Comments on Cranky Fitness: Number One Secret to Keeping Fitness Resolutions

This is exactly how to start something new, especi...

2010-03-10T14:31:54.671-05:00

This is exactly how to start something new, especially exercise which is often uncomfortable and inconvenient. I really like the idea of marking the calendar with rewards for completing the steps. I have used this with great success working with clients.

Great post! I unconsciously stopped slouching whi...

2010-01-01T20:09:45.599-05:00

Great post! I unconsciously stopped slouching while reading it.

That motivation poster is amazing!

2009-12-31T10:12:16.294-05:00

That motivation poster is amazing!

I am one of those who can't break things down into...

2009-12-30T23:31:18.226-05:00

I am one of those who can't break things down into baby steps so thanks to things like couch to 5K and other programs I actually get things accomplished (50 pounds down). I sure wish I could figure the steps out but I need my hand held! I now am working on running 10K thanks to baby steps other people have written out.

I used to jump in and try to accomplish big goals....

2009-12-30T22:33:17.254-05:00

I used to jump in and try to accomplish big goals. But now I've learned that maintaining a steady pace is best achieved by baby steps. I can achieve so much more by breaking down my goals into little steps.

I've always been a large goal with no plan or baby...

2009-12-30T21:34:05.415-05:00

I've always been a large goal with no plan or baby steps type of person. Now that I'm working with a nutritional health counselor, I have intense accountability, bi weekly meetings etc so that's helping to set much smaller goals. When I first started, my goal was to get through ONE day with no after dinner snacking. Actually, I'm still doing that day by day.

I'm excited about the Perfect 10 challenge because I plan to make my goals measurable, attainable, and lasting.

Great post!!

I keep setting these ridiculously lofty goals and ...

2009-12-30T18:58:11.177-05:00

I keep setting these ridiculously lofty goals and then the deadline to fulfill them comes, goes, and... nothing. *sigh* If I would have taken baby steps over the two years that I've been trying to lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks (not really three... but...) I could have been at my goal a million times over by now. So I'm absolutely going to take baby steps... and finally get there!

Great post. Especially with big goals, baby steps ...

2009-12-30T17:48:15.554-05:00

Great post. Especially with big goals, baby steps helps keep me in line. With getting my aching knees in walking shape, if I didn't rejoice after meeting small goals I'd always feel like a failure. Taking baby steps makes bigger resolutions seem less daunting.

I do a long term plan with short term plans that a...

2009-12-30T16:50:26.660-05:00

I do a long term plan with short term plans that all contribute to reaching the long one. So yeah that sounds like the baby steps thing.

Well, as a member of procrastinators anonymous (re...

2009-12-30T16:32:28.013-05:00

Well, as a member of procrastinators anonymous (really, I keep meaning to join, honest I do), I have to admit that I just never seem to get around to doing it.

I do admit that the few times I have done it, it has worked.

Baby steps...hm, I've been told that as a young ch...

2009-12-30T14:37:39.670-05:00

Baby steps...hm, I've been told that as a young child my approach to anything was to try it, if I failed wouldn't try it again until I figured out how to succeed the next time. (riding a bike is one example) Of course, I deny this, but you can't argue with parents.

I think I need to try it this way, give it more than one chance and set little goals.

I love this post and I love the image of a sitting...

2009-12-30T14:26:22.120-05:00

I love this post and I love the image of a sitting-up-straight, well hydrated crab!
On the rare occasion I manage to set a big goal, it must scare the crap out of me and cost me $$ to commit to--like a marathon. My inner tightwad keeps me training because I hate to waste the moola.

A great reminder! Baby steps with big projects can...

2009-12-30T14:15:38.598-05:00

A great reminder! Baby steps with big projects can be pretty intimidating because there get to be a lot of them. I have to break my big list of baby steps into several short lists (and I only look at one short list at a time) if I want to get anything done!

It's amazing how making ONE small change can make ...

2009-12-30T13:51:06.384-05:00

It's amazing how making ONE small change can make a HUGE difference. Thanks for the reminder!

GREAT POST Crabby! The SMART principle! I think pe...

2009-12-30T13:50:49.114-05:00

GREAT POST Crabby! The SMART principle! I think people can get overwhelmed & then discouraged if they try to take on too much. Breaking it down into smaller & measurable goals that are achievable & move you forward in a positive manner is the way to go for most.

Yes, we are all different & some may work better in the jumping in & big goal stuff but I think that is the minority. Weight loss & getting fit is tough stuff & we need to keep ourselves motivated & positive. The SMART principle does that yet it still allows for us to push & challenge ourself.

Great post! I always forget about taking baby step...

