dogged dedication
I read a great post this week from Doug Robb on his HealthHabits blog titled "the eat like a dog diet." Here is the short version:
Wife began to diet and exercise as a way to get healthy. Shortly thereafter, Husband and Dog were put on a healthier diet (not by their choice). 3 months later, the Dog had done the best job of losing weight!
(no - those aren't really the same dogs!)
So what did the dog do better than the husband or the wife?
- He never cheated on his diet. He ate what he was given, then he was done eating. No snacks, no desserts, no seconds, no cheat days.
- He never skipped a workout. Tired, lazy, sluggish, sore, busy.. whatever the excuse, the dog never used it. Anytime anybody grabbed the leash, he went for a workout.
- Consistency over time. The dog didn't win by having one good day, or even one good week. It's the accumulation of those good days, one after the other, which turn into weeks and then months - that's where results are achieved.
Slow and steady, a little bit at a time - is the way to big, lasting change.
So, can you be as dedicated as the dog?
Chris Butterworth
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That's good advice! I found that I have problems when I give myself a choice, but if I pack and bring everything for the work week on Monday, I find that I never cheat at all. This is the food I eat. It's because I obviously am not good at making choices on the spot... there is a reason I gained weight in the first place!
ReplyDeleteDiscipline like that isn't easy - takes a lot of effort and motivation to prep your lunches for the whole week. But once you do I bet the payoff feels good! Gotta be proud of completing a good week. :)
ReplyDeleteChoices in the moment are hard for everyone - if you can figure out how to avoid your kryptonite you're ahead of the crowd. I can eat a bite or two of a candy bar, and I'm fine. But if I dip my fingers into the Red Vines jar I'm a goner - so I avoid it as best as I can..