Do you have a plan? - Here's mine

BRaye325

I started on MFP last July and I've lost 72 pounds so far with about 53 to go. I've learned so much about myself, my health and fitness, that I thought sharing it here might help others.
When reaching for a goal, we all know that in order to succeed, we need to have a plan.

My Top 10 Guidelines:
1) "Visualize the journey" - I created a visualization to help me stay on track. I picture myself lying on my basement floor, fat, heavily medicated, and unhealthy. I need to crawl up the basement stairs, walk up the stairs to the second floor, run up the attics stairs to climb out on to the roof to gaze at the stars with my grandsons. It gives me ongoing perspective and really helps put me quickly back on track when I falter.
2) "Liar Liar" - be honest with myself. Many of my past attempts have failed because I cheated on myself. Log everything that goes in my mouth - everyday.
3) "Me" - this for me. Give myself permission to be selfish when it comes to my health and fitness. I am always the guy that does anything for everyone else. I deserve this.
4) "Old dog, new tricks" - never stop learning and sharing my knowledge. Use MFP's community daily to find help and make sure to give back at least as much as others give me.
5) "Keep it simple" - don't complicate the process by doing unnecessary tasks. They will drive me crazy and make me fail. Example, I've learned that I am very good at estimating portion sizes, so I just spot check with the scale and measuring cups. As long as I keep hitting goals, that's the big picture.
6) "Small steps with patience" - Pick a best place to start and then see where I am after a month. Make adjustments one at time and then give it 2-4 weeks. It's "my plan".
7) "Don't panic" - the scale is just an instrument, it's not the enemy, it doesn't have anything against me. If it's not showing what I expect, give it more time and then re-evaluate what I'm doing and adjust if needed. It took me many years to get where I am, it isn't going to change overnight.
8) "Commitment" - step on the scale every morning to remind myself of my commitment to make each day a positive step forward - log my weigh-in on MFP once a week to get the big picture.
9) "Roll with it" - I can't predict what challenges are ahead, just do the best I can when they arise. Pre-plan and log ahead of time whenever I know I will be in a difficult environment, like going to a restaurant, get-together, or during a holiday.
10) "LIVE" - I'm in control, do not deprive myself of the things I enjoy. Most things I want to eat can be managed with pre-planning and portion control. A few will just need to wait until I'm at my goal and on maintenance.

We are all coming from different places, with different needs and likes. I had at least 120lbs to lose and a handful of medical issues I'm dealing with. Don't let anyone tell you what should be right for you.
My guidelines are working for me, they may not be right for everyone. Feel free to take these and modify them so they work for you.

I'd be interested to hear from some of you that also have a written plan.

Lizzy622

"Me" has been the hardest part. I get busy doing for everyone else and "me" gets left in the dust. I have learned to be a bit selfish on this journey and my kids have seen the change in my own happiness.

tulips_and_tea

As they say, "A goal without a plan is just a wish." Great outline above. Valuable information and congrats on your success so far. Maybe post this in the Success thread, too? You put a lot of effort into this post, so it would be nice if more people saw it.

Level1Vegan

Great tip to visualize. I'll give it a go! Ta

BRaye325

Lizzy622 wrote: »

"Me" has been the hardest part.

I feel the same way. But this time has been different because I
I'm making it a higher priority.

BRaye325

BZAH10 wrote: »

As they say, "A goal without a plan is just a wish."

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.

logicalinks

This is an awesome list!! I posted something very similar (below) on a Facebook page I moderate for a group who is working toward better health. Everything you said here is spot on... for me, anyway. Congrats on your continued success!!

Here's not so much a plan as thoughts about my weight-loss/health journey so far:

Patience
This is probably the hardest for me, and yet, it is essential for sticking with the plan and realizing you're in this for the long haul. The time is going to pass anyway... wouldn't you rather find yourself healthier at the end of the year, rather than giving up because you didn't see enough results in the first two months?

And give yourself time to adjust to new ways of cooking, eating, and exercising... trying to cut out softdrinks? Sure you can go cold turkey, but you're much more likely to be successful if you cut back over time. Trying to start running? Don't start trying to run a mile. You'll be sore as heck and probably injure yourself in the process. Start with running programs designed to move ahead gradually. Moderation in everything.

