Don’t Resolve to Lose Weight in 2009

It’s a tradition! Each time we ring in a new year, people conduct a “state of the person” and evaluate themselves-their career, their current wealth (or lack thereof), and their health. Then they resolve to change what they’re not happy with. But the big question is: how many actually follow through?

If a change in the date is a reason to reflect, that’s great. But is that by itself a true motivator, or a real catalyst for change? Why should the fact that you’re now writing “09” on your checks be a reason to lose weight and get fit? All too soon, it will seem natural to write that new date, and you’ll lose the feeling that too much time has passed you by without results.

If you really want to lose weight and get fit, don’t call it a New Year’s Resolution. And for Heaven’s sake don’t call it a diet either! Both of these are temporary, and everyone knows that. You’ll be setting yourself up for ultimate failure from the beginning, because not only will you think it’s temporary, but so will everyone you need to support your efforts.

Losing weight and getting fit is all about improving your health. That’s the only real reason to do it. And why do you want to improve your health? Do you want to live longer? Do you desire a better “quality of life” as you grow older? Are there specific things you have a burning desire to do, like traveling to far away places or playing with your grandkids, that demand good health and fitness? Getting in touch with your personal “why improve my health” is the one and only true long-term motivator. Think about this, reflect on it, and then write down every reason you can think of for improving your health. And don’t forget where you put it! You’ll need to pull this list out and refer to it when the going gets tough.

And the going will get tough because true long-term weight management and fitness will require changes in your behavior. Replacing long held habits with healthier ones, finding time for exercise, and discovering better ways to eat, are all necessary changes but may not be easy for you. This business of getting healthy is major work; make no mistake about that! And it’s not something you can ditch after a few months if you want to keep the progress you’ve made. Even if you lose all the weight you want and develop the body of your dreams, it doesn’t end there! You must maintain your focus in order to keep the improvements you’ve made. Your house needs paint sometimes and your car needs oil changes. Your body needs maintenance too! If you return to the old habits that made you overweight and out of shape, you’ll go right back to that state.

So while you’re in the mood to reflect, don’t forget to reflect on what made you gain weight and lose your fitness in the first place. Knowing what triggers unnecessary eating and/or unhealthy eating can help you to change. Maybe you lost your fitness simply because you were involved in sports and you stopped doing that due to the other demands of your life. Now it is time to find ways to get fit again, and you may not want to do the same things you did before. You might need to get creative with both the type of activity and the time to do it. It really helps to know what happened in the past as you reflect on what will or will not work in the future.

If you really desire health and fitness in 2009, don’t make it a “resolution.” Develop a life plan instead! Decide on real changes you can make, one at a time, to move you in the right direction. Don’t try to change everything at once! But do write out all of the needed steps and start working on them. It’s just like starting a business and keeping it going. Plan your work and work your plan!

Dale Reynolds is an author and weight loss counselor in upstate New York. Her book is entitled “A Slim Book On Weighty Matters”. She has a website, www.slimdale.com, with tips and a free biweekly newsletter.

6 Surefire Ways to Achieve Your Goals

Hope you had a good rest and are all fired up for the year ahead.

Whilst you were sitting on the beach or lazing around during your time off, which of the following changes to your life did you decide to make this year?

To have the body of Elle McPherson or Nathan Buckley
Find a stimulating job
Take up a sport or hobby
Buy your dream home
Travel to an exotic destination
Have more time with your family
Establish your own business
Double your income
Become involved in the community
Develop your creativity
Improve your skills
Create a plan for your financial future
Have more fun
Enhance your current relationship or find a new partner
All of the above
To help you channel your energy into achieving this year’s goals, here are some practical ways to get started. After all, there is no reason why you shouldn’t start immediately, is there?

How to Get Started

1. Write a list of what you want to achieve this year.
2. Make sure what you’ve written down is specific, measurable and attainable. e.g. Lose 5 kgs
. ..by 30/2/09.
3. Write no.1 against the most important goal. Write no.2 against the next most important goal.

Continue numbering the rest of the goals.

4. Look at the goal with no.1 next to it. i.e. lose 5 kilos. Start a separate list with the heading . .. Lose 5 kilos. by 28/2/09
5. Write down the action steps you need to take to achieve this goal:

a. Join gym
b. Decide which specific days and times you will attend
c. Purchase gym gear
d. See nutritionist

6. Enter the action steps into your diary/electronic organiser on the day(s) you will do these:

Jan 15th – join gym
Jan 16th – book nutritionist
Attend gym Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 6.00 a.m.
Ensure when you book time for yourself in your diary you treat it as a top priority. Unless there is an earthquake or equally devastating disaster occurring, keep that time sacred.

