New Year´s Resolution 2014

With the new year just around the corner, now’s the time to start thinking about your 2014 resolutions.

We all know the drill: we start the year with good intentions, motivated and completely focused on what we want to achieve. Yet, how many of us actually keep our new year’s resolutions past January? A study found that 52% of resolution-makers were confident that they’d achieve their goals, yet only 12% succeeded.

The secret to keeping your new year’s resolutions

So, what’s the secret? The success is to plan ahead, identified a single resolution, set step-by-step goals, tracked their progress and made their commitment known publicly.

Plan ahead

Don’t wait until the new year to think about your resolution. Last minute decisions tend to be based on what is on your mind at that time. Instead, take some time now and reflect upon what you really want to achieve.

Identify one resolution only

Once you’ve really thought about what it is you want to accomplish in 2014, it is important you narrow it down to only one resolution. Many people often make the mistake of trying to achieve too much. The chances of success are greater when people channel their energy into changing just one aspect of their behavior.

Start small

There’s is literally nothing more daunting and demotivating than being faced with a huge task. Let’s take improving your fitness as an example, just thinking about it down makes it feel somewhat impossible. So, start by breaking it down into smaller and more tangible to-dos, like go for a jog twice a week, develop a healthy weekly menu plan, walk to work, instead of catching the bus, etc. Then set one main to-do for each week that is related to your fitness goal. All the steps are then visible from the beginning, so it’s clear the path you need to take.

Keep track of your progress

It’s very important to know where you’re heading and to make a note of your progress on the way. Tracking your goals (complete with Due Dates and Reminders) helps to maintain momentum and can help to ward off disillusionment. Plus there is nothing more satisfying than checking off your to-dos along the way.

Ask for support

Once you’ve set out all the steps you need to take to smash your new year’s resolution, try sharing your list with a trusted friend or loved one. Not only will you be ten times more likely to stick to your resolutions, they’ll also be able to help keep you honest, provide moral support and be there to celebrate with you, when you accomplish your goals.

Write down a Checklist 

• Measure yourself (not only by scale, but also with your tapeline)
• Although esp. at the beginning its difficult, but essential: make some ‘before’-selfies (just for you!! – you´ll be very proud of yourself how far you come!!)
• Set your goals
• Write down your goals
• Identify and choose only one resolution and focus
• Break down your goals into small steps
• Include some motivational rewards – you deserve it! What are the requirements to earn that reward? New athletic apparel? A new haircut ? Keep it in budget, but it should be something you can get excited about.
• Start tracking (if you need a good template, I would choose one of the following: [MOLESKINE WELLNESS JOURNAL] or [FITBOOK by FITLOSOPHY]. You canalso keep tracking on your personalized app [FITAPP] for android or IOS.
• Focus on your goal by illustration your look after reaching your goal and by imagination of your new body feeling - in case of a athletic resolution. You´ll find a lot of motivational pics on [Pinterest]
• Review your progress
• Sign up for participation in a sporting event
• Don´t forget to be too strict, if you get off course. Review what happened and jump back on track!!

MY RESOLUTION OF 2014 WILL BE TO CONTINUE MY WAY OF GETTING BACK IN SHAPE BY LOSING THE LAST POUNDS UNTIL REACHING MY (HEALTHY) BODY WEIGHT.

PASSING IN REVIEW, [2013] I STUMBLED TOO OFTEN IN TERMS OF MY CLEAN EATING-NUTRITION AND MY CONTINUOUSLY TRAINING: I'LL TRACK MY PROGRESS BY SHARING WITH YOU ALL GUYS. THAT MEANS, I'LL PROMISE TO POST MORE DETAILS ON MY BLOG.

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Some of you might already know, that I can announce my really first successful step of my weight loss journey.

This blog exists since November 2012 and starting from this time I tried to change my own bad habits into good ones.

