On any journey (odyssey!) there is a departure point and an end destination. It goes without saying (but typically I’ll say it anyway) that we have to be really specific about where we plan to end up and we do this by writing down our goals. It’s often said that a goal not properly defined is but a dream.
I sincerely recommend that you determine your desired outcomes for 2010 and write them down – before New Year’s day! No need at all for the elaborate measurement systems that I have created, just a simple record of where you want to be is absolutely fine. The one action needed is to write it down!
In my case, I have had to define several concomitant journeys and determine outcomes for each one of them. As each goal concerns a potentially life-threatening disorder, I have made sure that each & every outcome falls within medically determined parameters.
“Hmmm, this food is fine for my blood glucose levels, but what will it do to my cholesterol and weight?!”
I wrote recently about a fun afternoon I spent trying on clothes that had been hanging unworn in my cupboard for yonks – too small to fit bum, boobs and thighs!!! UGH! How did I ever let myself get into this situation?? To my amazement, I was able to button or zip up some of the clothes that I had last worn when terrorising poor little bank clerks!
So there I stood, grinning inanely at my own image and feeling really great. Little achievements such as that serve to renew my commitment to stated objectives.
The fact that said poor little bank clerks could sure as hell show today’s bank clerks a thing or two about efficiency and courtesy is a story for another day! But – really – they did love me; they staged an amazing surprise Chinese Braai farewell function when I transferred back to KZN …. oh s**t, perhaps that was because they were so glad to get rid of me!!! But I digress…..
Weigh-Less (don’t knock that organisation – more about my experience with them in a future post) recommends recording the following measurements at the start of a health journey:
Date:
Weight:
Hip:
Bust/chest:
Upper arms:
Waist:
Thighs:
Calves:
I have a little Excel worksheet on which I record the above measurements about every 2 months and the results are amazing. Total cm loss as of this morning is 33.5cm! Huge motivation to continue I can tell you especially when the scale is not showing substantial losses. 25% of the total cm loss is from the waist which is very significant given the specific dangers associated with abdominal obesity. (Good subject for a future post)
Weigh-Less also strongly recommend that full-length ‘before’ photos are taken; from the front and from the side. Be brave! – don’t suck in your stomach and turn purple in the face with the effort while the photographer fiddles with your camera or cellphone!!! Stand naturally – publish and be damned!!
I have had this done and sometimes I look my ‘befores’ and shudder. Don’t get me wrong, I do love and respect who I am but – already – only about half way through my weight loss journey the difference is astounding!
Who knows, I might even have the courage of my convictions to post ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos on this blog on 15th August 2010. All my journeys lead to that date…
Eileen's Odyssey 