What did you do today?

This question occurred to me in terms of achieving goals. We have to work at our goals every day, not just “in general.” As such, we have to squeeze in goal achievement into our regular lives of work, parenting, house maintenance, friends, family, etc. even though we have many distractions from our goals.

And so: what did you do today to work towards your goal? We can’t put it off until we have more time, until tomorrow, until the weekend, etc. We have to take little steps towards our goals every day or else we won’t achieve them.

Personally, I was not a good example, Saturday, because I didn’t take any of the steps I outlined to achieve my goals! That’s fine, for one day. But multiply that by 30 days, and I haven’t achieved my goal for the month! There may be days when I can’t work towards my goal, when it’s just not going to happen that day. That’s fine, once or twice a week. However, if I can stop myself during the day and ask myself what I’ve done to accomplish my goal, then I can regroup and still end the day with a positive response. Better yet, if I can wake up and plan ahead, then I can surely answer this question positively every day. If I can answer it positively most days, then I will accomplish my goal.

So, what did you do today?

Goal for October

New month, new goal: By the end of October, I will have smaller love handles and all my winter clothes will fit. I accomplished this goal successfully in Aug. 2007 and maintained it for months (until I became overworked and over-stressed in the spring 2008).

Steps to Achieving my Goal:
1. Measure my waist-hips and cardio output to have a starting point.
2. Do abdominal endurance exercises 5x/week.
3. Add 10% more cardio (time, distance, calories, whatever) to burn more calories.
4. Eat more healthily & conscientiously, following the SWEET Life Plan.
5. Drink more water, 8 cups/day.

Obstacles to Achieving my Goal:
1. It takes more time to do the above; however, these are all things I can do with my kids, so they don’t take my little “alone-time.”
2. Being gone all day (like the past 2 days) it’s difficult to follow the SWEET Life Plan; however, one person I introduced it to remarked that it’s easy to carry around one piece of paper. I’d really like it to be online, so perhaps this is an incentive to make that happen . . .

So, to get started, October 1, I woke up and took my weight and measurements. Shockingly large waist! When I biked to pick up the girls from preschool & daycare, I measured my cardio output: 49 min., 8.78 miles, 567 calories, 10.8 ave. mph. (Having the fancy training watch helps!) Step #1 is done!

Accomplishments of the Past 6 Weeks

August 18 I set a goal to exercise 5 x/week, including ab exercises. I’m happy to report that since then, I have exercised 5x/week, 2x toning exercises and 3x cardio. Occasionally, they have been “low intensity” workouts, but most have been “moderate” to “high” intensity. That’s 30 workouts in 6 weeks! I’m proud of myself for accomplishing that goal. I definitely feel stronger and more toned. I can bike better (in higher gears), too.

But I didn’t do abs 5x/week. My abs are strong; I can do really difficult ab exercises, but they don’t have endurance. You know how you wake up with the flattest stomach of the day? Well, mine is hanging out by noon. The ulterior motive of my goal of exercising more often was to fit into my clothes better, and I fit into some a little better.

In the end, although I often had to think about how I was going to fit in a workout that day, I am happy to have accomplished my goal. I know I am a stronger, healthier person for doing it that often and I feel better overall. I also know it’s not over. I can’t just stop now; I have to continue exercising 5x/week. The goal was just to establish the habit. Now I have the habit, and I know it’s a good habit to have. . .

Next time, my goals for October. . .

Initial Improvements!

Yea! I’m starting to notice some progress after 2 ½ weeks of commitment to exercising 5x/week! (Of course, it always takes 2 weeks or so before starting to see improvements in a health/fitness program.)

I’ve been biking, rather than driving, when possible, and I’ve noticed my legs are getting stronger. I’m downshifting less and upshifting more.

Also, I’ve been swimming laps once a week and have noticed I’ve improved my cardio. I can swim 10 laps non-stop more easily than before.

Most importantly, my girth is decreasing! A couple of my tops that used to be too snug, now, fit in the belly!

That’s my real goal: for all my clothes to fit me comfortably again. Even so, I hop on the scale now and then and have gained 2 lb. since starting this venture. Nine months ago the scale read 7 lb. less than now, but if all my clothes fit, I don’t care what the scale says.

This weekend, I’ve got to make up for the 2 days this week that I skipped exercising. Now that I’m starting to see progress, I need to be sure to keep it up!

End of the Week Follow-Up

Why am I surprised that I actually followed through with my goal plan (to figure out a time to exercise every weekday)? I did it! It’s Saturday and I already exercised 5 times this week! Hmm, when was the last time I actually did that?! (beyond saying I’m going to). Huh!

Here’s the breakdown:

• · Monday: 35 min. cardio at the gym after my shift at 9 p.m., plus 15 min. of abs & stretching.
• Tuesday: 30 min. of toning exercises from a magazine after a stretch class
• Wednesday: same as Monday
• Thursday: 30 min. of toning exercises from a magazine first thing in the morning
• Friday: swam 50 laps (30 laps freestyle, 20 laps kicking) after teaching Aqua Aerobics

The swimming was easier than I had anticipated. I don’t swim laps often, and the last time I did (last month?) I had a hard time swimming 10 laps non-stop. This time I did it more easily, so that’s good.

So how do I feel? Well, not any stronger or slimmer or more fit. In the last two weeks, when I’ve exercised 5x/wk., I’ve gained 2 lb., feel the same, and my clothes fit the same. L Not encouraging. But I have to keep up the faith that things will change in the long run. Two weeks isn’t long enough to achieve any fitness goal; I need to give it at least a month. I only feel a small sense of accomplishment at achieving my weekly goal. Beyond that, I have to know that I have had “invisible” improvements.

New, One-Month Goal: Exercise 5 days/wk

I’m having all my Personal Training clients set one-month goals, so I am too. My problem is that my goal since May -- to fit into all my clothes again – has become stale, so I set a new goal: to exercise 5 times a week, including abs. I’ve been good at 3-4 times a week, but that 5^th day is a really tough one. That used to be a habit; now it’s a goal!

Steps to achieving my goal: Figure out a 30-60 min. time each day to do it!

1. Monday, 30-45 min. of cardio + abs after my shift at HBC: 9:00 p.m.

2. Tuesday & Thursday, 30-40 min. of toning exercises at either 6:30 a.m. (if I sleep well) or at 11:00 a.m. (before I take a stretch class at noon).

3. Wednesday, 30-40 min. of running at 6:30 a.m. If not, 9:00 p.m. cardio, after my shift.

4. Friday, 30 min. of cardio either before or after I teach Aqua Aerobics at 10:30

5. If I skip a weekday, this weekend I’ll make-up that damn 5^th day.

Obstacles to achieving my goal are:

1. Lack of a regular exercise schedule

2. Chaotic sleep pattern (depending on whether my kids wake up during the night)

3. Toddlers to raise alone 11 hr/day

Ways to work around the Obstacles:

1. Plan when the best time will be each day, being flexible

2. Either push through the fatigue or have alternate exercise times planned

3. Tu, Th, F put the girls in the HBC Childcare Center while exercising there