Welcome to Week One of the Five in 30 Sensible Weight Loss Challenge

Last week when I posted the article about the upcoming Five in 30 Sensible Weight Loss Challenge I said you only had to do a couple of things to be successful in this program:  S.M.A.R.T. goal setting (click here to download the printable goal tracker) weekly weigh-ins, and regular visits to PTCDN for weight loss tips to keep you motivated.

There is one more thing you need to do. You need to get real. What I mean by that is you need to figure out what change(s) you have to make starting today if you are going to lose five pounds in 30 days.

You have five pounds you want to lose. It is true that journaling, regular weigh-ins and goal setting/tracking will help you get to your goal, but you also need to acquire, eliminate or at least tweak those one or two behaviors that are getting in your way. Then, the other things mentioned – journaling, goal tracking and regular weigh-ins – will help you figure out whether or not what you’re doing is working. If it is, keep doing it. If it’s not you can fix it before you get discouraged.

Step One

You have five pounds to lose. That means you have some habits that are causing you to hold on to five pounds more than you want. What are they?

Possibly too much of the following:

– Sugary drinks (soda, sweet tea, special coffee drinks)

– Alcohol

– Convenience foods (fast food, heat and eat)

– Sugary foods (confections, candy, granola bars, some dairy products)

– Carb-loaded foods (bagels, breads, pasta, rice)

– Special occasion splurges (happy hour, birthday cake, pizza night)

– Inactivity

Or, not enough of some of these things:

– Low-calorie-high-nutrition foods (vegetables, some fruits, lean proteins)

– Physical activity

– Motivation

– Time (meal planning, grocery shopping, journaling)

Pick Two

Once you’ve decided what it is you need less and/or more of, pick two. Now it’s time to set a S.M.A.R.T. goal for each on

– What is my goal?

– What specifically will I achieve?

– How will I measure it?

– Is it achievable by me now?

– Is it relevant to my larger goals?

– By what dates will I achieve it?

Make sure you put this in writing in your journal or on the goal tracker.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Once you get the goals picked and written down, the magic weight loss will begin, right? If you’re lucky you’ll wake up every day excited and motivated to achieve your goals.

That is sometimes the case, but often you have to start behaving differently before you can build a different mindset. To get you started, create some positive affirmations that will help you embrace your behaviors. “I feel so much better when I eat more vegetables.” “The 15 minute walk in the morning energizes me for the day.”  “Taking time to plan meals is positive for me and my family.”

Keep saying these affirmations to yourself until you believe them. Your brain has more power over your body and its behaviors that you realize.  If you make a habit of positive self-talk, losing the five pounds will happen.