2009-12-30T12:53:15.279-05:00

Great post! I always forget about taking baby steps and when I jump in head first I always get burnt out and never finish. Thanks for the reminder!

Well, I kind of dive right in at first, and then f...

2009-12-30T12:36:34.321-05:00

Well, I kind of dive right in at first, and then figure out that I need to do some step work, so usually some backtracking occurs. But if I don't jump on something when I'm inspired then I usually end up forgetting about it.

I completely agree with this! My theme song in med...

2009-12-30T12:03:05.775-05:00

I completely agree with this! My theme song in medical school, other than "Jack and Diane," was a misheard version of Tom Petty's "The Waiting." My version, "Every day is one more yard, you take it by the yard." You don't really think I run a marathon any other way than one step at a time, do you :-)

I like to break things down into smaller bits beca...

2009-12-30T12:03:01.784-05:00

I like to break things down into smaller bits because I reward myself as each bit is accomplished.
Currently I do some exercises that call for a max. 21 reps each. I do most of them (there are five different exercises) in segments of seven and rest in between each set. Three sets of seven is one hell of a lot easier to do than one set of 21.

Patience is the big one. If we want to make chang...

2009-12-30T11:26:22.522-05:00

Patience is the big one. If we want to make changes that can last, dramatic ones are not so likely to work. My own experience involved adding 30 minutes of mild cardio a day (every day - I didn't know about rest days & all that) & making sure I didn't change my eating habits at all - in other words, no increase in food even though I was using more calories. That worked for me. I lost about 2 pounds a month for a couple of years & ended up right where I wanted to be. I've been there now for 7 years.

During those years, though, things have improved in all sorts of ways - I've gotten stronger, improved my eating habits, and finally, ditched my car & now get around almost entirely by bicycle. It's all happened a bit at a time. Eating, for example. First, no more sodas (unless I am on a bicycle century ride & it's hot!), but I still had a lot of lemonade. Then a switch from lemonade to water with fresh lemon juice.

Making resolutions? To me the key there is not to try to say what I will do tomorrow. If I am not ready to do it today, it probably won't happen.

In case you are thinking, yeah, might be easy for you...I am a 58- year-old grandmother and cancer survivor. The first time I ran (very, very slowly) for exercise, I was 49.

More baby steps? I keep meaning to create an id so I can comment here other than under the popular "anonymous" label. Today I have taken that baby step.

I always look forward to my Cranky Fitness fix!

Great post, Crabby! I successfully started a wait...

2009-12-30T11:08:32.614-05:00

Great post, Crabby! I successfully started a wait training program using the baby steps method. Or rather, I used the "one song" method.

Pick a few favorite songs of the "makes you want to dance" variety, and each day listen to one song and do a different set of weight-training or abs exercises.

For the first two weeks, it's forbidden to do more than one song per day. Once the habit is established, though, it feels very natural to start doing two songs a day or three.

Anyone can get motivated for just one song. Anyone can find the time. The most important thing is to act and not just talk about it.

I have nothing to add to what you've said, you sai...

2009-12-30T11:00:10.809-05:00

I have nothing to add to what you've said, you said it all. My whole blog is based on having a plan and making sure the plan is achievable. When I don't follow my own advice, let's say, I have issues.

Great post.

Great idea for a post, Crabby :) I'm so easily di...

2009-12-30T10:58:38.105-05:00

Great idea for a post, Crabby :)

I'm so easily distracted by Bright Shiny Things that I need a schedule of some sort that leads to my goal. Kind of like a Drill Sargent, but without the yelling. Can't face yelling /and/ exercise.

Probably both. With fitness related stuff I dive ...

2009-12-30T10:58:17.385-05:00

Probably both. With fitness related stuff I dive right in...then realize I've chosen something rather overwhelming and start setting mini-goals. I do have to keep reminding myself there's a bigger goal though. Otherwise I just make the mini steps smaller and smaller.

With food related goals (drink more water, eat more veggies), I have to just do it all at once. Otherwise my goal to slowly cut back on sugar gets lost in the shuffle. Cold turkey is the only way I can make it.

McCrabby, First of all thanks for the shout out. S...

2009-12-30T10:55:48.525-05:00

McCrabby, First of all thanks for the shout out. Secondly, as I said over at 10X Club - you were most certainly watching over my shoulder this morning...This has gotten really spooky...

My post today Resolutions - I;d rather play connect the dots is about making a game out of it and bridging all those baby steps to get to the big bang. My acronym for goals is Good Orderly Action Leading to Success. The tiny, tiny things with think of as no biggee build up in time. Just like the Oreos everyday lead to pounds and inches at the end of the year so can 10 minutes on the Wii every morning lead to pounds and inches.....Lost not gained..