For those with New Year's Resolutions
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FIT_Goat
Posts: 4,224 Member
Don't forget that this week is a great time to get a baseline.
If you're also doing something else (like quitting smoking), the same idea applies. Take a starting measurement. You'll often be shocked at how much growth you make. Changes are often slow and hard to see in the mirror.
- Weigh yourself daily over the next 5 days and average them for a good idea of your starting weight.
- Record your food, even if you're estimating. Sure, it will be a little higher in calories/junk due to the holiday season but it will still be better than having nothing.
- Take body measurements and pictures. Again, I recommend taking several sets of measurements and averaging them. You never need to show/share these with anyone, but you might be surprised how willing you will be to share them when you have success.
- Make an exercise log and try for your current personal bests (even if they're nothing to be proud of). Again, a starting number is better than nothing. It will show you how much you have achieved.
If you're also doing something else (like quitting smoking), the same idea applies. Take a starting measurement. You'll often be shocked at how much growth you make. Changes are often slow and hard to see in the mirror.
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I didnt take photos at the starting of my journey, wish I had...but thanks to your post, I will take them now and be able to look back.
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I'm going to tighten up my preferred carnivore ways. I definitely need to eat more beef and quit nibbling on the veggies that make my tummy sick.1
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Exactly. Great suggestions, @FIT_Goat, as usual.
It's impossible to truly understand where you came from, when you never knew exactly where you started. As we go along, and we feel like things are slowing down and stopping, we need periodic perspective checks to help us step back and see the entire picture, instead of staring at the same incomplete puzzle piece (i.e. the ignoramus scale) over and over. Often, you've changed a lot more than you realize. The scale sometimes just doesn't reflect it.
Also, keep a look out. I'll be putting up a January "Rock Your Resolution" challenge in the next couple days. It can be anything health and/or fitness related. Weightloss, increased fitness, or just good healthy habits.
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Compliance wise, it's got to be realistic & obtainable. I.e. do not try to go cold turkey smoking all of a sudden, this should have been something that has been planned out & contemlated for several weeks/months beforehand. "Baby steps" if necessary; small goals with a timeframe/deadline works too (I.e 20 cigarettes/day to 10 cigarettes/day month 1, etc.)3
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Compliance wise, it's got to be realistic & obtainable. I.e. do not try to go cold turkey smoking all of a sudden, this should have been something that has been planned out & contemlated for several weeks/months beforehand. "Baby steps" if necessary; small goals with a timeframe/deadline works too (I.e 20 cigarettes/day to 10 cigarettes/day month 1, etc.)
Quitting cold turkey was the only way that would work for me...along with my nicotine patches
I'd say don't try to lose weight and quit smoking at the same time. Not a good idea!5 -
Good advice; thanks!0
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Compliance wise, it's got to be realistic & obtainable. I.e. do not try to go cold turkey smoking all of a sudden, this should have been something that has been planned out & contemlated for several weeks/months beforehand. "Baby steps" if necessary; small goals with a timeframe/deadline works too (I.e 20 cigarettes/day to 10 cigarettes/day month 1, etc.)
Whilst that may be good advice for some, quitting smoking cold turkey was the only thing that worked for me. After three years of trying to scale back, I finally decided I was just going to be done and 15 years later I literally haven't had another puff. It was the same for me with carbs, i tried scaling back slowly many times, but it wasn't until I just took the plunge and dropped all the way down from my normal 100 to 20 g that it finally worked for me. The sliding scale approach just resulted in a constant seesaw affect.
Not saying it doesn't work for some people, just sharing an alternative experience. Likewise I'm not one of those people who can do moderation.6 -
Great thread. I'll be joining that January thread @baconslave !0
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Well it does depend on how much you are using Baseline each day. Huge difference between 1 pack per day & a "recreational/social" smoker using 5 cigarettes/day. Pharmacologic intervention is aimed at those using > or = 10 cigarettes per day as a rough estimate what would be reasonable to quit cold turkey...20 cigarettes/day seems extremely difficult.
What matters most is planning with strategies/coping mechanisms/environmental changes/behavioral changes; not simply going cold turkey because it happens to be New Year's day all of a sudden
Lol, I had witnessed a plan for a chronic alcoholic & smoker trying to quit both simultaneously. I'm pretty sure he ended up failing miserably at least on 1 addiction.1 -
Well it does depend on how much you are using Baseline each day. Huge difference between 1 pack per day & a "recreational/social" smoker using 5 cigarettes/day. Pharmacologic intervention is aimed at those using > or = 10 cigarettes per day as a rough estimate what would be reasonable to quit cold turkey...20 cigarettes/day seems extremely difficult.