Commitment
When the scale didn't seem to budge for months (and it was really only days), it was hard to believe that anything I was doing was making any difference. Hanging in and doing the work does yield results in the long run.

Choose a plan (both eating and exercising) that is sustainable
Juice cleanses, low-carbing, low-fatting, 30-day Shredding, etc. These might be great as jump starters, but they are not sustainable for the long haul. That's why counting calories works soooo well for me.

First: the apps available now make it super easy to keep track of your calories and your macros (the breakdown of carbs, protein, and fat)

Second: you can eat whatever you want... as long as it fits in your calorie goal for the day. Want to eat a bowl of ice cream? Go ahead, but that means you might get a leaf of lettuce for dinner if you want to stay under your goal. Thinking of this tradeoff helped me many, many times ask myself "What does my body really NEED to function well, to do my exercise, to make me feel good, to keep my digestion under control?" Making mindful choices when you have limited calories becomes second nature.

Don't eat out too much
Yes, you have to find time to prepare meals, but you have so much more control over what goes in it, how to count the calories in it, and portion control. Plus, it's cheaper to prepare your own, and yay for leftover easiness!!

Support
Find workout or accountability partner(s). This can be in person or online. This can be a huge help when motivation is waning or just some general encouragement is needed. That's what I hope this page will be for those of us becoming or staying healthy!

Find and use motivating quotes
My favorites:

• Don't give up what you want most for what you want right now.
• Plan the work, work the plan.
• Losing weight is hard. Exercise is hard. Being unhealthy is hard. Choose your hard.
• Do something today that your future self will thank you for.
• If you're tired of starting over, stop quitting.

Celebrate your accomplishments
Whether it's getting out and walking when you don't feel like it, preparing a meal when you'd rather order out, running that last mile... whatever it is... celebrate with a fist pump and a smile or a high-five to your buddies or a post on FB. Do SOMETHING to acknowledge that you did the work, and you should be proud of yourself every.single.time.

Don't compare yourself to others
Not in ability, nor looks, nor effort, nor results, nor commitment, nor anything else. No one else knows fully the things that you struggle with nor the things that fill you with joy, and you don't know that about anyone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.

LorenB2015

Great job so far, and that seems like a solid set of guidelines - rational, not extreme, but they keep you focused on the big picture. Thanks a lot for sharing!

kommodevaran

Great plan! Looks a lot like mine

Doreen9686

Congrats on your success so far, you are an inspiration to many and proof that it can be done. I also visualize to help me stick with it, for example when doing sit-ups or crunches I visualize a flatter stomach and it helps me keep going instead of stopping and thinking it's too hard. Great job and great post! Thanks for sharing

mustang289

My plan goes something like this:

Food/Calorie Intake
Using MFP to log my meals,
Lose 5 lbs in first week (goal - down 5 lbs)
Lose 2 lbs per week for the next 12 weeks (goal - down 29 lbs)
- I've done the above routine twice before, need to get past the hump and follow the remainder below -
Adjust calories to lose 1.5 pounds for 10 weeks (goal - down 44 lbs around Jul/Aug)
Adjust again to lose 1 pound for 10 weeks (goal - down 54 lbs)
Adjust again to lose .5 lb for 20 weeks (goal - down 64 lbs)
Start maintenance after losing 64 lbs in 53 weeks/1 year

Exercise
Mid-April begin training (AGAIN) with C25k
9 week program will have me running 5K by the end of June
continue to practice and improve until Harvest Hustle 5K Sept 7

Reward
DisneyWorld trip in Dec 2015 with 'non-fat' pictures!

Pitfalls along the way...
I might be having knee surgery this Spring
Last time I ran a 5k was two years ago but I didn't really have a problem achieving it, the 9 week C25K program/App makes it EASY for anyone.

Tomjonckheere

logicalinks wrote: »

Don't compare yourself to others
Not in ability, nor looks, nor effort, nor results, nor commitment, nor anything else. No one else knows fully the things that you struggle with nor the things that fill you with joy, and you don't know that about anyone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.

