GoHuman Blog

Today GoHuman celebrates the sentencing of Rod Blagojevich to 14 years in prison; a fitting follow-up to Friday’s blog about Peter Schweizer’s expose on congressional corruption.  Amazingly, four of Illinois’ recent governors have been given jail time, proving the common sense notion that power corrupts. 

Peter Schweizer recently shined a spotlight on Congressional insider trading, corruption and graft, and we are now seeing the cockroaches scramble.  60 Minutes has further exposed what we knew all along:   the more power you have, the more opportunity you have to abuse it.  And unless we create and enforce regulation to stop this bad behavior, such widespread abuse will continue to take place.  It’s pervasive on both sides of the aisle, from John Boehner to Nancy Pelosi. 

The 8 Week Wellness program I’ve been participating is officially over…..or is it? Actually, it’s not over, but rather an evolving process to a new way of living.

My weight loss goal was 25lbs. My total loss was 10lbs. To many people, this may seem hardly like an accomplishment. For me, it’s nothing short of a victory or pure success! The mindset I adapted going into the program and the commitment I had to trying something different was key. My intent was never to focus on the outcome goal, but rather to focus my energies on the activities, changes and new habits I could incorporate into my daily routine that would lead me towards getting a “different result-” that would get me closer to the overall objective. What’s more, I’m still losing weight and in fact, have lost another 2lbs. this week.

The initial problem isn’t getting people to set goals, it’s getting them to set the right kind of goals; ones that provide direction and enhance motivation. As many of us learn from past New Year’s resolutions, it’s much easier to set a goal than to actually follow through with it. Very seldom are weight loss goals set realistically in terms of commitment, difficulty, evaluation of progress to achieve the goals. We need instruction on setting effective goals and creating a program that allows us to works towards them.

Effectively, my initial goal entering into this program was 25lbs. which would be considered the “outcome goal” I wanted to achieve. More important was determining how I was going to get there. What new activities could I implement each day, aka- “process goals,” that would allow me to work towards the end result, aka- “outcome goal.” Setting process goals serve as a roadmap to meet the outcome goal. Process goals tell you what you need to do or skills you need to develop along the way to achieve the outcome goal.

Focusing On The Process

When setting goals, many people only set outcome goals and then are easily discouraged a week into the process, when they don’t begin seeing immediate results occur. Eventually, they become so fixated on the outcome goal and how distant and unrealistic it seems, they give up, shortly after having just started. But the most critical part to the entire process is to first establish process goals. Process goals relate to how you prepare for your performance. For example, with an outcome goal of running a 10k under 40 minutes, a process goal could be in practice to achieve a negative split. Process goals are important because they help you stay focused on the process of your performance. In addition, process goals are more within your control than outcome goals. With a process goal, you can focus on incorporating correct techniques and new habits into your daily routine, similar to focusing on a fluid back swinging golf, rather than hitting par. By setting appropriate process goals, you put yourself in alignment and on the path to achieving your desired outcome goal.

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, learn about them or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them ~Denis Waitley

Habits aren’t broken. They’re replaced.  My whole purpose for participating in an 8 Week Wellness Program wasn’t to just break the habit of eating unhealthy foods; I wanted to create a new system that I liked better and would give me the results I wanted. Otherwise what have I replaced?

Always look for something better to replace your habit with. Subconsciously your habit is a survival mechanism.  At some level you think the habit is serving you. In order to let go of the subconscious clinging to the habit, you want to show your subconscious mind that the new system you’ve introduced into your life is even better! Then you can let go.

That’s the law of creation.  Create a replacement for the habit you don’t like.  Don’t react to the habit by fighting it off.  The law of creation is a law that can kick in at any stage when you’re ready to shift your mind. From breaking to replacing.

A mind shift is a shift in your thinking and allowing new ideas to be entertained. Most of us are limited by our current status or resources and therefore, we tend to limit our thoughts, in terms of our results, as well as the beliefs we have about ourselves. When we allow ourselves to shift into a new paradigm, we begin seeing and creating new things in our lives.

“When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.”

~Jim Rohn

Allow the power of MIND SHIFT move you to the next level of your life!

What would it would be like to try and build a house without a blueprint.

Put a few bricks over there.  And a window on that side.  No, maybe a door…

It would never work.  It’s certainly not a house you’d want to live in.  No proper structure.  No trustworthy foundation.

So, when it comes to your business’s foundation, why would you invest in marketing without a plan?  Without a marketing plan, you’re chances of realizing a strong ROI from your marketing investment decrease significantly while the likelihood of wasting valuable resources increases.  Here are 3 reasons why you’ll be more successful with a Marketing Plan.

Provides Focus
A Marketing Plan provides focus for your organization.   As a result, you are less likely to jump onto the latest trend just because “everyone’s doing it.”  If you develop a reasonable plan that aligns with your sales and budgetary objectives, you can keep your organization focused on the initiatives that will achieve these goals, as opposed to those that seem interesting, but don’t really relate to your business.