What matters most is planning with strategies/coping mechanisms/environmental changes/behavioral changes; not simply going cold turkey because it happens to be New Year's day all of a sudden
Lol, I had witnessed a plan for a chronic alcoholic & smoker trying to quit both simultaneously. I'm pretty sure he ended up failing miserably at least on 1 addiction.
I was a pack-a-day smoker for 8 years when I quit, with a few extra on top of that on the weekend. I definitely agree that trying to make too many changes at once is not the key to success and the changing of the date is definitely not a good reason to make a big lifestyle change. I definitely wasn't an alcoholic, but I gave up my nights out drinking when I decided to quit because it was that activity that really fuelled my smoking and that was the one situation where I had no self control. I traded that for hanging out at the gym, which reinforced more healthy choices. Like you said, having a comprehensive plan is very important, no matter which route you take, and a solid support system is helpful too.4 -
Since I already do all of the things in the OP (somewhat obsessively), my NYRs are as follows:
1) keep eating all the things.
2) keep walking a bare minimum of eight miles per day.
3) keep at my current lifting program for the next year.
4) stop eating all the things once I hit 180 (currently 171)
5) consider a slower cut, even though I always do better on hyper-restrictive VLCDs (like RFL).
6) repeat after hitting 10% bodyfat.2 -
Sadly, I can't even take my own advice. I've got certain fitness goals that I won't be able to get a benchmark for. At least, I won't be able to get a benchmark at this time. I also won't be able to start until after the New Year (probably middle of January, if I am lucky). I'm laid up with a broken foot. So, getting a baseline of my 5k time plus other fitness numbers aren't possible (my max squat is currently 0 kg since I can't put weight on the foot -- LOL).
Still, we're expecting a lot of new people in the next week or two. Best to remind them to take a note of where they start.7 -
Sadly, I can't even take my own advice. I've got certain fitness goals that I won't be able to get a benchmark for. At least, I won't be able to get a benchmark at this time. I also won't be able to start until after the New Year (probably middle of January, if I am lucky). I'm laid up with a broken foot. So, getting a baseline of my 5k time plus other fitness numbers aren't possible (my max squat is currently 0 kg since I can't put weight on the foot -- LOL).
Still, we're expecting a lot of new people in the next week or two. Best to remind them to take a note of where they start.
Heh, yeah I already put up a Facebook post letting people know that I am considering taking on a lifting partner, if someone wants to get their *kitten* together this year. No takers so far, but that's probably because I am abrasive as hell right up front. I'd rather not give people the illusion that I am nice or forgiving of failure and quitting.
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Started my new year's resolution early by starting into this WOE, so got a head start already.
Now I want to focus on tightening up on my macros. Seem to keep going over on my protein and not quite getting to my fat percentage every day.2 -
Measurements
Pics
Weight (gain of one pound on my bender only thank god) 2 -
Started Dec 26. Down 5 lbs (water) in 3 days and into ketosis (following the latest version of Atkins). Slight headaches so watching electrolytes and jacking up sodium (getting potassium & magnesium supplements tomorrow). Did measurements didn't think of pictures; will do tomorrow. So far so good! Will be on the January NYR thread -3
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Wonderful advice in this thread that can help many with beginning LCHF! Thank you @FIT_Goat for starting this thread!
I used a gradual approach to dropping my carbs. I began at 100 grams a day, but noticed that I felt better (less fibromyalgia pain and more energy), so I gradually dropped my carbs by 20 grams each week. Then there was this challenge to drop carbs to zero for a month. I joined the challenge, and saw a great health improvement! I couldn't deny how much better I felt! So, I've been at that level (pretty much), since May 2015 (time truly flies!!)!! Any time I venture into the higher carb intake I will feel like crap (bloated and gassy with physical pain) so I tend to remain very low carb. This has led me to a loss of right at 60 pounds since February 2015 (that I hit in May 2016) getting me to my goal, and having no more weight to lose, which is a very weird place to be!
Anyone can get here by making the choice to do so! Committing to that choice everyday however you choose to get there! And don't give up when the scale chooses not to move (this will happen!!)!! Stay on plan, and renew that commitment to yourself during this time! Take your measurements at the beginning because this can be a wonderful inspiration to take you through these times. Also, never, never, never allow the scale to dictate what you put in your mouth!! Don't give the scale that power over you!!
Best of luck to the newbies who come and check us out! You are welcome here, and the advice offered here couldn't ever be bought!! Commit to yourself, and you can be a success too!4 -
I have very different resolutions this year
1 More laughter and fun
2 Many more hugs
3 Make more time for friends
4 Add more love
5 Eat more healthy food
6 Get better at putting myself first12