To ensure your goals are achieved it is imperative to write them down and then plan the appropriate steps to take in your diary. Otherwise your goals could end up being wishful thinking!

Goal/Dream Chart
Having visual reminders is a great way to prompt and keep you motivated to follow through. Cut out a picture of the body you’d like to have from a magazine and stick a photo of your head on top of it. Alternatively if you want to recapture the way you were some time ago, find an old photo of yourself. You can place these on your desktop, car dashboard and the fridge at home.

Do this for your other goals (minus the head). In fact having a dream chart with pictures or words of the things you want to achieve is a great stimulus for your sub-conscious mind. Sticking these reminders onto green paper is even more effective. I have one of these in my office and guess what? It actually works!

Action Is The Key
Once you’ve identified what you want, written it down, planned when you will take action and done your goal/dream chart, nothing will happen unless you get off your butt and take action towards those goals.

Avoid the ‘Too Much Too Soon’ Syndrome
Often people try making many changes at once then get disillusioned because there are too many things to do and just give up. If you’ve done this in the past, tackle one goal at a time. If you really have difficulty going it alone, you may benefit from using the services of a coach like myself who will keep you on track. The right person will help you accelerate your success.

Jenny’s Story
One of my clients was extremely overweight by at least 30 kilos. Apart from her business goals, losing the weight was her highest priority …or so she said. We looked at her diet and exercise and worked out a plan, according to what she was committed to do. Notice here I’ve said committed. Over the three months I worked with Jenny she was like most people in this area…inconsistent. She’d exercise regularly and eat healthily for a couple of weeks and then make excuses as to why she couldn’t or wouldn’t stick to the plan.

There was no reason why she couldn’t achieve her weight loss goal, after all the program we worked out together was easy to do. A few changes to her eating habits, regular exercise and planning would do the trick. The only challenge was Jenny. She wouldn’t consistently do it. It all boiled down to that she wasn’t serious enough about losing the weight and was not prepared to make the changes…yet. I did suggest seeing a nutritionist or making contact with a specific weight loss organization to provide her with continuing support. However, Jenny was adamant that she could manage herself.

After three months of coaching, Jenny lost 5 kilos. It was certainly better than nothing, however she could have lost much more if only she took the necessary action, consistently.

A few weeks later I rang Jenny to see how she was progressing with the various changes she had made through coaching. She excitedly told me she had finally got her act together as a result of the progress she had made with me, joined Weightwatchers and lost another 20kgs! She got committed.

Dare to Fail
In Billi Lim’s bestselling book “Dare to Fail” he shares the following story:

A woman once walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.

“I couldn’t help noticing how happy you look”, she said. “What’s the secret for a long happy life?’

“I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day’, he said. “I also drink a case of whisky a week, eat fatty foods and never exercise.”

“That’s amazing, the woman said. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six”, he said.

The Final Word
You too can achieve your 2005 goals if you really want to. The goals you set must fit in with your values. For instance if you really value your health and well-being (and you should…you’re no good to anyone if you’re sick or even worse…dead,) then it will be easier for you to take action around this area.

Plan and get off your butt now because it won’t be long until you hear that familiar cry “I’m too busy, I don’t have the time!”

About the Author

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia’s Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including “How to Survive and Thrive at Work!”

Unique Challenges for Women in Business

I’ve been in private practice for almost 10 years, now. I am living my dream; I do what I love to do, the hours I work are the hours I choose to work, and I can often take time off to play with my family or enjoy a friend, if I wish.

But, as most self-employed people, I’m a hard boss, and as a female small business owner, I have much more to do than just ‘work’. As I type this, I am also making lasagna so my husband has something he enjoys eating while I’m out of town for the next few days, working. I also need to fold the laundry that is in the dryer so I can take care of some last minute clothes I want to pack for my trip. Tomorrow I will get up a little earlier than necessary so I can get a quick workout in, then be sure I have my suitcase packed and in the car before I see my first client in the morning, because when I’m out of school, I will leave directly for the airport for my trip. During the trip, if I have all my studying for classes done, I can then start working on my articles and newsletter that will be due soon. I should have all my charting done for my clients before I leave tomorrow, too.

If you are in business for yourself, this probably sounds pretty familiar. If you are just starting out, yes, it sounds scary, and there definitely are days that you will wonder what the heck you are doing, but I am still here to tell you it’s all worth it.

Businesses owned by women are the fastest growing segment of small business owners in the country. Between 1997 and 2004, the estimated growth rate in the number of women-owned businesses was nearly twice that of all businesses. According to the Small Business Association, there are currently 9.1 million women-owned businesses, which employ 27.5 million people and contribute $3.6 trillion to the economy. If you are female and have considered starting up your own business, the time couldn’t be better!

