The Power of Less

I've been reading the book, The Power of Less by Leo Babauta and the above quote is in the Introduction.  This quote really struck me.  It kind of goes with the "don't sweat the small stuff" way of thinking, but I like the use of the word "essential."  

This is a great way to look at any goals you have for your life.  What is essential for you?  What is necessary?  What do you truly want to achieve?

Since this is what I do, I'm going to focus on health and fitness.  Take a moment and write down what's truly important for you in your life as far as your health and fitness goes right now.  This is the best place to start. Then focus on one thing at a time to make it happen.

I know that I've been spending a lot of time writing about goals--how to make them and how to keep them.  But, really, isn't that the most important thing we need to know how to do in order to change our habits and ultimately our life?

Leo Babauta also has a blog entitled Zen Habits.  In it he shares insights and his personal journey in the power of less.  I found two early entries pertaining to getting healthy.  Part 1 is about setting goals for healthy eating, and Part 2 is the exercise edition.  Both of these entries echo what I have been trying to get across in my last few posts.

Another book I've been reading is from "transformation specialist" Chris Powell, from Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition, entitled  Choose More, Lose More for Life.  In it he talks about making "power promises" similar to those mentioned in the above blog posts, but he adds mind to the equation as well.  I really liked this approach and it is what my New Year's Day post was based on.  Some of you might be having trouble coming up with some promises, so I've adapted my own list similar to the one in Chris' book.

Read over the list, there will be some that you already do--put a check-mark by those.  More importantly, there will be some that jump right off the page for you.  These are the ones to pay attention to.  In my earlier post I wanted you to choose three from each category, but I'm going to change that to just one--one really important one, the one you need to focus on the most.   When you see it, you will know what it is.  If you put all your focus and energy on these three (one from each category) goals, you are more likely to be successful than trying to focus on too many things at once.

Of course as I stated before, if you look at the list and see some really easy ones that you don't consider to be a challenge, go ahead and do those as well.  The point is not to get overwhelmed.

Food Promises--I will:

 1.  Eat one or more servings of vegetables every day (preferably more, but at least one).

 2.  Avoid drinks with refined sugar

 3.  Cut down on alcohol.

 4.  Drink water before each meal.

 5.  Use a smaller coffee cup or drink ½ caff or decaf.

 6.  Eat only when I am truly hungry, but not starving (exception if you have blood sugar issues and need to eat more often).

 7.  Eat protein at every meal.

 8.  Quit grazing on junk food in the afternoon.

 9.  Keep healthy snacks on hand at home, work and anywhere else I eat.

10.  Stop eating my kids’ food.

11.  Brush my teeth after meals to signal that the eating is over.

12.  Pack or plan out each day’s snacks and lunch in the morning when I’m fresh and motivated.

13.  Plan out each week’s meal on Sunday or Monday.

14.  Stop eating in the car.

15.  Say no to bad fast food.

16.  Put half of every restaurant meal in a take out container before I start eating (if portions are large).

17.  Eat my entree from a salad plate (if portion control is an issue).

18.  Fill half of my plate with vegetables.

19.  Eat a healthy salad or cup of soup before the rest of my meal.

20.  Skip seconds of higher calorie food--if still hungry, have seconds of veggies

21.  Get rid of all processed foods.

22.  Get rid of all foods containing hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.

23.  Make my food from scratch using the healthiest and purest ingredients.

24.  Avoid shopping in the middle aisles of the grocery store.

25.  Grill, steam or bake instead of frying my food.

26.  Use healthy oils--olive, coconut

27.  Eat less salt.

28.  Pay attention to how my body feels after eating.

29.  Keep a food journal.

30.  Find healthy substitutions and upgrades for the unhealthy processed foods that I am eating.

31.  Occasionally enjoy my favorite foods in moderation so that I don’t feel deprived (following 80/20 rule).

32.  Stop using food as a reward.

33.  Eat a whole lot more vegetables of different colors.

34.  Eat a piece of fruit every day.

35.  Eat more wild caught fish.

36.  Try new recipes that are free of gluten, refined sugar and dairy.  

37.  Eat less pasta -- no more than once a week.

38.  Eat less bread -- ½ of what I’m currently eating.

Body Promises--I will:

39.  Stay away from the couch, which is a magnet for my butt.

40.  Walk instead of drive wherever I can.

41.  Park farther from the entrance to wherever I am going.

42.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

43.  Take a brisk walk in the morning for energy.

44.  Walk the kids to school.

45.  Get up from my desk and walk around for five minutes every hour.

46.  Take a walk during my breaks and lunch hour.

47.  Go for a walk with the family after dinner instead of watching TV.

48.  Walk the dog.

49.  Do my own housework.

50.  Find ways to exercise while doing housework--dance, do squats and lunges.

51.  Mow my lawn with a push mower.

52.  Wash the car by hand.

53.  Exercise for five minutes 2-3 times a day.

54.  Put my workouts on the calendar and keep those appointments.

55.  Exercise during commercials.

56.  Choose cardio exercises that take me outdoors into the fresh air.

57.  Join an exercise class or gym.

58.  Take a new class or try a new exercise.

59.  Sign up for a community or charity walk/race.

60.  Ride a bike more.

61.  Sit up straight.

62.  Keep track of my workouts.

63.  Stand instead of sitting whenever I can.

64.  Smoke one less cigarette a day.

65.  Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier than usual.

66.  Remember to stretch the muscles used after each workout.

67.  Stand on one foot while I brush my teeth--change legs halfway through.

68.  Do flexibility exercises 2-3 times a week.

69.  Floss my teeth everyday.

Mind Promises--I will:

70.  Look myself in the mirror every day and say, “I am worth it.”

71.  Breathe deeply.

72.  Put on workout clothes the minute I get up in the morning.

73.  Keep a checklist of non-negotiable things I must do every day.

74.  Practice a 5 minute meditation every day.

75.  Keep my changes basic and reasonable.

76.  Set small weekly goals instead of big, long-term goals.

77.  Say “I will” instead of “I want” and “I can” instead of “I can’t.”

78.  Act, instead of thinking about acting.

79.  Count my day’s accomplishments each night.

80.  Reward myself for my accomplishments (but not with food).

81.  Forgive myself for one failure a day.

82.  Find something good about myself every day, instead of something that is wrong with me.

83.  Stop eating automatically while watching TV or using the computer.

84.  Practice mindful eating--pay attention to what, when, where, how and why while eating.

85.  Allow myself to say “No thank you, I don’t eat this.”

86.  Use food to nourish my body, not mask my emotions.

87.  Stop eating my sadness.

88.  Stop eating out of boredom.

89.  Make a point of sitting down to meals with the family.

90.  Pay attention to the way I feel before, during and after eating.

91.  Share my feelings with others.

92.  Give myself permission to cry.

93.  List my emotional and food triggers and stay away from them.

94.  Avoid negative and unhealthy people who bring me down.

95.  Surround myself with like-minded people.

96.  Get support.

97.  Ask someone I can trust to hold me accountable for my promises.

98.  Take control of one decision each day and don’t let anyone else make it for me.

99.  Remind myself each day that “nobody will do it for me.”

Next, we will begin with Fitness 101.