How Making Rules Can Help You

According to Merriam-Webster, discipline is a “rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity.” This is perfect. In order to fight weight gain, we have to discipline ourselves to follow some rules. Every morning DECIDE how we will feel, what we will eat, if we will exercises, etc. It is all a choice, and we all have the power.

RULES YOU COULD INCORPORATE TO HELP YOURSELF:

1. Banned language: For the next several weeks, do not allow yourself to say, “Just this once". If you pay close attention, a ‘just this once’ situation comes up practically every day. You go to a work party….You take spouse out for a birthday dinner…Someone brings a meal by your house because you’ve been sick….Your co-worker brings in the leftover pizza from last night’s party…Your child has leftover Valentine’s Day candy….Skipping a workout...Sound familiar?

You have to say no every single time, or at least 90% of the time. Otherwise, you will never get ahead. Just grit your teeth, resist what others are having and make good food choices. I’m not saying it is easy, I am saying it is necessary if you want to achieve a transformation.

2. Plan your occasional splurge, and do not deviate from the plan. Unending deprivation is never a good idea, but you have to be intentional about the time, place and food that you let yourself splurge on. Love the hot wings at your favorite restaurant? Then let’s make a deal. Eat like you know you should for ten days. No cheating, and then at the end of those ten days, go have the wings, guilt free. Just enjoy them. Then set the next goal, but you are not allowed to deviate from your plan in the meantime. If you do, you lose the wings. Don’t waste your fun calories on something that doesn’t compare to those wings! Set a fun meal each week!

3. Keep moving. Exercise is not an optional activity. Now more than ever you have to get your body in motion. Exercise is very effective at preventing weight gain—and that is what we’re after right now. Don’t even worry so much about losing pounds; just work to keep the scale-creep from happening to you. Try to get some cardio in at least five days a week. I have some fantastic workout e-books to help you get started in the gym if you need some guidance! A great quote to keep in mind is "an object in motion stays in motion, while an object at rest stays at rest".

4. Not eating past 9 pm. Or whatever time fits your schedule. Literally close down the kitchen and brush your teeth! If you need something, it's water. By 9 pm, most people have gotten in enough nutrition for the day. As we sleep, our digestive system slows down and food doesn't covert as efficiently. It's a good idea to start eating early, and finish eating early. You don't have to follow this every single day, but how about Monday - Thursday?

Rules don't have to be negative. We can use rules as a tool to help build our discipline skills. What rules can you make for yourself this week that you think you can stick to?

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