We are introducing Ashley Hull as a new writer for GoBulrey. She will be covering the new series “Ashley is Fat on Healthy” for all interested in health issues. Welcome to GoBurley Ashley!
It has been said that if you don’t know where you are going there are a thousand ways to get there. Similarly, if you have a goal, a dream, an endpoint, you have direction. You can build focus and work towards that goal. If you don’t set goals you can never achieve them. This is what we are going to talk about today. Setting your goal and the framework for what you want to do or where you want to be.
First, to determine where you want to go, you have to be clear on where you are. If you are going to go on a road trip you might want to find out what city you are in so you can figure out the roads you have to take to get to the cities you want to travel through. Notice I didn’t say the city you want as your final destination. Health is never a final destination. Rather, it is a constant road trip exploring different areas of the whole health map and learning about each health aspect you travel through.
First order of business, get your bearings. Find out your weight. Find out your body measurements. Determine if you have high cholesterol, low blood sugar, gluten intolerance, food allergies. Thank kind of thing. To know how to deal with a monster, you have to know what kind of monster you are dealing with. I know a lot of people don’t like to get on a scale, and I completely understand that. Weight is only one tool for measuring success. Other tools you can try are measuring your body fat content, Body Mass Index (BMI), dress size and as mentioned previously, your body measurements. The scale is a good indicator whether you are headed in the right direction, but it is not the be-all end-all of health success. I would be more concerned with someone that has a cholesterol level of 235 than with a person that simply weighs 20 more pounds than what they are “supposed to”. So, determine what you are going to use as your health indicators and start to track those.
Second, you have to determine a plan of action that you believe that can 1) help you get where you want to go, 2) you can live with, and 3) one that people can live with you while you are doing. Here’s the thing. My husband and I get a long very well and we have a great relationship, but when I was doing the Atkins Diet (OF THE DEVIL!!!) I was this close to punching his face in about every 2 minutes. DIETS MAKE ME CRANKY!!! And chances are they will make you cranky too. So choose something that you can live with and function like a normal human being where you don’t feel like your going to be sent to prison every five seconds. The goal is a healthy life, not another crash diet that will inevitably fail you in the end. And believe me, it is diets that fail people, not people that fail on diets, but I will leave the “diet” talk for another day. Also, make sure to set goals and make rewards for meeting those goals. Remember, small goals lead to bigger goals, and bigger goals lead to even bigger goals. Start small. Make a goal to work out 3 times a week. Make a goal to eat 3 servings of vegetables instead of granola (which consequently is not that great of a health food). Goals are the catalyst that motivates us humans to act.
Three, eat something healthy! You deserve to have a plan that has a nutritional aspect to it. You can start out small, but just get going. Decide that you are going to give up refined sugar for more natural sugars. Substitute processed white flower with whole grain pastas and brown rice. Now, I know you are thinking, “this Ashley girl has no idea what she is asking me to do. I can’t live without my Sarah Lee white bread and my Little Debbie Hostess Cakes!” Believe me, no one is more addicted to white flower and refined sugar than I am. And, I am not saying that you can’t eat it, I am just saying don’t eat it all day every day.
I make it a point to have a treat or a snack EVERY DAY. I allow myself to indulge a little every day and revisit the love relationship I have with food. And it is ok to do that. It keeps you sane, it keeps you human and I believe it keeps you on track with your goals (you know, those things we talked about in the last paragraph). Allow yourself to still love food. Just allow yourself to stretch and do some things that aren’t exactly comfortable for you either. Take a risk and try something new. Something different, something just a little healthier. Maybe something with olive oil as opposed to vegetable or canola oil. Try sweetening your protein shake with stevia instead of chemical death sugars like aspartame and sucralose. Your body will thank you down the road.
Lastly, get moving! Studies show that even 30 minutes of mild exercise 3 times a week can have huge benefits for your overall health! Personally, because I am crazy, I work out 2 times a day 6 times a week. But that is because I am going to compete in a beauty pageant in a couple months with a bunch of Blonde Barbies who have never had to count calories or worry about fat grams in their life. What I would recommend for someone who is mostly sedentary and has never attempted working out would be to start with a brisk walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week. Slowly work up to 5 times a week and then maybe consider looking at alternative exercise methods. One that I actually love right now is getting a really good workout video. Not only does it give you a good workout, but you can sit there and laugh at the crazy instructors and the suckers who actually signed up to be in the video! My personal favorite is the Biggest Loser Cardio Max Workout Video. My butt is still hurting from that one!
So there you go, 1) take measurements, 2) make a plan for small yet significant adjustments and 3) get moving! You have a whole life to enjoy, so make it healthy and happy. Do what works for you and that gets you the results you are looking for, not what someone else says you should be, look like or do. This is your life! So live it, and live it well!
Ashley Hull
