Pinch and a punch for the first day of the month. I can't believe Christmas is nearly here. Where has the year gone?! What did you all get in your advent calender? I got a Christmas Tree in my Cadbury's calender and it tasted SO good. Am I the only one who wants to rip open all the other windows and eat all the chocolate???
As the "norm" when you go away on an holiday, I put on a few lbs, so as it's December 1st I thought it would be a good time to lose a few lbs before I stuff my face silly on Christmas Day.
Sometimes I wonder if the only reason why I go on a diet is so I'm light enough to eat more food on certain special days of the year without feeling guilty. For example I need to be at my lightest so I can eat chocolate eggs at Easter, pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, cake on my Birthday and everything in sight on Christmas Day!
When I lost 70lbs, I kept my diet really simple just because I knew I'd probably give up if it's too complicated and hard. What I basically did was have a daily to do list. On my to do list I had everything written down that I needed to do in the day. This included the very basics such as brushing my teeth to the more difficult tasks such as walking over 10,000 steps per day. I knew that if I was ticking off everything I needed to do in the day, I would be on the right path to lose weight. Simple. It also meant that if I wasn't losing weight, I could look back over the week and see what I didn't do on my list. It helped me have a set routine, which I think is vital when you're losing weight and in my opinion it helps keep the diet organised and easy.
I'll be doing a similar plan during December which looks like the following:
Mon Example
|
Tues Example
|
|
> 7 Hours Sleep
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✓ - 7hrs
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x - 5hrs
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Brush Teeth AM
|
✓
|
✓
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Moisturise AM
|
✓
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x
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Breakfast
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Bowl of Fruit & Fibre Cereal. Cherry Yogurt
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Bowl of Porridge
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Lunch
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Ham & Cheese Bagel
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BLT sandwich
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Dinner
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Fish & Chips
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Chicken Curry
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Fruit and Veg 1
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Banana
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Banana
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Fruit and Veg 2
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Tomatoes
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Tomatoes
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Fruit and Veg 3
|
Garden Peas
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Lettuce
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Fruit and Veg 4
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Apple
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Potatoes
|
Fruit and Veg 5
|
Grapes
|
x
|
Water – Pint 1
|
✓
|
✓
|
Water – Pint 2
|
✓
|
✓
|
Water – Pint 3
|
✓
|
x
|
Water – Pint 4
|
✓
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x
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Additional Snacks
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Chocolate bar
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None
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Moisturise PM
|
✓
|
✓
|
Brush Teeth PM
|
✓
|
✓
|
> 50 Push Ups
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✓- 55
|
✓- 40
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> 50 Sit Ups
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✓- 60
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✓- 0
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Total Steps
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14,002
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17,433
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Exercise
|
5-a-side Football
|
20 mins on the treadmill |
I will fill this in every day and at the end of each week I will see what I need to change for the following week in order to make sure I am doing well. I decided to add in 'Moisturise' to winter-proof my skin just because it dries out so quickly when walking to and from work every day. The cold air/wind gives the skin a bit of a battering and when you enter into your warm house or office, I expect that might feel good but I'm sure it contributes in the skin drying. I'm definitely no expert, I'm a man, I know nothing about stuff like this, so please tell me if I'm wrong!! On my list I've also got the basic 5-a-day fruit and veg, 4 pints of water (which is just over a couple of litres a day) and I also want to start tracking what snacks I eat just because December is an easy time to stuff my face silly with chocolates.
If you had a daily to do list, what would you put on yours?
I love the idea of this list!! Its such a good way to make you get into better habits
ReplyDeleteThis is great. You can't help feel better when you see what you've done each day.
ReplyDeleteAt my job, our company has a big focus on wellness so they have an online tracking system for exercise and behaviors around eating and healthy lifestyle. We just click on a checklist for each day and click that we did or didn't do things. We earn points for all the good behaviors and that converts to money our company puts back in to our health spending accounts for our insurance. great right? Your list already covers some of it.
Some of the things they count you might want to consider: taking a multivitaminm limiting caffeine to 200-300 mg a day, having a healthy breakfast, limiting salt intake, watching portion control.
Loving your list. Great itdea to keep you accountable.
ReplyDeleteI love that you have made moisturising one of your daily goals. I can't emphasise how important it is to moisturise your skin. As someone with a skin condition (ezcema) it is something I cannot avoid. I would advice creaming up after going in the shower/bath as the water can strip healthy oils in your skin. I always moisturise after a shower or a bath otherwise my skin is dry and tight.
Another piece of advice is get the right kind of cream for your skin type. Do you have dry? Oily? Combination? Maybe have a skin consultation, pretty sure Boots do them. I have dry and sensitive skin, so I have to pick creams that will help add more moisture. I use Aveeno and one by Eau Thermale Avene, both can be found in Boots. I also have a nice coconut butter bar - they are great for moisturising and all natural! Check out the ingredients on creams, like you would do food. I have to avoid parabens (they're a preservative) as I am allergic to them but they are a known carcinogenic (cancer causing). Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) is another to try and avoid, it breaks down the skin's moisture barrier and is a knwon skin irritant, it's a pesticide and herbicide and used to kill plants and insects. I would advocate using a more natural/organic brand if you can. Hope that helps. Do a quick Google search and you'll find tonnes of handy info :)
I'm totally the same about losing weight to eat more. I want to lose a few more pounds so I can enjoy myself over Christmas.
OK, essay over! Sorry if I have bombarded you, I just know all this stuff with having eczema.
Love this list idea esp writing your fruit and veg as portions.
ReplyDeleteYeah, moisturizing is a great idea, and maybe get a lip balm too so they stay soft (ready for kisses under the mistletoe).
That is such a simple & brilliant idea!
ReplyDeleteGreat list dude!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! May have to "borrow" it!
ReplyDeleteThis looks very doable, and I know you'll do a fantastic job. btw - I absolutely loved following you on Instagram during your vacation. It looks like you had a most fantastic time :)
ReplyDeleteOn my daily to do list, it would be to drink more water, exercise for at least an hour (more would be good) & to not eat a damn thing.LOL OK, not realistic, but feeling "mad" today about my weight.
ReplyDeleteI love this to-do list. It's brilliant. I might adapt that for myself! x
ReplyDeleteI use lots of food routines, but I don't use lists as this usually backfires. However, I do need extra guidelines for the Christmas season that I'm working out.
ReplyDeleteTypically I overeat when appetizers and desserts are added to a meal, but I find that if I establish a plan beforehand, I have a better chance of getting through the social event satisfied but not overstuffed.
Having said that, I fully support the idea that it matters what you eat between new years and Christmas, not what you eat between Christmas and New Years!
Great idea!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of a daily chart to fill in and keep track of your progress. I generally write things down, but this looks like a much more disciplined way of doing things. I may steal this idea ;)
ReplyDeleteOk, I giggled a little when I saw moisturize on your list, so I was glad when you explained further down in the post. Just isn't something you hear a man talk about often. Yes - it's a good thing to do if you get dry winter skin. I believe the best time to put on moisturizer is right after you get out of the shower and dry off when your skin is still a little damp.
ReplyDelete