Sorry this post should have been up yesterday but it took me rather longer to write than I anticipated. I hope that it’s thoughtful and considered and worth the wait! 

Well Happiness is key for me in weight loss so I’m continuing my Happiness online series of posts and March is Aim Higher month. In the book The Happiness Project, Gretchen writes about how it’s so important to be happy in your work, you spend a lot of your life doing it. I am happy right now, happy with the bits of work that keep me going, happy to wait until September to start a new chapter in my working life, so I can’t really apply to this as it’s not September, so it’s looking back at my weight loss efforts. It’s what I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about so I might as well enjoy it!

So here are my resolutions for March

Your Diet is the Most Important Thing: Focus On It. 

I love to workout, or at least the feeling after I workout, it’s food that will always be my challenge in the weight loss stakes. It’s what has made me gain weight and lose weight, and it’s something I struggle to control at times. So I need to plan, track, and make great choices. I’ve opened my myfitnesspal page again, it’s set up to help me track within slimming world style, and I’ve cut out the diet coke and it’s water all the way. Man is joining me and we are trying to ensure that we stick together. At the weekend we are going to plan some meals together, make it simple to stay on track. We’ve shopped brilliantly and stocked up on loads of great foods that are good for us. Yesterday was day one and it was tasty and yummy, onwards to day 2.

Be You. 

One thing I’ve battled with my insecurity is that with certain groups of people, friends mostly, I’m keen to please, keen to fit in, and the trouble is I think that clouds my decisions, particularly when I do what I think I “should” be doing rather than doing what I would like to be doing.

Since I’ve been on this ‘journey’ I’ve thrown myself in to the gym lifestyle but being on holiday gave me time to reflect on why it’s never been consistent. It’s because it is dull. For me at least. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m most happy outdoors, I never thought I would say that ! I enjoy my luxuries but what I love is being outdoors, preferably in good weather but it really doesn’t matter. What’s funny is my boys are the same too. So I’ve quit the gym and I’m looking at another training plan which allows me to get outdoors more.

Be Brave, Challenge Myself

I never think of myself as brave. I hate talking to strangers on the phone, I’m a touch on the lazy side, so trying new things is something I’m resistant to but always enjoy! I need to push myself more to do more new things, mixing it up is important. It also means I’m more productive. For instance if I brave the telephone I sort out issues quickly with a call, or I can email and wait days for a response. I need to get out there and get on with things.

I also made the realisation on holiday that I’m happiest exercising outdoors, so I’m going to start working on a whole new approach to fitness. Walking, Running, Biking, and some swimming just cause I love being in the water too. I’m joining in with Marens Ready For Summer challenge (you should too!), and I want to commit. Commitment is too easily shrugged off, I’ve done it a lot in my life when I’ve been scared, felt inadequate. I can’t do this anymore because I’m missing out and everything takes twice as long. I need to make a goal, make a plan, take action, commit and the rest will follow.

Do One Thing at a Time. 

I stole this one from Karen over at PurpleGerberas but she has such a good insight on this one. Focus on one thing at once means it actually gets finished. I’ve been writing this post on and off all day. I’ve found it quite challenging and I’ve been flitting around facebook, twitter, doing some jobs about the house, had the cat castrated, washing, shopped for a new bike etc etc. If I had concentrated on this, it would have been done ready to post. I’m blaming post holiday skittishness but it’s a common problem in the house.

Don’t Waste Time: Plan & Be Productive

So I’m a brilliant procrastinator, it’s much to do with the above focus issue but also I like to sit down. I shouldn’t, that’s what got me in this state in the first place! Then I spend all evening working when I should be chillin, this affects my sleep patterns so I need to knock it on the head. So I need to use my days productively so I can chill and sleep in the evening. Better life balance and all!

So there they are. I’m going to write them out and stick them somewhere, along with my other things and then keep them in mind and review them regularly. Looking forward to your posts.