Day 5: What Works for You?

Flat Top Grill was delicious last night...it never disappoints. I had intended to take a picture to post on here today, but I got so caught up in enjoying it that I forgot. Here's what I put in my stir fry:

Zucchini - 0 points
Celery - 0 points
Asparagus - 0 points
Jicama - 0 points
1/2 c. Brown Rice - 3 points (although I think next time I'll spend a few more points, because that wasn't enough rice.)
1/2 chicken breast - 3 points
2 ladles of Asian Sesame Giner Sauce - 1 point
1 ladle of Red Hot Chili Sauce - 2 points
1 piece of their Roti bread - 3 points

So my Stir Fry istelf only cost 9 points for a huge portion (I estimated that I put about half a cup of each veggie in), and then their divine roti flat bread was an additional 3 points. My dinner cost me 12 points in all, which is pretty good, I think. It was very filling and healthy.

Then we went to the movies and I got my small popcorn with butter. It was delicious, but it upset my stomach later. And I was able to get a small cup for ice without paying for it, but it was only slightly larger than those Dixie paper cups they give you to rinse with at the dentist's office. Oh well.

And in case you were wondering, Alice in Wonderland was just okay to me. Johnny Depp gave a stupendous performance, as he always does, but I found the rest of the film to be a little boring. It didn't hold my attention and excite me like I had hoped it would. I almost wish there had been more colors in it, or something. It was all kind of gray. But I guess it wouldn't be a Tim Burton movie if it wasn't dark, right?

My topic for today stems from a conversation Adam and I had last night.

We all need to be careful not to try to do too much too soon, because then we will end up overwhelmed and discouraged. For some people, just starting out with making a goal of getting some kind of exercise every day, and working on making that a habit is what works for them because they know this is a goal they will be able to attain, rather than setting some lofty goal that they may not be able to reach. But for other people, setting short-term, tangible goals is the way to go because they know they are working toward a specific achievement, rather than just following a very broad goal of exercising every day, which could get boring and cumbersome with no end in sight.

I thought about it a little and then I explained that I think when I set broad goals like "work out 5 days a week," it's easy for me to get lost and bored. I think I just see it as infinite. I'm working out 5 days a week for what? Or I'm striving toward what achievement? Yes, the ultimate goal is to be healthy and fit, but "work out 5 days a week" doesn't offer short-term, tangible results.

I'm trying something different this time around. I want to break up my exercise into small, short-term goals or challenges for myself. That way I know that if I start out today, in 30 days I will have achieved this particular goal. Or in 12 weeks I will be able to do this thing that I've always wanted to do. I think knowing there is an end in sight will help me to stick with the program for the entire time period.

That may not work for some people, though.

Honestly I've never tried setting short term goals before, so I can't say without a doubt that it's the strategy that works for me. I'm just testing it out to see what I think. My biggest fear is that my goals will be too hard and I won't be able to accomplish them. But I know that I have to set the bar high for myself and really go beyond what I've done in the past if I want to get results.

So I want to know what works for you? Do you like working in short-term goals, or do you prefer to just strive toward a long-term goal of being healthier?

What are some techniques you use to keep yourself motivated with your exercise? How do you bring yourself to work out when you just aren't in the mood?

I'm really interested to see what everyone's thoughts are on this. Please leave your comments below.