Need Some Structure, I’m Not Very Good at Winging It

Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

Here we are, three weeks to go and I’ve lost a total of 2 pounds. That’s not conducive to hitting my goal weight by the end of 2020. But, I know why my progress has been ultra slow. I lack any resemblance of structure.

Sure, I can come up with a decent plan of what I would like to happen. But it’s the small things that I try to make up as I go.

And, I still get easily side-tracked with all of the other things that are going on in my life.

Chaos Thrives in a Lack of Structure

To be perfectly honest, I’m not the best when it comes to having a solid plan. A lot of the time, I usually wing it. But, there are simply too many things going on right now to continue this way.

And, I’ve found a great deal of success this month keeping to my writing schedule in Asana. So, I need something similar for my health and fitness.

For me, not having a solid schedule makes it easier to get sidetracked or forget that I wanted to do certain things. For instance, if I don’t write down a menu of what I want to eat this week, I’ll forget I have certain things in the fridge.

Last night, I had to toss out some pudding I made…months ago. It was a nice chocolate Godiva pudding that went south in a big way. I forgot it was even in the fridge.

Anyway, not having structure, at least for me, is not very helpful at all.

What Am I Going to do This Week?

First off, I really need to find a way to force myself to get back into certain health and fitness habits. I’ve been slacking severely for the last couple of years, and I am getting frustrated with myself.

Even if I have to set up my whiteboard as a reminder in my office, something has got to keep me on track.

Between the holidays and managing all my blogs, my mind is turning to mush. I need something that can act as a reminder that I’ll pay attention to.

Maybe if I brand myself and turn this all into a business…

Get More Sleep

I notice a massive difference on days when I actually sleep well. Usually, I am peppy and ready to take on the day…on Mondays. This is because I usually get a bit rested over the weekend.

Lately, though, I’ve been going to bed way too late. I feel groggy and sluggish the next day, which makes it far more difficult to maintain focus.

Then again, it’s hard to get a decent night’s rest when you sleep on a brick every night. As sleep affects many parts of your mental and physical health, getting more of it than 4 hours per night is ideal.

Plan Out What I Want to Do Every Day

Part of getting some structure is organizing my day. My blogs are coming along nicely because of scheduling and planning, so I need to do something similar for my health.

And I still have a whiteboard from the Iliff Computer Center days.

One thing I still want to put in the effort to do is break some personal records. I need to make sure I add exercises to the daily list that will help me achieve those before the end of the year.

Convince Myself to Pay Attention to the Alarms

I still have a problem with ignoring my alarms. And yes, it’s during times when I am actively working. I would change the times, but they are the perfect slots in the day according to when I need breaks anyway.

Lately, I’ve been working so hard to get the blogs rolling that I simply swipe the phone and continue working. I need to stop doing that.

I need to remind myself that it’s good to take a break and get the blood flowing.

Get Back Into the Mindset of Keeping it “Green”

This past week, I really didn’t try to keep my calories in the green for MyFitnessPal. I’ve lost a lot of weight thanks to this app, so I know it works. I just need to find the motivation I had back when I weighed 300+ pounds.

If I want some Queen Anne Cordial Cherries, I need to get in front of the Xbox for 30 minutes. Want some hot chocolate, play with the Bodyblade for 20.

It’s that mentality that helped me melt through more than 20 pounds in a month and a half without going on keto, low-carb, paleo, or Atkins diets.

Try to Find that Part of Me that Cares

This is the one that disappoints me the most. I lost the will to give a shit…about a lot of stuff. I’ve tossed structure and caring out the window a long time ago.

Although I am reclaiming this aspect in various parts of my life, I still don’t have the same drive I had for health and fitness. Though, I still think a lot of that has to do with how Google torpedoed CrossingColorado last year.

That’s part of why I am putting in the effort to fix the blog. Perhaps getting this website back up to where it was will also give me motivation to be more proactive in my health.

After all, I need content for the site, right? No one wants to read about how lazy I am or what I didn’t do today.

I suppose there is some part of me that still does care. After all, why would I keep trying and getting frustrated unless some part of me wants to succeed?

There’s Still a Bit of Time

So, there are three weeks left in the year. Since I weighed in at 224 this morning, I should be able to reach 220.5 by next Friday. And if I maintain a good flow, I’ll hit 213.5 by January 1st.

Although this isn’t quite hitting my goal weight, it’s still lower than I’ve been since 2002. And really, that’s still quite an accomplishment coming from a lazy desk jockey.

I just need to find a way to build momentum again that I can stick with for longer than two days. I need to work on building some structure in my personal life.

About Author

Michael Brockbank

Since 2015, Michael has put in the effort to lose more than 80 pounds by gamifying fitness and eating proper portion sizes. He conducts extensive research into various health and fitness products to provide the best answers possible according to his own experience and knowledge.

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