I’m the kind of person that needs structure and planning in order to get anything done. Give me a list and I’ll check everything off until it’s completed; but without that list, I’m lost. In order to make the first few weeks a bit easier on myself, I’ve set the following ground rules:
- Keep a food diary. I’ll be using MyFitnessPal to track my daily intake. I’ve set a calorie goal based on my current height and weight. Nothing too rigid, but I’ll use this as a guideline to determine how many calories I should be eating daily.
- Prep meals for the week ahead on Sundays. If I don’t have a plan for the day, I don’t always make the healthiest choices. Taking the guesswork out of my meals for the week will definitely be a step in the right direction.
- Exercise at least five days a week. To make this part easier, I’m going to be seeing a personal trainer a few times a week for the next little while. I’m really looking forward to pushing past my comfort zone to see what I can achieve.
- Practice patience. I’m going to be kind to myself, and take it as slowly as I need to in order to make the transition easier. Building lasting change doesn’t happen overnight.
These rules are pretty simple and allow for a lot of flexibility in my approach. I plan to learn as I go along, to see what works and what doesn’t work for me, and to adapt accordingly. I’m sure that my rules will evolve as I start to settle into some healthier routines.