As you know from this post in the past, I was a really bad carb junkie and I was fixed in my own prison of unhealthy food and sweets. It was like the devil´s circle!! 

In January or February this week I went to a party where I met a really lean and shaped women. Regarding the noise of the music, we tried to communicate as best as we can.  A few days later we met us again at facebook where we chat a few hours.

She is a female bodybuilder and has also experience on stage. …. And experience in weight loss. Therefore she knows exactly how I feel in my body.

After the wedding of one of my best friends (this post) and meeting some friends (which lives in other cities of Germany), I came back from holiday with my heaviest weight ever!!!

I told her my unsuccessful weight loss story so far and she promised me to help me.

It all started middle of June.

We met us in town and I told her my daily routines and my experience in different diets, my good and my bad nutrition habits and my sporty past (you know, I was a very sporty girl!! See here).

On Monday morning, June 17^th, she send me a complete nutrition and training plan for the upcoming week with start of the next day. I was so excited, that it really begans, so I went to the grocery store in the early Monday morning (before work) and tried to follow the nutrition plan. In my mind the picture of a reshaped body of myself was my biggest imagination and motivation.  

The training plan consists of a three-split weight training - cardio is only optional.

The first days (from Tue, June 18^th to Sun, June 23^th) was cleansing days. It was only allowed to drink a lot of tea (green tea is the best with the best effect of fat-burning), water, Coke light and vegetable stock. One cup of coffee with  skim milk in the early morning was allowed. And last, but not least, you can eat a maximum of 6 natural unsalted rice cakes. That’s all.

Now you might think, that this is really a small portion for a full-time working women. Yes, you´re right. My stomach grunted not only one time! (One funny story beside: I went with my bf to the hardware store and afterwards he turned into the drive-in of burger king!! Aaargh!! But I stayed strong. One of my thoughts was: “ Hey, you already had your portion of French fries and burgers! That´s the reason why you look the way you look now!” That´s helps me for not cheating in the first time).

From Monday, June 24^th to Wednesday, June 26^th my first week of nutrition change started! And there was more foods allowed. The basis is still the week before. At lunch I ate a huge bowl of salad with my own dressing (100 ml of non-fat yoghurt with pepper, salt, lemon juice, mustard and some other herbs and spices). At dinner there was steamed broccoli or spinach with a special sauce. This sauce contained also 100ml of 0,1% yoghurt and a lot of spices. The second part of this week was added with one portion of fruits: I chose yoghurt with rasperries – my own daily porn food :o)

Unfortunately I catched a cold in this week. So I have to pause my training – nevertheless the kilos/pounds flew away.

On June, 30 there was in Munich the first COLOR RUN in Germany. It was the funniest 5K I ever made. Unfortunately I was short of breath due to my runny nose. My nose was faster than me… hahaha :o) 

In this separate post you can find the pics of this fun event!

But back to business and my weight loss story:

In week two there was added also a few kcals of proteins like fish or low-fat meal such as turkey or chicken. Now I´m in week three and I can eat more kcals of these proteins.

And what should I say? I lost 7 kg (14 lbs) so far from the basis of my heaviest weight and I feel great. I lost 2 dress sizes so far and that´s not the end. 

AND...!!! I was two time on a BBQ-Birthday event. My weight gained a little bit, but after a few days it dropped off. 

My goal is to loose at least 5 more kilos (10 lbs) until my entry to the plane in 3 months.

Next week the registration for the B.A.A. Half Marathon in Boston on 13^th Oct 2013 will be opened.

As I´m on site then, I´m thinking in participation. Currently I´m in training for the 10K run in my home town at end of September - with focus on the 21K. Please keep your fingers crossed for me for catching a participation ticket. But – to be honest – I´m a little bit scared of the participation. The longest run I ever made was nearly 10K… and in three-odd months I have to run the double distance!!

But this will be the best motivation and the best fat burner for me for reaching my goals.

Stop wishing – start doing!