Weight Loss Update - Week 2

Starting Weight: 96.7 kg
New Weight: 94.6 kg
Total Loss: 2.1kg
Goal Weight: 90kg
Goal time: 2 months closing 13 Dec 2019

What went well this week:

• I jogged twice pushing my average speed up every time.
• Walked around the block twice
• Went to gym once
• Didn't have any beers
• Slept well
• Only had 3 slices of Pizza Friday night

What didn't go so well:

• Craving chocolate, but didn't have any
• Was really tired this week
• Had a HUGE burger but didn't eat the chips and had coke zero instead of milkshake
• Had to celebrate with champagne on Wednesday for getting my SSM certification
• Had 2 cookies late on Wednesday evening, because of the chocolate craving.
• Had aches in my hips when jogging

What can I control this week or do differently:

• Try to Jog further
• Walk around the block in the evenings after dinner
• Make some eggs twice a week

How can I claim to be a coach?

I didn't fully realize it at the time, but for the last 3 years, I've been coaching my team, my colleagues, my wife, my children in unlocking their potential and reaching their goals.

Coaching is not about giving the answers or providing solutions, it is about listening and asking powerful questions.

Everyone know how to lose weight, but not everyone wants to do it.  By asking proper questions you can see what is holding you back from achieving your goals.

As much as questions help, I also teach some techniques to help them achieve their goals.

At my company the company sets general goals for each department.  I'm coaching my team on how to reach some of these goals.

Unfortunately you don't get as much buy in from employees when it is not their goals, but instead of forcing them to work on these goals, I help them to see why it would be good for them to work on these goals.

Together with that I also help them set break through goals, which are completely up to them to decide what they would like to work on.

These are my favorite goals, as they have more commitment to achieving goals set by themselves.

I have monthly check-ins with my Team to help them track their progress and adjust or set new goals.

Why are questions powerful?

• They are thought provoking
• They generate curiosity
• They channel focus
• They generate energy and forward motion
• They stimulate reflective conversation
• They surface underlying assumptions
• They invite creativity and new possibilities
• They inspire more questions
• They help reach for deep meaning

extract from the SAFE 4 Scrum Master study material

Weight Loss Goal Update - Week 1

Starting Weight: 96.7 kg.
New weight: 95.3 kg
Loss: 1.4kg
Goal Weight: 90kg
Goal Deadline: 13 Dec 2019

Things that went well:

• Lots of Exercise
• Didn't make sandwiches for lunch all week, had a more protein.
• Ate my cooked oats without sugar + milk
• Had 1 beer 
• Had less alcohol 
• Less sweets

Things that could have gone better:

• Less dairy
• More activity during the day
• More activity during the weekend 

Action:

• Go jogging this weekend
• Schedule time to walk during the day when at work
• Plan lunch items better

Sometimes Life just doesn't want you to exercise

Yesterday was one of those days, I prepared myself to go to gym, my legs had enough of a beating this week with the jogging. Now time to work my upper body, arms and core.

I got up my normal time of 5:30 and not 5:00 because my gym is located close to my office.

Got the kids already to go at 6:30 so that I can reach the office at 7:30 if traffic allowed.

The previous night my Wife and I went on date and we took her remote for the garage just in case the kids locked us out of the house.

But as Murphy had it I'd forgotten to remove the remote from my car that night.

I only realized the next day halfway to the kids school that the remote was starring at me from the middle console of my car........CURSE!!!!

Phoned my Wife to find out if there was any other way she would be able to get the car out of the garage, but to my disappointment she couldn't work the manual override as hurt her wrist the previous week.

Made peace with the fact that I couldn't go to gym and headed back home after dropping the kids at school.   Try as I may there was no time left during the rest of the day to get my daily exercise in.

Sometime you just have to accept it.

Stiff Muscles - almost snoozed - found my purpose

How easy is it to hit the snooze button and just fall back into sleep.

I was very close to just doing that and snoozing for another 30 minutes.

Then I was having an argument with myself, I am not going jogging so I can just go back to sleep.

Then I told myself, I have to do more, I have to do something.

JUST GET UP and take it from there.

Ok, I'm up, I'm up!

Walking to the kitchen not sure what I want to do, maybe I should try and visualize my goals?

I quickly fall into routine and switch on the kettle.

I think to myself, I won't jog this morning, but I can just go for a walk.

I get my slops and decide to take a stroll around the block.

Aaah, that feels good, the fresh morning air.

I noticed a lot more things today than when I was jogging yesterday. I took in the views of the houses, the beautiful gardens, the birds singing and the bees buzzing.

Got home with 10 minutes to spare before the kids had to get up.

Thinking again, what things can I do to get going on my goals, what is my goal?

