Promises

I was doing the blog-troll thing this morning, searching for new ideas on how best to kick myself in the butt.

I have considered looking at other weight management programmes, but when I'm honest with myself, I know that's just another form of procrastination. I have all the tools I need to lose and maintain - I just need to work out how to get my head to agree with me.

While reading about HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) over at Marla's place, I came across this gem, about how she felt the first time she completed her 8 week HIIT programme:

I felt SO empowered and strong; it really focused my efforts and taught me a lot about discipline and motivation. I felt so proud of myself for doing this; nobody was forcing me, there was no obligation to anyone but myself, but I learned to take that obligation seriously - a promise to myself should be treated with the same respect I give a promise made to someone else.

This is spot on. So much of this is about self-respect. I would never let someone else down week after week; why am I doing it to myself?

So, what promises do I want to make to myself? There's no point in promising things that I can easily do. But I can't make my expectations too difficult to reach - that's a sure way to hit the self-destructive spiral.

I also need to consider what my lifestyle is like at the moment. I am traveling out of town every week. I have done this before and know that it becomes easier (less tiring) once you get into the swing of things. But when I used to travel before I was over 130kg. I'd sit in my hotel room at night and eat crap. I have to break the mental association between the two.

So, my big promise is:

September will be a month of change for me. The change will be that each week I will set achievable food and exercise goals, based on what I know is coming up that week. And at the end of each week I will review and report on my progress.

Because Friday is the day I weigh myself, I will set each week's goals that day. With five days to go till the first Friday in September, here's my warm-up plan:

Food:
Take cereal with me to Auckland so I eat good breakfasts. If we have a breakfast meeting, eat in my room first and just have coffee at the meeting. Because I know the muesli at Mink is just loaded with sugar and fat.
I'm out for dinner Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Make choices that fit the NoCount plan, don't feel obliged to finish everything on my plate, don't have dessert. Maximum of two glasses of wine each night, no other alcohol the rest of the week.
No chocolate or other sweets. I ate enough of that shit in the weekend. Have a Jarrah hot choc each evening as a treat - but only if I have stuck to the no sweets rule.
Make sure lunch fits the NoCount plan.

Exercise:
I did nothing this morning, so I only have four days to get going.
Two HIIT sessions. These fit in well with the hotel 'gym' - a large cupboard with a treadmill, a cross trainer and a bike. They are all good quality machines, though, and there is a plasma screen so I can watch MTV or the news.
One high intensity cardio session - either a boxing class or 30 minutes of treadmill running/cross training.
A one hour walk.

Accountability:
Report back on Friday.