***I have been provided a free container of the vanilla flavored pea-based protein supplement by TB-12 Sports. While I was provided with the supplement for consideration, all the thoughts expressed herein are my own.***
Hi! Welcome to week four of our fitness series at the Single Dad’s Guide to Life. It’s been a good last few weeks with the series and the TB-12 pea-based protein supplement as I have worked hard and lost a good 14 pounds along the way. It’s been a lot of work but forever gratifying to see the results of your hard work come to fruition. But when you get to this point, and this age, you realize any changes made have to be lifestyle changes and not situational.
Thankfully, I have had TB-12 during this transition time to increase protein, boost energy levels, and help me to achieve peak performance. As I have made this transition, I thought about what lifestyle changes mean, and how they work. In addition, given the Father’s Day holiday, I thought about becoming a dad and how I changed once my daughter came into the world. So this week, before recounting my week I thought I would talk about 3 things you must do to make your lifestyle change permanent.
5 Things To Make Your Lifestyle Change Permanent
1) Limit Your Exposure To Things Which Will Defeat Your Lifestyle Change.
When you have to make a change, keeping away from the things which will encourage you to go back to your old ways of handling things need to be minimized. Imagine you are an alcoholic. You wouldn’t just go into a bar or a pub. If you truly want change, you need to stay away from those things. This doesn’t mean complete removal from the problem. Obviously, if you go to a wedding and there are friends drinking, you won’t be able to entirely remove yourself from the situation. It just means do not invite trouble into your life.
For me, this last week, I really became conscious of missing sweets. I remembered candies my daughter had in her room. I had people leaving delicious white-chocolate macadamia nut cookies for us at work. Everywhere I turned, sweets seemed to be around. Obviously, I couldn’t entirely avoid those situations. But I’d avoid a See’s Candy shop. Or, I would make sure to put aside the dessert menu at a restaurant. I did whatever I could to make sure I didn’t remind myself of what I missed. It’s not easy at first, but it takes time.
2) Plan To Fail
I’m not saying you literally sit there and say next Tuesday and Friday I’m gorging on food. Of course, that doesn’t help. But instead, realize you are going to not be perfect in this new lifestyle. If you fixate on perfection, failure leads you to collapse. And collapse produces more failure. All of this leads to quitting. So realize when you are making a whole lifestyle change, you will be failing for a little while. Or maybe you only fail once a month. Whatever you do, you will struggle. Eventually, you may get to a point where you do not. But you will fail at times.
What I like to do with weight loss is to try to imagine a graph. On the one side, you have calories consumed. On the other side put down calories burned. To lose weight, everyone knows calories consumed must end up less than calories burned. If you try the sliver of pie or down a whole ice cream shake, you need to do more on the calories consumed side. Ask yourself. Will the shake make you happy? Then ask, are you up for the extra bit of exercise. Some days will be a resounding yes. Others a definite no. If you think in tradeoffs, I think the ultimate decision on the shake will be easier.
3) Realize Lifestyle Changes Are For Life
You don’t really make a lifestyle change until you realize it’s something you can do for the rest of your life. Now, it’s possible something could derail them. I had made a bunch of changes and then ended up getting a divorce. It sent me on a spiral. And getting back to the lifestyle change has been difficult. But I believe it’s worth it. I feel better. I look better. And I have the requisite energy to keep up with my daughter. (It can be crazy with a 13-year-old girl.) Ultimately, all this work reaching this new place gets me to where I want to be. But to be there I have to maintain. Which means I must keep exercising. And I will ALWAYS need to keep doing what I must.
4) Have A Vision What Your New Self Looks Like
I remember hearing the story about the man who was captured and put in a POW camp in a box. While he suffered, he tried to remember the things he loved about life to keep him going and keep his hopes alive. One of those things was golf. So every night he envisioned his favorite golf course and the perfect round of golf there. Now, while this man loved golf, he had a handicap. It’s not like he was the precursor to Tiger Woods. He just loved the game and visualized. When they finally released him and he got his strength up, he went to his favorite golf course to play. Low and behold, he shot the best round of golf he ever did. And it all started with him visualizing what the round of golf looked like.
