Referring to my blog entry on January 21, several readers have inquired about the “Checklist” I created for keeping myself on track with my health and fitness goals.
Naturally, any list of goals has to take into consideration what you are already doing, what you are willing to do, and what you will never, ever, in this lifetime, be able to do. In other words, “don’t kid yourself.”
My own checklist has undergone a minor metamorphosis this past month, and my February list has been tweaked after this period of trial and error. For instance, I have discovered that it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that I’ll be able to goad myself into doing even 10 crunches on a daily basis… At least not today.
But in general, the list is the most valuable tool for self-accountability I’ve ever come up with. As each day progresses, I check off the things I’ve accomplished: check! check! check! Immediate gratification! And before I go to bed, I get to review my day and pat myself on the back for all I’ve done to become healthier. Way to go, girl!
Specifically, my list now includes starting my day by stretching, drinking green tea, taking my vitamins and supplements, getting a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, limiting calories to between 1200-1400, recording my food intake in a daily food log, getting all the food groups, drinking more water, eliminating caffeine and sugar, limiting carbonation, doing meditation, writing in a gratitude journal and using those teeth-whitening strips!
In checklist form, it’s easy to remember to do these things. Without the checklist, I often forgot to take my vitamins for several days in a row, and using teeth whitener was a very rare occurrence. Now I’ve followed through every single day for a whole month!
Behind some of the items I add more information. For instance, I make a tally mark behind “Drink more water” for each glass I consume. After “Exercise” I write the number of minutes, and the activity, such as “swimming aerobics class, 45 minutes,” or “walking the boardwalk and trails, 30 minutes.”
Obviously, your self-care list must be tailored to suit yourself, and your own goals and style. One additional thing I’ve added to my list is “Watch Dr. Oz.” As I wrote on January 23, he’s become a true motivator and his program (weekdays on ABC) has many suggestions for living our best and healthiest life: One day at a time!