Enough with the New Years Resolutions!

Darren Beattie -

Indeed, I can't believe it's the second week of January already!

Sick of New Years Resolutions yet? I’m getting there, I overhear everyone talking about them at the gym every day, and I wanna say something, I really do, that I hope will get them on the right path, so I’m putting it down here.

Last week I posted an article on identifying your own limiting factors and gave you a worksheet that you can print off and work through on your own to help identify a process for change in 2012.

This week, I’m taking it a step further and giving you a worksheet with the dozen or so simple habits I’ve found to be the most effective for getting the ball rolling, and yes most of them are nutritional habits.

I call it the Habit Commitment Chart and it’s available for download free, right here.

*I also added to the side bar of the blog a link to a folder with all the worksheets I’ll be releasing to the public this year, these are all ones we use with our clients on a regular basis (depending on need and where they are at).

Mindset is a foundational component to The Art of Weight Loss, and these exercises get you to clarify and focus on your own.

Here are some important steps to consider as you work through this one:

  1. I put these in no particular order, think frankly and honestly about what the habit entails and be honest in the level of commitment you feel you can put forth in it’s completion.
  2. Read Michael Pollen’s book, “Food Rules” for 64 more great habits to follow in your eating practice. (Seriously, it’s the best $10 you’ll spend if you combine it with these worksheets)
  3. No matter which ones you choose, always aim to follow the guidelines: A) Do only one thing at a time;  B) Start in with something you are certain on a scale of 9/10 that you can complete and C) Commit to it for at least 21 days or until it sticks.
  4. Abbreviate them if you have to, in order to find something you’re so confident you can commit to, it’s almost criminal that it is THAT easy for you. It’s important to keep in mind that you need to get started on something, even if it’s less than what was written for now. This is more ideal than simply putting the act of weight loss off, simplify until it’s easy and eventually you’ll be ready to increase the difficulty a notch or two.

Here are some alternatives to consider if you feel you can’t really commit to any of them.

  • Eat whole unprocessed foods, 80% of the time, or maybe you just start with 70% even (if that’s better than where you are now, you’ll see changes)
  • Exercise for 10 or 20 minutes every day, instead of 30
  • Eat 4 (or 3) servings of veggies a day, instead of 5
  • Sleep 7 hours a night (if that’s better than how you do now)
  • Chew every bite 30 times (if you feel you can’t gauge hara hachi bu) OR Eat with Chopsticks to slow yourself down
  • Eat 10 grams(female) or 20 grams (male) of protein with every meal, instead of 20 or 40.
  • Eat grains and other starchy carbs only on days you workout, if getting them in the 3 hour window seems to difficult for right now
  • Take only the Fish Oil, or only the Multi-Vitamin instead of both (most people though tell me they can do this one easily…)

To cap it off, I encourage you to optimize, so find the biggest thing you can commit the greatest amount of energy to that will yield the biggest possible result. Only abbreviate once you’ve run out of habits to ingrain from the sheet I’ve provided with a level of commitment that’s high, (i.e. most people can commit to taking a couple of pills each day) and make sure that you aren’t selling yourself short in the process.

Happy New Year!