“Are your goals specific and positive?  Rather than vowing ‘to exercise’ for example, reword each goal so it is clear and measureable.  I will walk 30 minutes every day.  I will complete a 5K race.  I will do a yoga DVD twice a week.’’

As a coach, I am constantly stressing how important measurable and specific goals are important to track progress and success.  Creating the number of calories needed to burn daily, weekly monthly etc let me know exactly what I need to do to reach my goal this year.  In case you are interested the number is 514,650 calories burned in 2010 to reach my goal.  And I am excited by that because I have a target to shoot for.

I have set goals so many times and ended up surprised (not really) I did not achieve them.  In reality I did not want to look at what I needed to do and stuck my head in the sand or the quesadilla which ever was closest.   So while that sounds like a lot of calories (more than one half million) it is a number and I have the power and total control to reach it or not.

Now going from the macro to the micro since the micro is where we are in any given moment here are my goals for today.

Today’s Plan

Consume no more than 1550 calories.

Do Power 90 Cardio I/II and log into WOWY

Walk on the beach for 30 minutes at 3 PM this afternoon

Manually determine how many calories I have left to burn to get to 1410 (GoWear Fit not working today)

Before bed do either the treadmill until I reach 1410.

Ok now that is a plan which is clearly defined and I am going to do it.

Helping Reshape the World,

Judi

OK.  Went t to bed last night thinking of the math below and seemed really tough to do.  I decided I am going to do it or stop saying I will be.  So in my dreams came the rest of the math.  I was thinking I had to exercise off 1410 calories a day and I don’t.

The correct math is take the total number of calories burned per day both from:

1.  Just living (which seems to be averaging 2250 on my GoWear Fit)
2.  Adding to that the number of additional calories burned per day by working out (500 for example)

That would equal 2750 calories burned on a given day. Since my minimum calorie intake is set at 1500 daily that makes a deficit of 1200.  So to reach my goal I just need to increase my burn by 210 more calories.  Ok, all of a sudden this is seeming much more possible.

And as I am working out I will be converting fat weight into muscle which burns more calories at rest.  I will be increasing calories burned as my lean body % goes up without changing anything.

Ok, ok ~ I can do this.  This is the most realistic I have ever looked at weight loss in my life and it excites me than I can even begin to explain.  Let’s do it….

Who’s with me??

Happy January 2nd….Did I ever mention I took Calculus 5 times to graduate from college???

From Spark People:

“If you haven’t yet settled on your top goals for the year, do so today. Writing down your goals (in specific terms) means you’re more likely to achieve them.”

My top goal is to release my final 140.7 pounds of unhealthy fat by 12.31.10. This would mean losing an average of 0.383561644 pounds  daily or 2.8 pounds per week.

A weekly calorie deficit of 9864 for the week. This would be a daily calorie deficit of 1410  calories (which is a lot.) However working this out this way I know what I have to do to realistically have this intention and can see every day if I am on track.

This past August I earned a trip to a 5 star resort in Costa Rica on the ocean which even came with butler service. Yes, it was very nice. One of the activities including was a zip line over the Costa Rican Jungle. For those of you who don’t know me, adventure is my middle name.

At my weight I did not think I would be able to do it. However, I was so wanting to that my embarrassment was surpassed by my desire. Got wayyyyyyyyy out of my comfort zone and called the tour operator to ask what weight restrictions they had and this was a very hard call. It is not like people can’t see we are overweight, we just like to think they don’t notice. By placing this call, I was saying “oh by the way, in case you did not know already, I am overweight.” That is how badly I wanted to do the zip line.

Her first response was she did not think they had any and would call and make sure. That got my hopes up. I had not given any thought to how I would do this if I could since I did not know at the time I would have to lift my own body weight up into the harness. When Elizabeth called back, there was no weight limit however there was a maximum waist size and guess what is was smaller than my waist… So no zip line for me.

In the past, rather than admitting to anyone on the trip I did not fit on the zip line, I would have stayed at the resort with some flimsy excuse that I did not like heights or something. Again, I don’t think I would have fooled anyone and I would have missed the entire half day and not just the zip line. So I went! And I will be forever glad that I did.

The ride was amazing straight up the mountain often on a dirt road and the views were amazing. Our driver stopped a couple of times so we could watch monkeys in the trees. When we got there instead of a vacant bench to sit and wait, there was a whole covered picnic area (I had brought several waters and a snack) and a place next door which was totally intriguing. So I went there.

There was a huge greenhouse type of thing filled with amazing butterfly’s and there were everywhere. There was for me a very interesting snake exhibit from tiny ones to HUGE. And best of all were the monkeys. I love animals of all shapes and sizes and they allowed me to go into the monkey enclosure. There were 5 White Faced Monkeys and 4 Spider Monkeys and they were all friendly. For several hours I hung out with them.

The owner kept supplying me with sunflower seeds which they loved. I just happened to be wearing a blouse which had two breast pockets (not, there are no accidents) and the monkeys would sit on my shoulder and pick the shells out of my pocket. I was in monkey heaven. One the larger White Faced Monkeys was extra affectionate and loved being held just like a baby. When I would bring him in close to my chest he would tuck his head in and pat me on the back.

To me this magical experience was my gift for giving up my shame and fear and going on the trip even though I could not do the zip line. I would never have experienced this total joy. And I can assure you next time, I will be doing the zip line also.

What is holding you back and how can you move at least part way toward it even if you can’t go all the way yet? I am committed to eliminating my weight being in control of what I can or can not do…how about you?

Pura Vida (Pure Life in Costa Rican)

Judi

Support and encouragement from others has been so important to me in coming this far on my journey.  The friends I have made and the successes I have shared have created a desire in me to bring even more people to come together in creating health in our lives.  I have created a Facebook Group called “Healthy Again in 2010? and it is all about giving our support, encouragement, motivation, helping hands, suggestions and friendship to others on the same path.  You are invited to join us as we commit to making 2010 the healthiest year ever!

We do not support one specific food plan and all are welcomed as long as they are healthy.  And I read recently that one of the most unhealthy diets of the decade was the Cabbage Soup Diet.  That is one I personally never tried however my mom has done over and over again and each time she lost ten pounds, then found it, then lost it, then found it….  This is why we support healthy eating as a lifestyle choice and not “diet mentalities.”  I have lost weight on almost every single well known diet there is and have never been able to maintain the weight loss.  This year is about getting healthy and staying healthy and losing weight and maintaining it is only one piece of the puzzle.  A very important piece, yet still only one.

I am a Team Beachbody Coach and proud of it.   I want to make it very clear,  I do not get paid to coach anyone.  If you decide to purchase Beachbody Products at any time from me I do receive a percentage of that.   And I would be thrilled if you did.  I just want to be very clear my passion and excitement for supporting others is not about the money, it is my purpose in life.  You know you are living in your passion, when you would do what you do for free and I do.  Every thing I create and offer to get us all healthy (and yes that includes me) is because I believe helping you understand you have all the power in your life if what I am here for.

The Healthy Breakfast Club Calls,  the new Healthy Again in 2010, my Shake the Fat Off weekly newsletter are all designed to hold me accountable and help support you in doing the same for your self.   I have run away,  hidden behind my fat for too long and it is time for me to step up and do what I am meant to do.

I would be honored if you joined me!

~Helping Reshape the World,

Judi