betty tries to set small goals

So, since my last post I have been thinking about the comments that shrinky and seeking solace made about making realistic goals, about changing one thing at a time. Ragey wrote about this too. I absolutely agree that this is the way to go and I am trying to make my own small goal for the week.

After some self reflection, I think I actually have some ok eating habits. Probably like everyone else, I have many things I'm good at and then a few weaknesses. My weaknesses are portion size, not eating a well balanced diet (if I ate more veggies and fruits I'd have less room for crap) and eating out. Probably if I kept these even a little bit in check, I'd be ok, but I know that in order to lose weight and get in shape something really is going to have to change.

I do really have a problem setting realistic goals though. When I think about making changes to my eating habits, I consider each one and I decide that it's going to be 'easy' to do that. Not only do I think it will be easy, I also believe that it should be easy for me. How hard can it be to choose fat free dressing? Or what about eating more vegetables? It's not like it's difficult to eat fruit every day. And then, when I think about where I want to be in terms of weight, I think "just doing one thing isn't going to fix my fatness, I need a major change". So, in my estimation, since each change it self IS easy to change and WILL be easy for me, then I should just put a bunch on my list to get things moving. That's how I wind up with "eat no fat, eat fruit every day, stop eating out and stop putting so much salt on everything oh and don't drink more than one glass of wine" as my goal for the week. And when I make the list I never stop to add all the changes together and ask myself if sticking to ALL of them will be hard.

The other problem I have is implementing my goal. I usually make the goal and then I a) dont' write it down (which someone said here that they do) and I don't b) plan for how to make sure that the goal is successful. With a "goal" that is really a list like I was making before, I was guaranteed to not remember each thing since the list was so long and I'd have needed several implementation strategies to make sure I did each thing on my list. Now that I think about it, there's no way I'd be able to do what I was trying to do unless I stopped focusing on work and other areas of my life and spent all day everday eating healthily.

Right now, I'm in a heatlhy eating plateau. I do a pretty good job but I just have a hard time with a few things that I'm having a hard time changing. For the last two months there have been a massive number of goodbye parties and interviews and trips and birthdays and things that essentially require eating out, one of my major difficulties. I dont' think I can get around these events totally - I don't want to be that jerk that goes to the restaurant for a party and refuses to eat and you just can't do that for an interview. I think if I can do anything right now, I can a) not eat out unless I have to (for a party or something) and b) learn to make more healthy eating choices while eating out.

Then there's the other side of the healthy living equation - exercise. When I think about exercise it's a little different. I don't make unrealistic goals in terms of planning too much exercise. Instead, I barley make goals at all because I HATE it. I really do. I'm just sedentary by nature. I've gone through phases of my life where I'm into exercise I actually get into it enough to want to do it and feel like I need it. But then it's just so easy when I'm incredibly busy and stressed to let that fall to the wayside. Then I get out of shape and then when I try working out again I suck at it and it's not fun and then I just don't want to do it anymore. I do a lot better with exercise when I have a work out partner. They provide the motivation for me to get off my butt and get to the gym or out for a walk or into the pool. (alright, I never swim because I have such bad body image I won't wear a bathing suit in front of anyone anymore - but I used to like it).

I bet though, that if I would just burn some of the calories I eat, I'd notice a change. I know this wouldn't fix everything, but I think it would help. And, at the very least, there are other health benefits to regular exercise. And I really ought to be doing it. Some friends also pointed out that if I am exercising I might feel better and more motivated to eat well. I doubt that - knowing myself I'll feel more entitled to a bigger meal or something sort of bad for me - but maybe I'll surprise myself.

So, I think I'll set two goals this week - one for eating and one for exercise.

My eating goal relates to eating out but it has two parts (which are tiny, I promise).

1. I know I have a party this Thursday at an expensive restaurant that I can't afford in terms of calories or money. So, I will eat something homemade (maybe some fat free chicken salad I make) before I go and then only order a side salad while I'm there. This will make the dinner cheaper and more healthy - but I'll still be participating.
2. I am making plans to hang out with another friend this week and we normally pick a yummy restaurant and go out to eat. This week I'll plan for coffee instead. Again, cheaper and less calories.

My exercise goal is to exercise for 30 minutes 2-3 times this week. I am thinking once I'll use the rowing machine (I'm fortunate to have learned how to use it properly when a friend who used to row crew taught me). Once I'll probably hit the gym and use the elliptical and maybe I'll pull out my Tae-Bo videos and do one workout in the morning.

Do people think these are still unreasonable goals? I know I made a list, but the two eating goals are very specific and relate to planning ahead for potential pitfalls, so I think they're important. And the exercise one seems reasonable to me.

Tags: Goals: Accountability