It's time to get serious about your health: Make a Contract With Yourself!

We are always talking about doing something to improve our health. Most of us have made several attempts to "get healthy" in the course of our lifetimes, but many of us feel like we just never quite follow through with it. Putting the junk-food-eating and couch-potato-sitting habits behind you is to many of us a lot like getting rid of the bottle is to millions of others; or quitting smoking, or drugs, or any other number of bad and unhealthy habits.

Habits can be hard to recognize and admit to for the addicted. Once recognized, they can be even harder to "kick", and are almost always a life-long struggle. As we struggle against our bad habits, we tend to "fall off the wagon"... 'AA' members are probably the most seasoned veterans of "falling off the wagon". :) However, as you overcome the fall and get back on, it gets easier and easier to stay on track.

I don't have a huge problem with exercising, mainly as long as I am doing an exercise that I enjoy and generally it is a BIG help if I am able to exercise with a good friend that I enjoy spending time with. Most people find these two factors to be big keys to their success in exercising properly.

But my real weakness, as it is for many people, is eating properly. I admit it: I AM A JUNK-FOOD JUNKIE! It's true! If you put a nice, healthy, homemade steak and vegetable meal in front of me and then next to it you put a big, fat, greasy Taco Bell meal... I guarantee you the vast majority of the time I would choose the Taco Bell meal!!! Gross, I know, but true. And sad...

Experts say that the best time to set New Year's goals is *NOT* at New Year's time; did you know that??? They say that you should set your goals about this time of year, get on track, make some progress and try and loose just a few pounds... it will put you in a MUCH BETTER POSITION to deal with the Holiday meals! If you focus on eating healthy starting today and getting frequent exercise, when Thanksgiving Dinner comes around, you can eat it to your heart's content without feeling any shame or guilt... or added calories to the belly! One big, fat, ridiculous meal will not hurt you at all; it is the FREQUENT eating like that that will hurt you! The day after Thanksgiving, get back on the wagon! Stay on the wagon and by the time Christmas comes around, you'll be ready to take on the sweets head-on! And as long as you keep the snacking to just a couple of days and IN MODERATION, you'll likely come out of the season having gained no extra weight... that will fuel and stoke your desire to "get healthier"... and the New Year's Day will just give you more momentum to "rededicate" yourself to your goals; goals that instead of being new and hard to deal with, you already have some success with and will more likely "stick with it"!

A great article, written by Chris Zaino, called "Contracting Your Fitness Goals" explains an excellent way to commit yourself to your health and if you take it seriously can be a highly motivating way to charge-ahead with full steam! I have reprinted his article, with his permission, HERE. Here is an excerpt:

"Why not make contracts with yourself? Yes, a real contract, signature and all, to achieving your goals. I am going to give you a simple outline of a contract that you can use to put yourself on track to reaching your goals once and for all... [and] if you followed your ACTION PLAN perfectly for that day, initial that day on your calendar. It will give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day and to see how discipline you are staying towards achieving your goal."

And, of course, this contract idea can be applied to any other goal you wish to set for yourself. Your comments are very welcome!