In the car, switch to You Tube after dropping the kids, listen to some TED Talks to get inspired.

Found a gem: How to find your life purpose in 5 minutes by Adam Leipzig

Result from the questions in the Video:

• I'm Shawn Smith
• I love coaching
• I do it for my team, my family and anyone else who wants to be coached
• My team wants to be recognized, my kids want to be accepted and loved, the other people want to achieve their goals
• The are happy, fulfilled and love themselves

What a morning!!!

First Jog

I was supposed to wake up at 5 AM, but I woke up every hour, so finally got up at 4:50.

I set my Samsung S Health App to jog for 20 minutes.

I started off jogging slowly and after about 4 minutes took my first break, walking slowly, gasping for air.

After a minute a started off again, every few minutes taking a break.

I walked a lot as my body is not used to sustaining a jog.

I could feel my fat bounce up and down while I was jogging.

I managed to Jog 2.3 km's in 19 minutes.

Now already at work I can feel my muscles are already getting a bit stiff.

The nerves in my left knee is telling me I'm overweight and should probably not do this again.

I will continue to do this, as I'm motivated to feel good, when you feel good your confidence soars, if your confidence soars you perform well in business and work and even your personal life.

Primitive Brain vs Creative Brain

Your subconscious brain or primitive brain is there to protect you from any threats, even if the threat is not life threatening.

If you are in a meeting and you have an idea, you have about 5 seconds to act on it before your subconscious brain will try it's best to stop you from acting on it.

Have you ever seen the Croods Animation film, it is the best example of a creative brain vs a primitive brain...... Thoughts are BAD......

In real life thinking too long about something is also the root cause of failure as soon as you have a thought and there is any doubt that arises, your subconscious brain will bring up all the reasons why you should not act on it.

It is debilitating to most people, and will keep you in a dead-end job, or keep you from reaching your desired goals, or keep you from talking to attractive people.

Everyone know what to do to lose weight or to get a promotion or get the partner of your dreams, but we are too afraid to act on it.

There is a trick to overriding your brain and your behaviors and achieving your goals.

Small changes daily will add up to big change over longer period

My weight loss journey began three years ago, when I renewed my drivers' license.

Every time you renew your license you have to get a new picture taken that will be displayed on your license card.

That day when I saw my picture, I couldn't recognize the round face staring back at me.

I was shocked, I knew I was overweight but never realized just how overweight I got.

After a while you just accept that you are overweight and that you can't do anything about it.

I weighed in at a 105 kg with 38 inch waist line.  For my length 1.78 m it was not a good thing.

I knew there and then something had to be done. 

After about a year and half I got down to 95 kg and a 35 inch waist.  For the last year and a half I have been fluctuating between 93 and 96 kg because I've been able to maintain some of the habits that I formed over the last couple of years.

Some of the habits I formed, was to drink less beer and drink whisky instead, I eat cooked oats with a little bit of honey or syrup on top instead of milk and sugar, I was also able to change to drink black coffee with sweetner instead of sugar and milk. 

I also exercise at least once a week. I've threatened to cancel my gym contract more often than I would like to admit. But keeping it has forced me to at least use it between 3 to 8 times per month.

All of these little changes has kept the weight off.

Now I need to adjust a little bit more to get to my new goal weight of 90kg and a 32 inch waist.

Weight Loss Goal - My starting weight

Starting Weight: 96.7 kg
Goal Weight: 90 kg
Goal Start Date: 11 Oct 2019
Goal Deadline: 13 Dec 2019

Pros & Cons of Exercise & Healthy Balanced Diet

The Pros:

• Better looking
• Feel better
• More energy
• Clear mind
• More confidence
• Less health issues
• Good role model for my kids
• Less medical Expenses
• Good Sleep

The Cons:

• Bloating
• Tired
• Uncomfortable
• Bad example for my kids
• Health Issues, Cardio Vascular Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure
• More Medical Expenses
• Low Self-esteem
• Less Energy
• Restless Sleep

Do you have dreams or do you have Goals?

Ok, I want a million dollars, I want a fancy car, I want a big house, I want to start a business, I want to see the world.

I'ts nice to dream about having these things, but if you don't sit down and break it down, it
will remain dreams only.

Instead of saying I want a million dollars, ask yourself how can get a million dollars.

Some of the answers might be:

• Start a business
• Invest
• Buy income producing assets

Then research how to start a business, or how to invest or how to buy assets.

The research will point to steps that need to be taken to start a business, invest or buy assets.

