If you’re participating in the 2017 Low Carb Challenge (feel free to join in anytime!) we do weigh-ins every Monday. Here’s the Week Six Weigh-In for the Facebook group, or you can weigh in here by leaving a comment below on this post.
Happy Monday! 🙂
It’s a new week, which is always a great time for a FRESH START on your goals.
I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately myself: GOALS. Specifically, what I most want to achieve this year.
We all have goals of course. Things we really want to achieve, wish we could do, desperately want to happen in our lives, stuff we want to change etc.
Goals are really just “wishes” though… until you make them a priority.
The priorities in our lives are what get our time and attention. Everything else just gets put on the back burner. I have so much stuff on the “back burner” I need to buy another stove. 😛 lol…
If you want to know what your priorities are, just look at how you spend your day. What do you focus on? What actually gets DONE? What do you think about? What do you read about, research, talk about?
What do you DO with your time?
THOSE are your priorities.
If you want a REAL eye-opener, keep a running Time Log of your days for the next 72 hours. I dare you. 🙂 You’ll see EXACTLY what your priorities are – and whether any of your “goals” even make the list.
For YEARS I wanted to lose weight, get in amazing shape and get organized. Those were my top three goals. Yet I kept eating crap, not exercising, and ignoring the piles and clutter.
What is UP with that?! 😯
Is it lack of motivation? Lack of discipline?!
Seriously. I WANTED IT. So what gives?!
Life is busy. It’s full of distractions. We have tons of things competing for our attention: work, family, social life, chores, etc.
There’s always laundry to do, bills to pay, shopping and cooking and floors to sweep, email to answer, movies to watch, TV shows on the DVR to catch up on, holidays, weddings, funerals, birthdays, blah blah blah.
Those are NOT my goals – or even my priorities. 😛
It’s not like you can skip out on your responsibilities and obligations though.
So what do you do?
When you want something BAD ENOUGH, you find a way to make it happen. I think it starts with getting discouraged with yourself, then getting pissed off enough to MAKE it happen.
Once you decide to turn one of your goals into a priority, it’s just a matter of figuring out HOW to make it happen. That might mean getting up half hour earlier to go for a run or do strength training before your day starts.
Or maybe you give up something that really isn’t a high priority to replace it with something that IS, like watching TV in the evenings. Or you combine the two – like working out while you watch your favorite shows.
I like to do simple strength training, like Tricep Dips for example, while half a pot of coffee is brewing or while the veggies are coming to a boil. That’s easy enough.
I also started combining my social time with friends with my fitness goals, and inviting them out for a walk or a fun hike instead of meeting for dinner. That not only helped me get in better shape, it was more FUN! 🙂
Losing weight is easy with low carb, because you don’t have to change anything at all – except WHAT you eat. You have to eat anyway, so that one is easy.
You just make a choice and do it. Once you decide you really WANT to be healthy and lose weight, that is.
Eating low carb doesn’t require any extra time or effort. You have to go to the grocery store, make meals, eat, pick up food while you’re out, eat out, etc as part of your life. So there’s really no excuse there – just the desire to lose weight.
That was a big light bulb moment for me personally. 💡
The distinction between goals and priorities.
What are your thoughts? Are your goals a PRIORITY in your life – or just something you wish would happen?
I would love to hear your thoughts! 🙂
My biggest goal for 2017 is to continue eating health, and get in amazing shape. I got a GREAT start on that in 2016, especially breaking bad habits and putting new GOOD habits in place.
It’s a process – changing your lifestyle.
I’m excited about achieving my goals this year. 🙂
What about you??
Speaking of, this is the Life/Goal Planner I use myself:
I highly recommend it! 🙂
Don’t forget to weigh in below, or in the group…
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
Macronutrients: Simple Explanation Of Low Carb Macros
How To Get A Net Carbs Column in MyFitnessPal
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
Thank you for this. I have so many events coming up that I want to look good for and feel good for. Getting my mind and body on track is my goal for 2017.
Ps- So glad you are feeling better.
Thank you Becky 🙂
I find that the “mind” was so much more important than the “body” when it came to getting myself on track. In the end, it turns out… losing weight was the EASY part. lol
Those upcoming events are GREAT motivation! I bought myself a few new dresses (super low price) and have SO enjoyed dressing nicer in my new lower sizes when I go out. 🙂 It’s SO worth it!!
You’ve probably seen pictures of me in this dress: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/dress as just one example, and only 14.99! It’s my new favorite. 🙂
Great thoughts and things to think of! Thank you so much. I know where most of my time is – work. It has to be for now. I’m reading books while riding my exercise bike at home – to give me something I enjoy and as a treat – reading for fun! I do most of my cooking on the weekends..so I have no excuse not to eat healthy. I’m trying to not get to upset at such slow progress on my part – it is a learning experience. I think I need to cut nuts out…and nut butters…and slow down on the cheeses.
Hi Angela,
I’m working a lot lately too. The first and second quarter are always super busy for me (I’m self employed) – so I get that. I keep it super simple, as you can see in my recent food diaries. 🙂
It’s such a great idea to combine your exercise with things you ENJOY. I have a Gazelle (like an exercise bike, or similar) and mine is in the living room to use when I catch up on my shows.
What do you consider “slow progress” by the way? And how are you tracking? Happy to help!
Wow Lynn, you are straight on with this post! Goals are really just “wishes” though… until you make them a priority!!!! So now I just have to make my wishes my priority and that is to lose weight!!!! Thank you so much for your pep talk!
Thank you & you’re welcome! 🙂 How much weight would you like to use, and what’s your biggest reason/motivation to MAKE that happen?
Well, I gained about 10 pounds over the holiday so that needs to go first. I have only managed to get rid of 3 of those pounds so far, but I’ll take that! Ideally I would like to lose another 20 or 30…
I can relate. January was a rough month for me, being so sick. So we’re in this together. 🙂 With less than 30 pounds to lose, THIS will be YOUR year to see that goal become a reality!! Exciting, isn’t it? 🙂
I am on a short vacation and being careful but don’t want to put pressure on my hostess. I have recently lost 55 pounds, and have kept it off since sept. 2016 and only have 18 pounds to go. I plan on doing the egg sat when I get home and low carbine after that.
Are you back yet, Gail? How did it go? You don’t need to do an egg fast or anything special to get back in ketosis. Just go back to 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum, and you’ll be right back in ketosis in 3-5 days. 🙂
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to do some tweaking.
I’m down 6.5 pounds and 11 inches.
Thank you for all you do!
Feb
That’s great, Debbie! Way to go 🙂 🙂
What kind of tweaking are you doing?
Why did you stop posting your daily macros? They are very helpful!
Because I was on my deathbed for about a month. 🙂
Thank you for your patience!
There are tons of archives here of Food Diaries too (years worth!) if you ever need some ideas & inspiration while I’m away. 🙂 *cheers*
Glad you’re feeling better!!
Thank you, Bonnie 🙂 I’m still recovering and sleeping a lot, but it’s nice to finally be on the better end of it at least. 😉 *cheers*
I’m down 43# since Oct. 3.
Congrats, Cynthia – that’s awesome!
I bet that feels AMAZING. 🙂
Ive been going to the gym doing lite weights and cardio for 2 months now and have lost 10 pounds and all of a sudden im stuck, I cant seem to lose even a pound, any suggestions?
Hi Jodie,
It’s not uncommon to see brief “holds” or even slight fluctuations as part of your overall weight loss trend. Are you eating low carb too, and if so how are you tracking? I ask to see if you know your fat/protein ratios…