Well said :-)

BRaye325

Here is the complete write-up of my visualization:

It has to begin with your commitment to reach a destination at some point in the future - Decide, who do you want to be?

- I created a visualization to help me stay on track. At the beginning of my journey, I pictured myself laying on my basement floor, fat, unhealthy, and badly wanting out of that basement. My goal is to crawl my way out, climb the stairs up to the second floor, run up the attic stairs, out the window to sit with my two grandsons on the roof to gaze at the stars - a healthy slim medication-free new version of myself.

- Now as I am progressing it helps me tremendously. The 100 times a day I need to remind myself why I am making the tougher decision, I picture both that end goal looking at the stars with my boys and exactly where I am on my journey. So far I have climbed the basement steps and I'm standing on the 11th step more than halfway up to the second floor. Still a long way to go, but I've come so far.

- When I do stall on a step and even take a step or two backwards, I remind myself that I started on the basement floor and I'm a long way from there. I brush myself off, decide again - who do I want to be? and move forward.

- You can do it too! - Decide

BRaye325

logicalinks wrote: »

Do SOMETHING to acknowledge that you did the work, and you should be proud of yourself every.single.time.

.... My favorite line!

Thanks for the kind words

cocates

Thank you. This is a great way to express my thoughts and feelings! Excellent post! Congratulations to you for the weight loss and good luck as you continue to lose.

Best wishes!!

BRaye325

mustang289 wrote: »

My plan goes something like this:

Nice plan!
Writing down what you are going to do can be very powerful. It's a commitment and promise to yourself that you will carry out your goal to completion.

BRaye325

Here is the detail on the smaller steps:
This is based off the visualization above.

Stage 1 - Emerge from the basement

Crawl up 15 steps to reach the first floor

13 steps earned by losing 3 pounds each + 1 extra pound = 40 pounds lost

2 steps earned by eliminating 2 prescriptions

* Completed in 11 weeks

Stage 2 - Walk up to the second floor

Walk up 15 steps to reach the second floor

13 steps earned by losing 3 pounds each + 1 extra pound = 40 pounds lost/80 lbs total

2 steps earned by eliminating 2 prescriptions

* Currently on the eleventh step - down 32 more pounds/72 total and 1 more prescription gone

Stage 3 - Run up the attic stairs

Run up the final 15 steps to reach the window to the roof

13 steps earned by losing 3 pounds each + 1 extra pound = 40 pounds lost/120 pounds total

1 step earned by eliminating last prescription

1 last step earned because of all I've given back to my MFP friends to encourage each of them along their journey.

* No deadline to get there, just keep making progress. Eye on the prize, but just keep taking it on, one step at a time.

Stage 4 - Out onto the roof

Step out that window, proud of my accomplishments!

Continue to earn the right each day to stay out there by exercising all of the lessons I've learned to stay fit and healthy.

Allow myself +/- 5 pound weight range from my decided final goal weight. Gain more than that and it's back into the attic to earn it over again.

BRaye325

logicalinks wrote: »

This is an awesome list!!
[*] Losing weight is hard. Exercise is hard. Being unhealthy is hard. Choose your hard.
Don't compare yourself to others
Not in ability, nor looks, nor effort, nor results, nor commitment, nor anything else. No one else knows fully the things that you struggle with nor the things that fill you with joy, and you don't know that about anyone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.

Thanks and I love that quote. Too many times we see people on these forums being judgemental.

EvgeniZyntx

Excellent list. Enjoy the stars and grandchildren!

BRaye325

cocates wrote: »

Thank you. This is a great way to express my thoughts and feelings! Excellent post! Congratulations to you for the weight loss and good luck as you continue to lose.

Best wishes!!

Thanks, I find it helps me a lot to write things down. I can go back and re-read them and it reinforces my goals. It really helps me stay focused.

Sugarbeat

Great job on the loss and the plan!

I'm sort of re-writing my plan after struggling for years by listening to professionals tell me what I need to do. Still overweight, still diabetic. So now I'm listening to myself, tracking to get a better idea of what "I" need, ignoring the naysayers here and in real life and taking it step by step. I feel better and the weight is starting to come off.