Then you need to schedule the steps that are required to achieve that goal

Example: 

• Do market research - Oct 2019
• Write a business Plan - Nov 2019
• See suppliers - Dec 2019
• Look for a premises - Jan 2020
• Do income\expense & cash flow forecasting - Feb 2020
• Investigate Investors - Mar 2020
• Raise Capital - Apr & May 2020
• Sign Lease - Jun 2020
• Prepare for Open, do Marketing - Jul 2020
• Open Shop - Aug 2020

As you can see you need to be very specific in order to achieve your overall goal.

Setting, Detailing and Prioritizing goals are KEY to achieving your goals!

What you focus on will be your reality

When you are on Auto Pilot doing your 8 to 5 daily job and not thinking about anything else, just paying the bills and keeping the lights on wishing for the time to go by.

This will be your reality will be that until you die.

When you want to change your life you really have to give it your focus and time.

But most of you will say you don't have time, since you are already working from 8 to 5 and then
some of us have families and other stuff that gets in the way.

You can keep on making excuses or you can find some time, it does not have to be 4 hours a day.

Find 30 minutes a day to focus on your goals.

Book out some time on your calendar over lunch time, go and sit in the car and listen to audio books,
read a self improvement book, study something, exercise, meditate or whatever the activity will improve you life.

Wake up 30 minutes earlier or go to bed 30 minutes latter.

I personally wake up 30 minutes earlier, I also listen to audio books in the traffic on my 45 minutes
commute to work.

When I embarked on my weight loss journey 3 years ago I booked out 2 slots in my diary @ 10:30 and 14:00 to get up and walk around the office park.

The KEY is to make it a new habit and don't just do it for a couple of days then go back to your old habits. 

Emotion leads to Motion

Most middle income earners like me, are comfortable in life.  We have a stable job, a car or two, a family, a home and food to eat.  We entertain family and friends once a month, we go on holiday once a year and provide the basics to our family.

Is this really what we want.......?

Heck No!!!

I want more, I want to go on holidays or break-away's every month if time allowed for it.

I would want to travel the world.

I would love to entertain every chance I get.

I would like to drive a really nice car of my dreams.

I would like to look good and feel good about myself.

I would like to stay in a Big House with more than enough room for my family and possibly a guest room.

So what is stopping us?

Our emotions are stopping us, we are not uncomfortable with life, we FEAR taking any risks and losing the little that we do have.  We FEAR the unknown.

Have you ever heard of the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention".

It means when you really are in a sticky situation you are forced to make a plan.

Why do we have to wait for life to throw a curve ball before we take action.

Why not take that FEAR of failure or LOVE of your family and make it drive you
to action.

Don't let PRIDE kill your dreams.

Imagine the JOY you will feel when you can give to others, because your cup is running over.

Are you running on Auto Pilot?

Wake Up Ritual (Kids, Shaving & Gym):
I wake-up @ 5:30 in the mornings then I pour some cereal for my 3 youngest children and the oldest drinks a shake.  I switch on the kettle just in case my better half gets up to have some coffee in the next 15 minutes.  I do my rounds and switch on the light and shake the kids to wake up, sometimes I have to repeat the process a couple of times. I contemplate if I have to shave today or go to gym. None of the questions win a yes answer, I don't feel like it or there won't be enough time.

Commute (Youtube, traffic & taxis):
Spend 30 minutes in the car with Kids where they listen to music and comment on the world around them and finalize some logistics for the afternoon.  Once they are dropped off I either listen to radio or Youtube videos relating to inspiration, wealth creation, fitness, self improvement.
I make a conscious decisions about not getting mad at the transgressors that cut me off in traffic or stop for no apparent reason.

Office Check-in (Emails & Coffee)
I get to work and open my email.....200 unread emails, I scan through and delete the unwanted emails.  I get a Skype message from a colleague to go and get some coffee.  I drink some coffee with my friend and reflect on the sport and how crazy things are at work. 

WORK
Now the actual work starts and those remaining emails require answers and phone calls and responses, I also manage a team of 6 people which all will have their own requests.

16:00 (Kids, Shopping and Admin)
I'm lucky that I don't have to work until 5PM, my wife and I take turns fetching the kids but most of the time we share the responsibility as she needs to go to the shops or fetch one of the kids earlier or latter, no such thing as all of them finishing at the same time with their extra mural activities.
Lot's of coordination and communication needed between my wife and I.

Dinner and Bed
We send our kids to bed at about 8PM as they struggle to get up early for school on weekends we give them a bit more time.

Hello Wife
Now we are totally relaxed but we are so tired we flip through a couple of channels and catch up on some stories we missed, we barely talk to each other, my wife is catching up on Facebook posts and I am getting sleepy.

5:30 -- REPEAT

From the above you can see my life needs to operate on Auto-pilot most of the time,
and it is part of our survival programming to operate like this, the problem is this:

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO CHANGE THINGS IF YOU RUN ON AUTO
PILOT MOST OF THE TIME?