Any time you go on a trip, you plan first. Well, you SHOULD plan first. Sane people do. Trips go so much smoother when you have mapped out a route to your destination, packed appropriately and planned your days. I know, because I've been on 10,000 trips, some well planned and others not-so-much. The not-so-much ones tend to make me want to go home and cry for a few days....
But that's me....anyway...
This "trip" is no different. Let's say we jump in the VW, and get 10 miles down the road before someone says "hey, where are we going?", to which the driver replies "Well, I was thinking we'd just start and see where we get to...". Next comes "I'm hungry, did anyone pack snacks?"..."of course not, we assumed there would be snacks along the way." And then there is a snarky "Well, you know what 'assuming' does..." "HEY! He's running around in his underwear!", "Well, that's because my clothes are dirty and I forgot to pack!" You see where I'm going with this.
We need a plan. We need a destination. Your plan will not be my plan. Our destinations will look different. Yours may be to lose 50 pounds, someone else's may be lowering their cholesterol, and another to firm up the "bingo flaps" (as one of my friends calls them) on the back of your arms. Different destinations, different routes, but all in need of a PLAN.
What are your goals for The PHAT Year? I would say the majority of us are here to lose weight (with hopes of those health benefits coming in somewhere along the way). You need goals and objectives. Written ones. Posted where you can see them EVERY DAY. If you have no goals, then how will you know when you have arrived? Write a mission statement, put it where you can see it, live it, RULE it, and then get on with it!
What is your goal weight? Is it realistic? Is it where you were before you had kids? Where you were in high school (I hope not!) Have you set a goal weight? Have you made plans for how you're going to get there? We can't just get in the van and start driving, hoping somehow we will get there with no idea how.
And, if we go with the GPS way of life - not knowing the next turn until it's RIGHT THERE, then we're sure to fail. We need the big picture.
So, number one - decide a goal weight. A realistic, healthy one. Here's a good way to start - your BMI. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and
"is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI is a fairly reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that BMI correlates to direct measures of body fat" (copied from CDC website)
Here's how to calculate it - find your height on the left side and then move over to your weight. This will give you your BMI number.
- Underweight = <18.5
- Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
- Overweight = 25–29.9
- Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
So, find your BMI, then find a normal BMI for your height, subtract your current weight from the normal BMI weight and this should give you a good number to shoot for. Example:
I have realized the hypocrisy of the fact that everyone had to send me their weight, but I haven't told anyone mine yet....ICK - here I go.
I am 5'6", 163 pounds. BMI - 26.5 - clearly overweight.
To get into the normal category I would need to be 148.
163-148 = 15 pounds to "normal"
So, normal for me could be anywhere from 118 to 148, but I can assure you - 118 would be anorexic for me. I want to set REALISTIC, HEALTHY goals. Remember that!
A realistic, healthy goal for me is a 20 pound weight loss. This is what I'm shooting for. One day, maybe a little more, but in a six month period 20 pounds is a good goal. That's about 3.3 pounds a month which is VERY doable.
So, with my goal weight in mind I have put a calendar on my fridge with objectives to meet my goal clearly set.
I hope this helps. I would love to know your goals and objectives for The PHAT Year.
Get our your maps, ladies and gentleman, and mark out your route! This is the journey of a lifetime and you want to be ready for every twist and turn!
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