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1)      Create measurable goals and write them down. If you’re not willing to write them down then you’re not really serious about success. Keep reading your goals every day or they won’t stay in the front of your mind. If they’re not in the front of your mind, they’re in the back of your mind. If they’re in the back of your mind, they’re useless.

I have the desire to actually loose weight.  It’s for my own health.  So, my goal I to loose weight beat the cravings that plague my life and thoughts.  Begin to say no for the things that are not healthy for me and yes to what is healthy for me.

My other goal is to get back into exercising at least 3 times a week.  I can do this by joining a swimming class that meets twice a week and going to the YMCA for the regular exercise circuit. And also try to start goal the other two days to walk on the tread mill for at least half an hour.

These are my goals that I have the desire to achieve and with some help and support, I am sure I will be able to start and continue my dream of weight loss…even with my polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is one source of pain I have to endure. 

2)      Motivate yourself to accomplish each goal. Ask yourself “What’s in it for me (WIIFM) to accomplish this goal?” Then ask yourself “What is the consequence of failing to accomplish this goal?” Identify short and long-term goals as well as short and long-term consequences. Don’t dance around this issue…be honest. There are real negative short-term consequences of dieting and keeping weight off. Hunger, feelings of deprivation and temporary emotional distress are a few. Fear of being without food as a comfort is another. Having a clear list of benefits that you will gain in the future in exchange for tolerating these negative consequences in the short-term can help you through these tough times. Ask yourself “What do I stand to gain, both now (within a few days) and in the future if I stick to my goal of losing weight.” This is the real definition of willpower: being able to tolerate frustration or discomfort in the present in exchange for a desirable outcome in the future. Perhaps a better phrase for willpower is discomfort tolerance or frustration tolerance. Take your time with this step. Remember, in order to have the ability to tolerate frustration and discomfort when they strike, you need to be acutely aware of “what’s in it for me?”

What’s in it for me to accomplish this goal?

-being able to become healthy is number one for me.  Being able to be alive for my children and live as long as I can for them in good health.

-to feel better about myself; to be able to look into a photo, and not see a fat, ugly, useless, failure of a human being.

-To not feel like a fat, ugly, useless, failure of a human being.

-To have energy!

-To find clothing to fit.

“What is the consequence of failing to accomplish this goal?”

Not achieving the reasoning for loosing weight in the first place.

-The short term goal is to start.  To fight the cravings and over the desire to eat what I am not suppose to have…or at least, have little of what I like—just a taste.  Not over doing foods, the sweets.  It is said that cutting out completely of what you like can have bad consequences when you fall off track.  But to pick a day, or something that you can have during the day is ok…like, the 100 cal. Packs.  Having one of those to take care of the cookie-sweet-chocolate craving, which works really good for me.

-I know it’s going to be really hard for me to say no to things.  I’ve been able to start by not going into the doughnut isle at the store because the smell will get me to buy it.  And not going while hungry or just a little bit hungry because I know that I could become weak and be temped.  I know all too well about temptation to foods.  You think about it and think about it, and you can’t stop thinking about it till you actually do it.

3)      Make clear action steps that you plan to take to accomplish the goal. The goal itself is not as important as understanding the behavioral steps you plan to enact in order to accomplish them. Ask yourself “what am I going to do to accomplish my goal. Also ask, “What do I need to stop doing or do differently if I am to accomplish this goal. For example, don’t ask yourself “How am I going to find the time to exercise?” Ask yourself “How am I going to make the time to exercise.” Then take out your blackberry or schedule book and figure out exactly what you are going to shift around to create the time to exercise.

Well, instead of waiting for V, just go to the YMCA and do the exercising.  He can be late.  Also, joining in a class that interests me, knowing the timing and getting there on time will help out.  The saying is “Just do it.”  Follow that by ‘just doing it.’

4)      Practice your strategies. Ever notice that the best athletes practice almost EVERY DAY?! Batting practice, free throw practice, the driving range, and on and on. Practice is what makes people successful. It’s not willpower. In case you’re telling yourself that it’s the money, you’re mistaken. There are plenty of highly paid athletes that are bums. Our favorite athletes are generally the ones that practice the most. They try harder and give a little more than the “prima donnas.” We tend to like the players who are shorter, slower, injured, or who are older but simply refuse to give up. Its constant effort, and a refusal to quit, not talent that makes the difference.

5)      Think like a winner. When a winner has a setback, they don’t pack it in. They start over. Don’t “catastrophize.” Don’t categorize everything into good or bad, pass or fail. Stop being critical and demeaning of your shortcomings and missteps. If you have a bad day at the Chinese buffet, it’s just one high-calorie meal. It doesn’t mean a thing…unless you tell yourself it does. If you tell yourself it’s a bad day, it becomes a bad day. Tell yourself that your Chinese meal ruined the weekend and you’ve ruined the weekend. Suddenly you’re telling yourself that Friday is a wash and that you might as well give yourself the weekend to have some fun promising that you’ll get back on track on Monday, only Monday never comes. How you think is everything.