Women are diversifying into all industries, too. Construction, manufacturing and transportation have been the largest recent increases in women-owned firms, although services and retail still make the largest share. Women are more prepared today for running business. The amount of managerial experience, education, business revenue and employment profiles these women have after 10 years of experience equals what took 20 years in the past. Women in business now equal men in these respects.

As mentioned above, although more women are now successfully in business, we do have much more on our plate than just running the business. For women with families, the challenge is to successfully juggle all those responsibilities that go along with running a household that men have traditionally be able to remove themselves while running a business, themselves. So, while doing it all, here are some tips on how to keep your business up and running and thriving and keep your sanity at the same time.

Handling interruptions

Some women run their business out of their home. This is what I do, because much of my practice is email-based. One big interruption that can be quite disruptive is the telephone. When customers call, you want to present a professional face to your business. There are several advantages to getting a separate business line installed in your home. First of all, if you are unable to answer the phone, personally, you will not have family members answering. Just imagine your 7 year old answering the phone… Or your husband takes a message and then loses the number or wrote it down wrong. These two examples send a shudder down my spine. Another advantage is then you can actually have ‘private’ time and know that when you answer your personal phone in the evening that it’s not a potential customer calling for attention.

For people who have an office and still struggle with phone interruptions, set up time for yourself that is only for projects. Two options to handle the phone calls is to either get the call display feature on your phone so you can determine who is calling before answering the phone, or shut the ringer off during that pre-determined time you have set aside for projects.

Another common interruption if your business is based out of your home is from family members. Your daughter just got a paper cut, your husband wants to share the news on the TV. If you are in the middle of something that needs your full attention, you can let them know that you are unavailable at the moment but will be with them shortly. Just be sure to then keep your word. This way they will all respect your requests when you make them. Another helpful tip is to not have your workspace in the middle of all the household activity. If you have a separate room you can set your office in, then you can also remove yourself from the noises of the family at necessary times.

For people with an office, this is less likely to happen often with family. However, you may be subject to sales reps, etc. Often just a sign on the door saying no solicitations can be enough to discourage drop-in sales people.

When your list is overwhelming

When you own your own business, there are always things you really want to get done. Now. With a family as well, your attention can be torn in multiple directions, which can increase stress. As your list of goals for the day or week continues to grow, so does the stress level, however. It is critical that we all set up some type of system to organize ourselves.

First of all, something I cannot do without is a daily list of goals. I keep my list small, so I’m able to feel a sense of accomplishment by the end of each day. Because I have a master list in my marketing calendar, I can always add new things to my day, but it’s better to add than feel overwhelmed by not accomplishing too many things. Make sure you prioritize your list, too. At least this way, if you do not accomplish everything, the most important things did get done.

Next, where can you delegate to others? It may be either in your business or your home. Perhaps your spouse can pick up the dry cleaning or the kids. Maybe a parent can help out here and there. Could you use help in your business? Consider an assistant. I have a Virtual Assistant who is like a third arm to me, now. I am able to accomplish twice as much, now, since I’ve hired my VA.

Third, how organized you and your office are will make a big difference in how you feel from day to day. For those with an office, if you don’t have a back room, you may need to always appear orderly and organized. Just make sure you’re not creating piles in places people cannot see. For people with a home-based business, it may either be harder or easier to let things pile up and get out of control. Here are a few tips: Get boxes like the in-box and out-box and use them. For items that need filing, put them in one box and before the end of your day, file them accordingly, with the goal that you always have an empty ‘file’ box. You may also need a box for ‘projects’. Put dates of completion on the projects, and then keep yourself on track with your marketing calendar.

Next, really take a look at how you are using your time. For a day or two, write down every single thing you do, then sit back and analyze it to see how you can become more productive. E-mail can suck the time right out of a day. I have found that prioritizing my email makes a huge difference in how much time I have each day. I have created files for many of my professional listservs, and only when I am done with my daily list, if I have time left, then I can read through some of them.

Something that self-employed people can easily forget about is taking care of themselves. Schedule in time, every day, for some ‘down time’. Maybe that is when you will exercise, just take a walk, take a short afternoon nap, play with the kids outside. Something to break up the day so that your productive and creative juices continue to flow through the day. The advantage of being the boss is you can schedule in these times. Everything we do is a choice, so when someone says they have no time for something, like self-care, this is a choice we make. To be successful in business and life means being successful in health and considering life as a full package, rather than one segment is healthy and another is not. Balance.

Certainly some of these tips apply to men in business as well, however, women in business do truly have more ‘hats’ to wear, and women must make that conscious effort to maintain that balance to be successful in business and in life.

About the author:
Marjorie Geiser is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. Marjorie has been the owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996, and now helps other nutrition professionals start up their own private practice. To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at www.marjoriegeiser.comor email her at margie@megfit.com