The past few days were preparation for the journey I am about to undertake (again). I am preparing and researching for the best "plan" to help me lose about 70lbs.
Over the years I have read a few books, and tried weight-loss programs, like Weight Watchers, and so far I have not been committed enough to stick to anything. That is why I started this blog- to help me create and stick to a plan.
With this blog, I will layout my personalized weight-loss plan that was formed by merging all the information I have learned over the years and knowing what works best for me. This blog will allow me to track my progress, test what works and what doesn't yield results. And, hopefully, this blog will hold me accountable.
The title of this blog, "Val's 20-Mile March", is based on a philosophy I learned from author and business consultant, Jim Collins. The 20-mile march concept is described in his book, Great By Choice, which I highly recommend reading. The book is technically a "business" book, but the concept of sticking to a plan and not deviating from it translates well into weight loss programs.
20-Mile March Lesson Summary
Why 20 Mile Marchers Win:
The 20 Mile
March is more than a philosophy. It’s
about having concrete, clear, intelligent, and rigorously pursued performance
mechanisms that keep you on track. The
20 Mile March creates two types of
self-imposed discomfort:
1.
The discomfort
of unwavering commitment to high performance in difficult conditions.
2.
The discomfort
of holding back in good conditions.
To achieve
consistent performance, you need both parts of the 20 Mile March: a lower bound and an upper bound, a hurdle
that you jump over and a ceiling that you will not rise above, the ambition to
achieve, and the self-control to hold back.
20 Mile Marching
helps turn the odds in your favor for three reasons:
1.
It builds
confidence in your ability to perform well in adverse circumstances.
2.
It reduces the
likelihood of catastrophe when you are hit by turbulent disruption.
3.
It helps you exert
self-control in an out of control environment.
Accomplishing a
20 Mile March, consistently, in good times and bad, builds confidence. Tangible achievement in the face of adversity
reinforces the winning perspective that we are ultimately responsible for
improving performance. We never blame
circumstance; we never blame the environment.
A good 20 Mile March has seven key
characteristics:
1.
Clear
performance markers.
2.
Self-imposed constraints.
3.
Appropriate to
specific enterprise.
4.
Largely within
the team or company’s control to achieve.
5.
A proper
timeframe – long enough to manage, yet short enough to have teeth.
6.
Imposed by the company
or team on itself, not by external forces.
7.
Achieved with
high consistency.
Let the journey begin! In the next week I will describe my plan and create sub-pages to better organize the layout of everything.