Provides a Checklist
A Marketing Plan provides a checklist you can use to ensure you’re executing all your planned initiatives.  Having that record allows you to plan and budget more effectively as well as ensures you have stayed the course per the Plan.

Saves Money
A Marketing Plan will save you money by ensuring you systematically try and evaluate your marketing initiatives.  Each investment in direct mail, email campaigns, public relations, etc., should come with an expected ROI.  Measuring that ROI will allow you to determine which campaigns are the most cost effective.   More importantly, an effective measurement structure (as part of your Plan) will allow you to eliminate those initiatives that do NOT meet your expectations.

Four weeks down, and a lifetime to go! I just need to put it out there how great I’m feeling since having changed my eating habits. Once I entered adulthood, I never paid much attention to nutritional value. Make no mistake, when I was growing up, we were allowed McDonald’s once a week and that was pretty much it. Otherwise, my mom cooked homemade meals every night of the week. With that being said, I didn’t like vegetables then and I have yet to acquire much of a taste for them, now.

The greatest transition I’ve gone through over these past four weeks is the change in my physical well being. I wake up in the morning with more energy. I no longer feel lethargic during the day. And after eating a meal, I don’t feel like immediately going to take a nap. I’ve also noticed my mind is clearer, which allows me to focus better throughout the days. What’s more, this is usually peak season for my allergies to get completely out of control and (knock on wood) I’ve yet to experience some of the  usual symptoms that typically occur for me, this time of year.

The best part about this wellness program is the gradual process of changing old, bad eating habits and replacing them with new, good ones. This is equally true for the weight loss I’m experiencing. At this stage of the game, many people might be discouraged about how slow it’s taking for the weight to drop. However, just the other day, I suddenly realized I was using the fourth notch of my belt-loop, as opposed to the usual second.

During each weekly consultation with the dr., she gives me a new recipe to try out, which usually contains a few added ingredients that are more in alignment with the kinds of foods I enjoy.

What’s next? Dr. Angela is prepping me for “life after the wellness program.” Part of last week’s assignment was to provide her with a list of all the foods I’ve enjoyed in the past, i.e. tacos, fries, burgers, pizza, chocolate, etc. With that in mind, she’s going to show me how I can still have the best of both worlds, while still maintaining a healthy diet. What more could a person ask for? There actually is a way to have your cake and eat it too, without all the guilt ridden feelings that usually come afterwards. Literally!

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

~John Quincy Adams

As week four begins of my eight week journey to wellness, I’m amazed by the various stages of transition this process is taking me through. Not only from a physical- being perspective, but from a mindset one, as well.

When I committed to blogging about this journey each week, it meant reporting the good, the bad and the not so good moments of my experience.  As important as it is to have the support of others on the sidelines rooting us on with their encouraging words during moments of success, it’ equally as important for us to know they’re there to lean on in moments of weakness, as well. It’s during these times when some of the greatest opportunities for learning and growth are present, in that we’re able to witness how others embrace a challenge and break through the barriers, to get to the other side.

This past week, the detoxification process I had experienced the previous week, had finally subsided. I began feeling more like myself, had great levels of energy and all the anxiety, lightheadedness and nausea had dissipated. I felt great all week and the clothes gradually, continued fitting better. By the way, I’m still making the choice to “not” know my weight loss/gain each week, when visiting the Dr. My focus is on what “the process” is doing for me and not the goal. At the conclusion of my eight weeks and final blog posting about the journey, I will reveal the initial goal I had set as a benchmark, along with the actual results.

Week three brought a whole new set of challenges only this time, they were all self inflicted, as I had total control over the choices I made. Simply put, there were a couple of days where I gave in to temptation and made some poor decisions about the things I ate and drank. My reasoning and justification for having made these choices are nothing short of lame excuses and completely irrelevant to why I signed up for this program. Furthermore, placing the blame for my actions on outer circumstances or the influence of other people, would be stupid and irresponsible. I accept full responsibility and take ownership for the actions I took. Time to regroup, remind myself why I’m doing this and take the actions necessary, that will allow me to move ahead.

So to fast forward and skip over the pity party, where is my mind at today and more importantly, what steps did I immediately take, after acknowledging the detours I encountered were completely unnecessary and of my own doing? I’m working out harder and longer. I’ve increased my water intake and my diet is back on track to involve no grains, no dairy, no sugar. I’m determined and motivated now more than ever to not let these setbacks discourage me, but rather push me harder to getting the results I want!

“It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated…it is finished when it surrenders.”

~Ben Stein

In week 3 of my 8 Week Wellness Journey, the biggest difference in how my body is responding to eating healthier and more frequently is my loss of appetite. That, frequent bouts of lightheadedness and some difficulty sleeping. But my energy level has definitely improved, big time! No sluggishness when waking up or after eating. No feeling of exhaustion.

I described these symptoms to my Dr. last week, who wasn’t surprised.  She explained that most likely my body was going through a detoxification process. When poisoning substances are drawn out of the body, detoxification symptoms accompany with the flush of toxins. It’s a healthy part of the process, but it is important to learn how to manage them.

