First of all WOW! Thank you everyone for the kind words and comments – especially to those that shared a story or advice! This is what I’m talking about! This is what we need to accomplish here! Thank You! Please keep the information flowing!This week I’d like talk about planning. Specifically, contingency planning. I’ll touch on the other aspects of planning in future blogs!
As we all learned at H3, planning for carrying on your program at home is definitely a key to obtaining your goals. Listing out all your goals, organizing them, and putting a plan in place to reach them is one of the most important things you can do during your H3 stay. I have incorporated the following type of planning in my routine: Goals, Meals & Nutrition, and Support (getting help when needed).
I have done this planning during each of my stays and as I mentioned, was very successful each time. That being said, the weak link in all of my efforts was not having a contingency plan. I know we were taught to write down the potential roadblocks in our classes. But personally, I never really focused enough attention on the solutions to these roadblocks.
This time I started and focused with this part of the plan before starting any planning at all. I looked at all my previous plans and their positive and negative aspects and started with what went wrong. I identified the hurdles I found and came up with a way to get over or around each of them. I focused my planning this time on what lessons I learned from the past. This is another important reason to journal everything! I’ll talk more on journaling in upcoming posts.
For example, in my previous efforts I noticed that it seemed to be about six months after I started that I fell off track. So having learned this, when I booked my return to H3 this October, I also planned to return in 6 months. I also realized from the journaling that there were certain uncommon behaviors that surfaced and negative thoughts. I made the commitment that if I felt any of these before the 6 months was up that I’d be on the next plane to Hilton Head. Sure enough, in early February I started feeling and seeing some changes that were not helpful or mindful towards a positive direction to my progress. I immediately returned to H3 and am so happy I kept my word. During my return here I worked on figuring out why the mind wants so bad to keep falling back into the all-or- nothing behavior. My findings are still in process and will definitely be in another post. I do know for sure that it was so good to be able to be around and talk with others that face the same issues. Putting this part of my contingency plan into action has definitely stopped me from slipping. In fact, the return has also has served as a huge booster shot! I was at a plateau in my running and weight loss. I have been able to set a few new PR times and per mile pace. I also have lost over 12 pounds during my stay!
Another example of the need for a good contingency plan would be a conversation I had with a lady here about her plans for returning home. She was so excited about the start of her upcoming week. She was returning home on Sunday and showed me an awesome plan to keep this going at home. In my experience it is very critical to keep the behaviors learned here going at home immediately. Initially after a change, if you allow for a break in the new routine, then the old habits can return very quickly. I told her how awesome her plan looked. She had a shopping list, meals all figured out, exercise plan and even a relaxation/meditation plan. They all started on Monday right when she got home! Perfect! It was very exciting! A great plan! But then I asked a simple question. What happens if your plane is delayed or cancelled? How would that affect the intricate and detailed plan? What would happen if you didn’t get to go shopping right away? Or were stuck unexpectedly and couldn’t be home to get to the gym on Monday? Of course, there isn’t a perfect or single answer to my question. That’s the contingency part that you need to have in addition to the master plan! And always remember the unwise, better, and best!!!!
Well I’ll open it up to H3 Daily readers from here! Please share any stories about overcoming roadblocks, how you make you plans, or any questions that you may have with planning! We are all here to help!
Talk to you all real soon!
~ Mark
Additional Information of Planning can be found here:
Goal Planning
- http://www.h3daily.com/fitness/getting-started/goal-setting/
- http://www.h3daily.com/self/time-management/
Meal & Nutrition Planning
Support Planning
Great blog Mark! My plane was not delayed but I came home with a serious chest infection and bronchitis.I did manage to get some healthy food but forget working out etc. Normally, I would say to hell with it and eat whatever I could get my hands on,which was always junk of some kind.So my full proof plan did not work out but I did eat what I was supposed to and will get back to working out asap. So even though our best plans do not always work out,we can do something!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Mark-
ReplyDeleteI had a plan, too, for my return home. I had identified a kickboxing class that I wanted to take- a 30 minute drive from my house, offered only on Wednesday mornings. I got dressed, filled my water bottle, and put my puppy in her crate. I walked out to the car....and realized that my husband had walked off with my keys.
I was VERY disappointed.
But rather than wait until the class was offered again, I went to the local Y with my daughter and worked out on the elliptical. Not my plan, but better than sitting at home. This was a big change for me.
And I just got home from this week's kickboxing class- almost as hard as Amber's!
Keep the blogs coming Mark!
Mark,
ReplyDeleteGreat insight! I did have contingency plans for my first week. I had driven to Hilton Head and did a couple of days worth of shopping as I left South Carolina (there were forecasts of more snow and ice in my area and I was worried I would get iced in before I could grocery shop at home). I also emailed my shopping list home to the family and gave a detailed list of what should be put out of reach in the pantry, so I had help.
I too noticed a couple of things go awry one week (like a couple of days where my journal went MIA). Luckily I am participating in the @Home program and acknowledged this during my weekly coaching session. I think recognizing and admitting when things aren't going as planned are the first steps in rectifying it before it takes a toll!
@Donna Hang in there! The good news about a plan is that it can be changed! And should constantly be measured. Contingency is like you said. You can always do something!!!
ReplyDelete@marea Way to adjust of the fly! This isnt cut and dry...and remember that even if you didnt get to go...its not all or nothing!!!
@Sally Awesome!!! Awesome!!! Awesome!!! Coaching is going to become more and more a topic of awareness!!! People are going to relazie they can be more successful at home with the help of others!!!
Thanks everyone!