the weight you see on the scale will naturally decrease with constant use.

[Reading Time: 3 min 10 sec]

Mindset: Fire Back at Your Negative Thoughts

What are the everyday thoughts that discourage you? Do you know what they are? Even further, do you have a written list of them? You should. Our behaviors and actions are the results of our thoughts. Many of them are negative and disempowering. Don't just sit there and "take it." Fight back! We need to have a toolbox that equips us for this fight. One of the tools in this toolbox is a list of affirmations. The affirmations need to be ones that you believe ­­ from the heart. Every time one of the offending thoughts comes to mind, fire back at it with your affirmation. This is a potent tool that I have used for years. Give it a shot.

Key Takeaway:
Use affirmations.

Lifestyle: Create Routines to Succeed

What is the most challenging part of your day in pursuing your weight loss goal? Is it typically the morning? Do you have a hard time getting out of bed to get to the gym? Is it the evening? Or do you struggle with eating the wrong things after dark? Whatever the most challenging time of the day is for you, create a game plan to help you stick to your weight loss habits.

Here is one thing I am certain about: you don't have a written plan for the times of the day you struggle most. Creating a plan or schedule will put this struggle to rest. As with everything else I teach in this course, I practice what I preach. This strategy absolutely works.

One thing you can do is set a schedule for those difficult times of the day. For example, you could say that from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM, you'll clean the house and prepare meals for the following day. If you're having difficulty getting up in the morning to go to the gym, set your schedule so that everything is done for you to go to bed on time and get a full night's rest. Whatever the case may be, be proactive and address the most challenging times of your day to help you stick to your weight loss habits. Doing this will shift the momentum of your weight loss efforts in your favor.

Key Takeaway:
Combat the most challenging parts of your day with a routine.

Nutrition: Control Your Portion Sizes

Even when eating healthy foods, it is still imperative to control portion sizes. There are a couple of simple ways to do this. One way is to weigh the food on a food scale. This helps you become very aware of the amount of food you're putting into your body. Another way is to use smaller plates for your food. Whatever method you need to set boundaries for the amount of food you eat, use it. A smaller waistline will be your reward.

Key Takeaway:
Weigh your foods when possible.

Exercise: Take Advantage of the Myriad of Workout Apps

You can make holding yourself accountable much easier by using exercise-related apps. Besides accountability, another benefit of using an app is that some of them tell you what workouts to do. Others track what you've already done, such as biking or running apps. You could also take a photo of your heart rate monitor or the monitor on the treadmill you use. Make things easier for yourself by using an app and keeping track of your session logs. You will find this especially beneficial if you stick to the exercise portion of your weight loss journey that has been challenging.

Key Takeaway:
Use exercise apps for ease of accountability.

In Conclusion: 

Affirmations, schedules, "guardrails" for your meal sizes, and exercise apps are a few more tools for your success toolbox. With consistent use, these tools can easily set a new baseline of behaviors. The baseline of behaviors in our lives creates the consistent numbers we see on the scale each day.

Complete the Following Sentences:

• "I need affirmations to attack [thought]."
• "I need a schedule for [what part of day]."
• "I will control my portion size by [how]."
• "Exercise apps could help me with [area]."