I read about how to handle the detox process and one management technique is to consume healthy whole foods with a high fat content, i.e. nuts, avocados, seeds, etc. It’s also important to get a good night’s sleep, since the body is working harder than usual to cleanse itself and therefore, more rest is required. Daily water consumption of 2 liters is also recommended, to give the body a vehicle for flushing out the toxins.

You may wonder if this is really all worth it; and for some people, perhaps not. For me, it was absolutely necessary! A body needs fuel to run properly and more importantly, the right kind of fuel, just as a car requires the correct type of octane fuel. Good nutritional habits and a balanced diet aren’t developed in one day, nor destroyed by one unbalanced meal. Healthy eating means a lifestyle of making choices, decisions, planning and knowing how to make quick and smart choices when you haven’t planned.

My motivation comes from thinking about the person I am becoming, as toxic obstructions are removed from within. When health and energy are flowing around our system, we’re able to become the best person we can be. New ideas, plans and talents that were previously unknown, will reveal themselves, as the journey continues.

FYI- I asked to NOT be weighed this past week for no other reason than I didn’t want to be encouraged or discouraged if I had lost more/less than what I anticipated. My focus is on the actions I take today, that will lead me to the results I want.

As I blog about the start of week 2 of 8 eight of my wellness journey, I finish the last slice of a bowl of oranges.  I can’t recall a single breakfast of “cut up oranges”, but I am actually full after eating them! Who would have thought something so great tasting and good for you would also satisfy those morning hunger pains?

Let’s back up to last Friday’s first week progress visit.  Dr. Angela asked numerous questions and in particular wanted to know if I noticed any significant changes in energy level. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel much different, but my mindset was a completely different story. I let her know that every morning I’d wake up in a completely happy mood ! Why? Because for the first time in several years, the first thoughts to run through my head weren’t “Why did I eat all that junk food yesterday and then a snack at 10pm?” To not have those lingering, daunting feelings or thoughts be the first thing I think of when waking up, is quite empowering.

Next, was the weigh-in. Stepping onto the scale, I specifically told the Dr.  I’d intended on closing my eyes and didn’t want to know the results, because I wanted to give the diet one more week, to ensure I wouldn’t get discouraged, if I hadn’t lost anything yet.  As I stepped off and was putting my shoes back on, the Dr. had a huge smile on her face (my guess is she doesn’t play poker) and could barely contain herself. She asked if I wanted her to tell me the results and before I even had a chance to respond, she said, “You lost 5lbs.!” Maybe not a big deal to most people; however, for me, she might as well have told me I lost 30lbs. What that meant to me was that I had finally found a different system to follow that WAS giving me the results I had wanted for so very long, but had failed to accomplish in the past.

What’s on the agenda for week two? Changing up my fitness routine to consist of more high intense/low impact workouts and muscle building, to strengthen resistance and expanding my eating habits and cooking skills. For those of you who know or don’t know my cooking skills, this in and of itself, is a huge taking on for me. To put it mildly, the only appliance I’m familiar with in the kitchen, is the microwave. But I’m up for the challenge!

A George Patton quote sums it all up, “Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.”

My journey to living a healthier life by establishing better eating habits and a more regimented workout routine has officially begun!

What’s occurred for me over the past 3 days since transitioning my body and mind to a completely different way of eating and thinking? Surprisingly, I’m learning a lot about commitment. More importantly, I’m understanding the real value of how important it is to my own personal well being and the communication I have with others, when I make a commitment to myself and following through by doing what I say I’m going to do.

Day one started out great! I went to the grocery store and made a b-line for the produce section. I picked up a lot of food that, up until that point, had been pretty foreign to me. All day long, I followed the diet to a “T” and then came an evening (preplanned) party we were hosting with some friends and family. Let’s just say that I allowed all the fun and festivities of everyone being together, as an excuse to cheat and outdo any progress I might have made, earlier in the day.

From past experiences, after blowing a diet on the first day, I would have just given up and gone back to eating the “breakfast of champions,” which ranged anywhere from a few handfuls of M&M’s to a fully loaded egg omelet with bacon, toast and potatoes on the side. So what was different about this time? I told myself that this time was going to be different and that regardless of what challenges I encountered along the way, I wouldn’t allow my mindset to shift back into that “comfort zone” I was all too familiar with. Thinking that way had never served me in the past and as many of us know, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Giving up and going back to such poor eating habits, certainly wasn’t going to make me healthier or live longer. I wasn’t going to lose the extra, unnecessary weight I’d gained and complained about every day, over the past few years. More importantly, I wouldn’t be following through with a promise I had finally made to myself. A promise to change the things that weren’t working for me and to introduce many new things that have been missing, in order to get a different outcome.

My focus is on the actions I take today! My intent is focused on the process that I follow today, not the end result. I’m focused on following today’s diet plan that’s been created by someone who’s thoroughly evaluated my previous eating and exercise habits, knows the goals I want to achieve, and is a highly skilled and trained professional in areas unfamiliar to me.

Until next week’s update, shift your mind to focus more on the moment and the actions you can take today and less about the future. Paradoxically, every moment and how we spend it, is what creates the future.