Just like the man and the round of golf, we should visualize what this new self will look like. I imagine a much more active and happy self, spending time with friends and people. I know just how this other me looks and feels. It’s a me who at the end of the day still has time for my child and the energy to do things with her. It’s the “me” I’m shooting for, and it’s the “me” I know I can achieve.
5) Celebrate Victories
I understand. Your eyes are on the prize. You have a goal. Maybe, the goal will take a while to achieve. Nothing good occurs overnight. But with lifestyle changes, as discussed before, the changes will be permanent. Doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate along the way. Let yourself know you have accomplished something. Whether this means splurging on yourself or just giving yourself a nice pat on the back, you deserve to be recognized. Sometimes others will give it to you. Sometimes not. But always give it to yourself. You will be happier.
On To Fitness Week Four TB12
With this in mind, I have reached week four along the TB-12 journey. Already considering what I need to do to maintain this, and getting more protein supplement is part of the plan. In the meantime, I’m trying to finish strong and enjoying the workouts, the smoothies, and the extra energy I have achieved through the process. It was strange, I admit, to one day be wanting to move around at work and feeling the energy surge through me. At first, I didn’t know what to think. Then I smiled, realizing I just had more energy to expend. It’s a great feeling to have.
As for week four, it’s been another week of successes, and the odd failure. But always pushing forward and moving in the right direction. I could BS forever. But I won’t. So, here it is: week four of my fitness journey on the TB-12 plant-based protein supplement.
Saturday –
My crazy weekend continued with an early morning trip for work, where I had to be shaking hands and talking to people all morning. I felt surprised at my energy levels. Later, I went out to dinner, and still found time to get a 45 minute time on the elliptical. Feeling really good.
Sunday –
It was a beautiful day out there today. The sun shined. Had sometime outdoors with an iced Latte in my hand. Delicious. Plus, I did a 45 minute morning time on the elliptical plus weights, and another half hour in the evening. Really getting a handle on the daily work. Feels good.
Monday –
Back to work and the daily grind. But I got myself up early to be able to do a little workout. Plus, I tried out some new smoothie recipe, which was delicious. I am going to need to get myself some more fruit though. Running out. I did a bit of a workout in the evening as well.
Tuesday –
Somedays it feels like someone wants to test out your willpower. I arrive at work after a good workout only to discover a ton of cookies sitting on the table. Some are for a program. But some were there for us. And they contained my all=time favorite cookie: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. I salivated just looking at them. So I tried to avoid them most of the day until everyone seemed to be eating one later in the evening. Ugh. I got home and did another half hour. Needed to make another smoothie to tide me over.
Wednesday –
It’s getting easier staring at the cookies now, even if I don’t like it. I did get someone who seemed to care and offer me water to help me get through the day. A little extra water does help in this situation. I seem to be feeling parched more often. I know losing water weight caused some of this. I just need to remind myself to drink more water. Two more sessions on the elliptical today. Was thinking only one, but my daughter came down ill. We shall see what happens this weekend when I am supposed to have her.
Thursday –
Coming to the end of another week. Feeling really good. Did a workout in the morning. Spent a long day at work, and then I rewarded myself with a nice bowl of Italian seafood soup in the evening. So delicious. Maybe not as good as this one in San Francisco on Pier 39 I love. But pretty darn close. But I got home late so I collapsed. No workout tonight for me.
Wrapping Things Up
It’s been another week. Mostly good stuff this week. No residual from the cold I seemed to have. Although my daughter seems to have come down with something, which stinks. It’s been a good week. As for the TB12, it really helped me to bounce back quickly in my day. I was surprised by how good I felt after one smoothie. Made all the difference in my day. Next week I will wrap up the 30 days on the supplement, my overall feelings, and where to go from here.
Continue The Conversation
What lifestyle changes have you made? What did you have to do to accomplish them? How often were you thrown off track? And what did you do about it?
Like / Share / Follow
If you liked this post, please click the like link and leave us a little note in the comments. We love to hear from you. Plus share this with your friends or fitness-minded people. And don’t forget to follow to get the latest fitness, parenting, Knott’s Berry Farm, Southern California, movie review, satire, food holiday, and lifestyle posts. Thank you for stopping by.
Until next time, this is me signing off.
David Elliott, The Single Dad’s Guide to Life
