One day

Last week my trainer friend reminded me in her blog that 80% of weight loss is food-related and only 20% is exercise-related.  Dagnabbit - that's why I can't eat whatever I want, whenever I want and have all those calories and more just magically melt away in the gym.  I was thinking about that in the gym this morning, wondering whether all the work I was doing would make up for my pre-workout apple.


Thanks to another friend, I came across this article that has some reasonable tips.


I've got two good articles and a headful of knowledge.  So what gives?  Why do I still have legs resembling the trunks of hundred-year-old trees?  You'd think by now I'd at least be down to 10-year-old trees.  But no.  My focus shifts from here to there, as I'm sure yours does.  Thinking about one thing all the time is not only boring, but in real life it's nearly impossible.


The trick for me is to get these healthy habits to stick in my noggin.  So I'm back to the drawing board.  I've printed out a food diary for today ("Only track your food intake on the days you want to lose weight").  I think I'll bribe myself.  If I keep an accurate journal today, I'll....  I'll what? 


???


Well, I'll have the success of having accomplished what for me is a near impossible feat: overcoming, even for one day, the baggage I carry into food journaling.  I'll have a diary of what I ate.  I'll have hopefully caused myself to eat healthier than I did yesterday.  I'll  have taken a step toward my goal.


So maybe I don't need to bribe myself with a tangible treat.  Maybe I can learn to overcome the need for instant gratification or reward.  Maybe I can learn to stick to it.