21 tips to set yourself up for success

Ok I thought of things that I have done and am doing in order to set myself up for success. This is what I came up with. Feel free to add some in the comment section if you think I left some out.

1) I write down everything I eat and the caloric content. This keeps me honest.

2) I make exercise a daily part of my life. (I actually put a pair of sneakers near my bedroom door. When I wake up in the morning I have to step over them if I decide that I am not going to the gym)

3) I remove all tempting foods out of my house.

4) I have one cheat meal per week (normally on Friday night or lunch Saturday I order out. Whatever is left over is thrown out immediately) This takes off pressure and allows me to feel that I am not punishing myself.

5) I have my weekly weigh in on Monday. This means that if I gorge on Saturday and Sunday that the scale will show it on Monday. This keeps me from overeating on the weekends.

6) I set mini goals (70 pounds is a lot to lose. I break it up into 10 pound increments).

7) I celebrate when I reach my mini goals (but not with food). Example: when I get to 149 I am totally getting a mani-pedi:)

8) I tell others what I am doing. Therefore I have to keep going to "save face". Works especially good at work because I can't go to McDonalds and bring it back to the office. All my co workers would notice that I am falling off the wagon. This keeps me honest.

9) I keep motivational pictures around me. (Each month I buy the oxygen magazine and I look every week at the bodybuilding.com website to see the success of others. It reminds me that I am not the only one out there getting my body together. I even compete with by fellow weight loss friends on youtube. This way I have a motivation to go to the gym).

10) I refuse to buy any clothes my current size or bigger. In fact I buy size 6 clothes (that I can't even fit into yet). According to the law of attraction if I buy clothes in my current size I am telling the universe that I am content where I am. By buying smaller clothes for myself I am telling the universe that I am serious!

11) I keep some cheat foods around so that if I fall I don't fall too far. (Ex: At work I keep diet coke, raisins, apples, peanuts). These are foods that I probably would not eat everyday but I keep them so that I don't gorge on candy and cake.

12) I keep it simple. For the most part I eat the same kinds of food and exercise the same time each day. I don't have to think about it and therefore risk talking myself out of being healthy. It is just a part of life.

13) I drink water. This allows me to not confuse hunger with thirst.

14) When trying to hit a mini goal I won't eat out at all. Normally I allow myself to eat whatever I want as long as I write it down. But on the weeks that I have a mini-goal I try not to even drive past the McDonalds so that I am not even tempted.

15) I talk to myself as if I am a child. "Mandy no you cannot have a hamburger! You had one yesterday. If you want a hamburger today you first have to go to the gym and run on the treadmill for 30 minutes. You choose!"

16) When that doesn't work I talk to myself with compassion. "Mandy you know what the goal is that you are trying to reach for this week. If you want this goal press forward today. If you still want the "insert bad food here" you can have it but wait until tomorrow. Normally by tomorrow you aren't even thinking about it anymore:)

17) Keep a picture of a skinny chick on your refrigerator at home. I keep a photo of a totally ripped skinny chick on my refrigerator. I tell myself that when I get to 130 I'll post a picture of myself. I absolutely hate the fact that my husband gets to look at another woman everday on my refrigerator but I tell myself that he sees that all day long. If I want to remove the picture I have to reach my goal weight. Believe it or not I sometimes work harder just to get that damn picture off my refrigerator.

18) I set mini-deadlines. For example: I have mini-deadlines set for March 1, April 1and so on. This keeps me on target so that I don't get "lost in the sauce".

19) I keep picture of my slimmer self around. Then I tell myself, "I weighed this before, I can weigh this again."

20) I don't take drugs. Most of these weigt-loss pills only have caffeine and an appetite suppressant. Relying on these really don't help you lose weight faster. They are only a crutch. You can get the same results with two cups of strong black coffee and a fiber pill. Not impressive.

21) I keep my head down and keep pushing.

Keep pushing guys. I'll see ya at the finish line.