Tracking goals, regular fitness, setting up habits – that’s all possible if you’re motivated and disciplined. We already know this; however, when we read this post on Reddit, we were amazed by the outstanding progress made by the author, therealleotrotsky in a relatively short time!
Since he agreed to publish his achievements on our Blog, we’re proud to share his words. Read, get inspired and follow his determination :)
About 18 months ago I dropped about 40 lbs on (Ketogenic Diet). I decided to build on that success by adding a series of keystone habits to improve my quality of life. This is my progress (both successes and failures) so far:
Habit 1: Daily Tracking of Calories. I started this at the tail end of keto using My Fitness Pal. This was pretty easy to maintain, as it’s right on my phone, I didn’t want to gain back the weight, and I wanted to maintain my streak (currently 585 days). Success 100%.
Habit 2: Tracking Daily/Weekly/Monthly Tasks. I still felt like my life was a bit out of control, and that I wasn’t contributing enough to the daily chores of the household, which left the burden to fall on my wonderful wife. Nozbe was my solution to both of those. I created a series of recurring activities that allowed me to stay on top of my work projects and to make sure I wasn’t dropping the ball at home. Success 100%.
Habit 3: Track Monthly, Yearly Goals. Nozbe took care of my daily chores and activities, but it didn’t address my big picture plans or goals. For that I needed something else. I created a recurring activity in Nozbe that pointed to a note in Evernote titled “Monthly, Yearly Goals” which I review and update monthly. I also have a weekly reminder to mentally recommit to my monthly goals. Success 90%: Sometimes I don’t take the time necessary to rethink my goals on a monthly basis, and treat it more like a check in; I’m working on this.
NOTE: Notice that all of these first habits have been different forms of tracking? This was accidental on my part, but I think it’s contributed to the success of these and other habits I’ve added over the course of the last 18 months. You treasure what you measure.
Habit 4: Lift Weights 5x per week. I added this because of all of the health benefits of weight training. I found my routine on /r/Fitness (it’s a PPL routine) and I track (yep) my routine using Jefit, which is a free app to download. Weight training gives me a sense of daily accomplishment that helps with mood (particularly in winter) and when other aspects of my life aren’t progressing as quickly as I’d like. I’ve recently found it’s a great way to spend my lunch hour. This habit has spawned two other habits as a result. First, I need to take a cold shower after every workout to cool down sufficiently to put my suit back on. That’s awesome. Second, I’ve needed to start packing my lunch so that I have time to fit the gym in during my lunch hour. Success 100%.
Habit 5: Keeping a Daily Journal. I read that this was one of those ‘keystone’ habits, so I decided to add it. It was really easy. I just created a recurring activity in Nozbe linked to a template in Evernote, and I make a quick entry in the morning and in the evening. Success 75%: I’m batting 1000 with the morning journal, but since I put the kids to bed sometimes I overlook or skip the evening journal. I’m working on it.
“Nozbe took care of my daily chores and activities. This is my progress”
Tweet Quote
Habit 6: Reading at Least a Chapter of a Worthwhile Business or Self-improvement Book. This was triggered by my journal habit, because one of the prompts was, “What did you read today?” I realized that often the answer was, “Nothing.” Fixing it was pretty easy. I created a recurring activity in Nozbe linked to a note in Evernote with a list of books I want to read. Many of the books are available as a PDF, the rest I can pick up on Kindle. A chapter isn’t very much, and it’s better than watching TV. Success 100%.
Habit 7: Meditate 10 Minutes Daily. This is where I start to break down. Meditation was one of the earliest habits I started, and it’s been the most difficult to set into a groove and maintain. At one point I managed to get my kids to do a “relaxation exercise” (a guided meditation) with me at their bedtime, but eventually they got tired of it and so I lost my anchor. I’m still working on this. Success 20%.
Habit 8: Running for Cardio Health. I got up to 45 minutes a day, 3 times a week, and hated every minute of it. I’m trying to start a walking habit instead after dinner, but it’s been tough. Particularly since I put the kids to bed. Success 10%.
Habit 9: The 5:2 Fast Diet. It’s my most recent habit (2 weeks in). Basically two days a week you reduce your food intake to 600 kcal. I’m following it both for fat loss and because fasting gives me the same spartan discipline kick as cold showers do.
So that’s where I’m at. Thanks for letting me share.
Impressive, isn’t it? :) Now it’s your turn: share in a comment what you accomplished in the last few months and what your plan is for 2017!
