Share5 Things You Should Avoid in 2018
I recently spent 4 days in hospital and was completely shut off everything. No work. No computers. No email. No cell phones. No distractions. My world unexpectedly came to a screeching halt.
(By the way, I’ve recovered and I’m feeling better now).
Once the anxiety and stress of the situation passed, the space gave me time to think. And it helped me hone in on what’s actually important when it comes to losing weight, getting muscle definition and taking your health and fitness to the next level… and which activities merely give you the illusion of progress.
Inspired by Dorie Clark’s idea of creating a “things you should stop doing” list, here are the activities I’m going to quit for the remainder of 2018 and beyond. And maybe you should try it, too…
#1: Too Many Unnecessary Things
Just because you’re doing a lot of things doesn’t mean you’re being productive or it’s helpful.
And by cutting out half the things you “do” – will allow you the time and space to do the important things to help you reach your life goals.
Think about the things you do, and the ONE thing you can change right now to have the most impact.
For example: Your breakfast. Most people eat garbage first thing in the morning. (well not actual garbage but pretty close.) So first step, change it. Add protein and vegetables.
If you’re addicted to soda, switch to diet soda. Binge eating at night? Try a few strategies to cut back. And my biggest pet peeve…Counting all the stuff. More on that in another point below. Waste of time and energy. So time to quit.
Also:
Cardio. Yes it’s nice to do some jogging to boost your mood and feel better. But unless you’re training for an endurance event, long cardio workouts will only leave you feeling more fatigued and hungry. No need for fancy, complicated workouts, either. Keep it short and sweet. Just make sure you’re doing the right moves in the right order, like in this bodyweight program, or this abs program.
There are so many different ways you can lose weight. So many variables and things you can change. But if you try to do too much all at once, you’ll fall in a heap and go round in circles.
Focus your attention on the big things, you’ll see faster results and have time for more “fun” stuff.
#2 Trying to control everything (and everyone)
Now this might be a touchy subject. But it’s something I’m personally working on ALL the time – not just this year.
You see, the more you try to control what’s going on around you, the less effective you will be.
That’s because so much is out of your control! Whether you like it or not.
And the reality is, there’s a lot of things you can’t control, especially with your body. Like…
You can’t control…
- how fast you lose weight
- how quickly you get strong
- where on your body you lose weight
- how fast you get muscle definition
- if you get sick and end up in the hospital
And of course, you can’t control what people think of you. (one of my all time struggles.)
In fact, you can only control 3 things:
(1) What you eat
(2) What you do
(3) What you think (you can’t control your feelings, but you can control how you react, ok)
Accept you can’t control certain things in your life, and focus your time and energy on the activities you CAN control.
#3: Weighing yourself all the time
It’s no secret I hate the scales. I rarely weigh myself. Maybe once or twice a month at the gym.
Checking your weight daily can be a slippery slope to weight obsession and disappointment.
It’s important you have a healthy relationship with the scales.
And by “healthy” I mean this..
The number on the scale is simply that – a number on a scale. It’s not a real reflection of the health of your body. (more on that in just a sec) And doesn’t determine your self worth, or give you the right to hate on yourself.
After all…
The scales are just a crude measure of your total bodyweight at that particular moment in time.
Plus your weight is ALWAYS fluctuating. You can gain 3-5lbs over the course of the day. Even more if you go on a bender and eat a lot of carbs and salt (since you’ll retain water).
Ladies you tend to retain water right before your menstrual cycle which can cause you to gain weight. So please for the love of God, NEVER get on the scales around that time of the month. You’ll only feel worse (trust me, I’ve done it!)
Now like I said: the scales don’t give a true reflection of your health or body composition.
Take these photos of me for example…
It’s from April 2016, September 2016 and February 2018.
In this pic below, I’m at the at the finish line of the half marathon in San Francisco, April 2016. I weighed approx 139lbs, not sure what my body fat percentage was because honestly, I didn’t measure it.
APRIL 2016
By September 2016, I’d done more strategic strength training… I weighed 141lbs and had 14.2% body fat. Oh and my hair looks cool in this pic, too. 
September 2016
The next pic is from February 2018, and I weighed 143lbs. Again not sure of my body fat percentage because I didn’t check it.
FEBRUARY 2018
And now for shits and giggles, let’s do side by side, ok?
And of all these pics, I was feeling the WORST in my body (and least healthy) in the pic on the far left from April 2016. Where I weighed less than 140lbs. (also possibly because I’d just run a half marathon without training.) Since September 2016, I’m maintained my leanness, and even though I’ve gained 4 pounds, I look leaner, have more energy and feel healthier than ever.
So instead of weighing yourself, use your jeans or a fitted shirt as a measure of your progress.
Or you can take a selfie of your body and compare yourself over time. (and no, you don’t need to post it on Instagram like KV lol
#4: Counting Everything Daily
Think about it: There’s a lot of thought and energy being used just by counting. And let’s be honest – it’s exhausting. Not to mention time wasted sweating over the small stuff. Especially those calorie counter apps. Please delete them now (I’ll even wait for you since I’m feeling friendly today lol)
Quit counting things daily like:
- counting your calories (I haven’t done this in years and it’s a relief)
- counting your weight every day
- counting your steps
- counting your macros
- counting your times
- counting sheep
Yes, measuring your body fat percentage and keep track is useful to measure your progress.
But it can also go the other way and take you to the dark side. If you’re feeling stuck or not making progress like you expected – or comparing yourself to other people – it can make you feel depressed.
So bottom line:
Hitting your “numbers” on a regular basis won’t guarantee results. And it can give you an illusion of progress. Plus trying to count everything all the time is not sustainable. And it will drive you nuts.
Think big picture. Focus on quality over quantity and give your body what it needs. If you’re truly hungry, eat more. If you’re body is exhausted, rest.
#5: Unrealistic Goal Setting
You’ve seen the ads and infommericals.
“Lose 21lbs in 14 days eating cake” or this cracker I saw the other “41lbs GONE in 4 weeks?!”
Oh please.
I can see why people buy into it… because you want fast results. If you’re struggling to lose weight, doesn’t it sounds amazing?!
But let’s be real here.
It’s NOT realistic.
Unless you weigh 300lbs, first off it’s highly unlikely you’re going to drop that much weight quickly and keep it off.
And the reality is, this kind of advertising makes it hard for you to set realistic goals.
And so it’s NOT your fault you’re not seeing results.
Yes, I’m a huge fan of goal setting, having a plan and working towards your goal. Yes I know it’s possible to drop 3-5lbs in a week, then keeping the weight off because I’ve seen it time and time again with my clients and myself personally.
However, if you do goal setting the wrong way, you end up failing over and over again…
And who likes feeling like a failure? Not me.
That’s why it’s essential to hire a pro coach…
…someone who can help you set a realistic, achievable goal, provide you with a step-by-step plan and accountability so you get you results you want.
My schedule is super busy, however good news! I just got an opening to take on a new online coaching client. It’s not for everyone and it’s definitely not cheap. If you’re interested, then fill out this application ASAP and I’ll review it to see if you’re a good fit.
Cutting out these 5 actitivies will likely save me a lot of time and energy this year. Time I can spend with my family and improving my relationships and overall health.
What are you going to stop doing?
Your Coach and Friend,
Kate “KV” Vidulich
PS. Here’s the link to apply for VIP Coaching with KV:
