So it totally confounds and DISGUSTS me, (yes I meant to shout disgusts!) that when I make promises to myself—to me, the only being on earth that I have any control over—I often break them!
Sure, I could teach you the principles behind human motivation and performance improvement. I’ve read all the psychology books on why people sabotage themselves: fear of success, fear of rejection, fear that we don’t deserve whatever it is we promise ourselves ... the list goes on ... and on.
I’ve studied profiles on extraordinary leaders; and theories on short-term versus long-term achievement, instant versus delayed gratification. And listened to CD recordings that tell listeners in cooing tones: “ … you deserve the love/job/house/life (you fill the blank) that you desire. But first you must love yourself. Repeat after me: … I love myself … I. LOVE. ME. …”
Hmm … skipping right along … for me it’s all about habits. And over the past couple of years, my once exceptionally healthful habits have gradually been overturned by Skipping.
Skipping is a good habit, you say! Yeah, but I mean the other kind of skipping. Skipping meals, skipping sleep, skipping workouts.
So last weekend I sat down—and in writing—fully committed myself. Not to an asylum (which is arguably where I belong), but to regaining good health habits. No excuses. No negotiation. No skipping.
Preparing for the new me, I even dusted down my bike and threw it in the back of the SUV.
Tomorrow’s a new and exciting day full of wonderful opportunities!
- Monday’s Ideal: One commits 100% to good health habits
To bed (sleep!) by 11 pm. Up by 6 am.
Eat 6 small meals throughout the day, starting with early breakfast.
Last snack by 7 pm.
Cycle or walk x 30 mins per day.
Weights x 20 mins, alt repping.
Etc, etc, etc.
Flopped on top of the bed at 1:30 am. Not sleepy, flicked through TV.
Got up and danced an Irish jig at 2.01 to the theme music of 'Crossing Jordan' (can never resist a chance to throw my arms in the air and kick up my heels).
Fell asleep with timer on TV at 2:30-something. Up at 7.30 am.
Breakfast … um…
Lunch … errr … Healthful snacks? Dinner???
Yeah but I did eat at 4 pm. And again at 9 pm.
Walk? Well … yeah but I did rush around all day. Ran from the car to studio. From car to Federal Express. From car to Trader Joe’s. From car to Café Diallo. From car to library.
Weights? … does humping my bike into the back of the SUV count?
Sigh …
Yeah, but, tomorrow’s a new and exciting day full of wonderful opportunities.
19 comments:
You are channeling me, Vicki! (Or vice versa!) I re-invent the new, healthy me on a regular basis, and I have the exercise machines, stagnant health club memberships, and fad diet cookbooks to prove it. Taking care of oneself is such a monumental undertaking, and it tires me out just thinking about it. I'm with you in thinking that getting through one day in the 21st century ought to be workout enough!
Great post!
small steps, my friend. and maybe forget about perfection in general. you remind me of me--me before i stopped working last summer, started writing in earnest, and watched my whole responsible framework come to a sputtering halt. now i'm uncharacteristically disorganized, and not as focused, but i'm doing fine.
i wish i could have a cup of coffe with you, bibi.
Most of my exercise comes from fighting gravity. (gravity is winning)
I have no advise because I don't listen to my own anyway.
Vicki, you are only human and I can relate to what you are saying. My bible is "The Power of Now"and even I catch myself out "watching the thinker" just in time before I stray or skip off the garden patha dn into the bush of thorns!!!!
Keep with it and I will keep with my 30 mins exercise a day and 6 small meals I am having and I might even, yes I will, add in x3 sessions of mild weights a week too to keep up with you :)
Feel the pressure, NOT...go girl :)
Ha! Brilliant post and who among us who will read it can't totally and completely relate?
When you get past the skipping part, can you tell me how you did it?
I'm just going to skip doing it until you solve the problem...OK?
Ah, dear Vicki, when you told your tale I felt at moments like I was looking in the mirror -- except you're prettier and a different gender. But, as you say, "tomorrow" and life is, after all, only a day at a time.
I can't imagine Irish dancing to Crossing Jordan, so I'll have to listen more closely next time.
Ian
I know where you're coming from! Every day I tell myself "I will not even LOOK into the lollie shop across the road", but I do, I look and I enter and I buy and I eat. And yet I've promised myself I'll stay healthy and get lots of excercise and all that! I just can't seem to excersise the will to keep the promise! I'm trying harder lately - with so many changes in my life right now, I figure this one little promise shouldn't be too hard to add to the bundle!!
Vicky Pollard's abound in my neighbourhood.
That's suburban Bristol in a nutshell.
Oops. Apostrophe in the wrong place..
:oD Shut up! Like yeahbutnobutyeahbutnobut...
I fill a little reporter's notepad with stuff to do - nearly every page on a million used notepads now have the day's title on them then are filled with half the stuff ticked, and half crossed out (i.e. skipping it). Looking back on it, the stuff crossed out is quite depressing however, I think in real terms I am actually getting a phenomenal amount of stuff done.
That's what I choose to kid myself with at any rate...
I'd run to Trader Joe's, too. Why aren't they in Canada?
(On the same page as you and picked up this book yesterday: Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health -- as much about nutrition and how to take healthy shortcuts as about cooking: http://www.whitecap.ca/search_individual.asp?ISBN_search=1552858456 )
Becca, seems like everyone's channel is tuned to the same frequency! Good luck with your endeavours.
KJ, we could do "phone coffee" LOL. Yes, letting go of the perfectionist is an ongoing battle, but for the good.
Pamela, you and me both. Always much easier to give it than follow it from ourselves.
Cazzie, yes! The pressures on ha ha. But that's a good challenge and I will rise to it. :-)
Oh, me too. If I could just get back into a good routine. Sigh. The best intentions, blah, blah, blah.
Well, all my dance-a-day plans went out the window last week when my hip went out and it's still out. I'm a mess, though slowly getting better. And this is from using the wrong machine at the gym for my back. Damned gym, wish I'd stuck to my yoga.
Yazza--ticked at bright health ideas
Why, I identify with this post so much. It's complicated but I am not really looking forward to relieving myself from myself. Life is stressful or I could chose boring too. The only thing, I don't want to get sick.
Within without, sure, go ahead and keep skipping until I get back to you with the secret. Might be a long time before I find it. ;-D
Ian, nice to know I'm not alone! I think they changed the music on the new series, but on the really old ones, a jig is defintely in the air.
Stace, I loved the lollie shop too (haven't heard that expression for ages). Don't add too much to your already busy list!!
Ultra toast ... I've seen of them too. Scary when it's for real ;-)
Diedre, seems like we're in good company regardless.
Yazza, so your dance plans went astray too! What happened to your photo?
Ant,there are times when a little self-delusion is good!
Andrea, will check it out. I don't know how I managed w/e T-Joe's.
Ces, I'm with you on not wanting boredom! A little stress keeps you flowing ... it's all about balance.
V-
Got bored with the picture. Yeah, my knee's still twisted, though my hip is almost all better. It's been a painful past week. I'll e-you. Or maybe call later :)
Yazza
i start a new "routine" every month full of diet changes, schedule changes, bad habit changes.
One of these days I'll stick to it and I'll be on my way to that happier, healthier life!
one of these days...... ;)
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