Use the Three M’s To Stay On Track

You’re home, you’re excited, you can’t believe how good you feel! Fast forward to 3 months Post-Pritikin. How do you keep the magic working? Use the three “M”s to keep it healthy.

1. 
   

   Motivation:

   Everyone wants to attain a healthy weight, improve his or her health, and amp up their fitness level. To help you reach your goals, personalize your motivation. Reach deep down and identify all your reasons for living a Pritikin lifestyle. For example, if you think you should be more jazzed by a lower glucose level than a smaller waistline, but you’re secretly more excited by how much sexier you feel in jeans, “feeling appealing” is your TRUE motivation. Don’t feel guilty; you’ll still be shrinking your lab values as you’re shrinking your waistline! Without a reason that truly matters to you, you will have a harder time staying the course.

2. Monitor Progress:

   Weekly weigh-ins are part of your life, but also try measuring your progress toward your goals in other ways. Be creative! Start by looking at your motivation(s). If you’re motivated by “feeling appealing”, keep track of how good you feel about the “outer” you. On your calendar, use a 0-10 scale, and every day rate your self-perceived attractiveness. For example, “5” would be an average day, and “9” would be a great day, in which you feel confident and quite attractive. Adding notes makes this exercise even more helpful. Did you feel like a “9” when someone commented on the new you? If that’s the difference between a “9” and a “5” day, you might need to focus on how to reward yourself with positive self-talk rather than depending on other people to motivate you!

3. Measurable Goals:

   To monitor your progress, make sure your goals are measurable. For example, the person motivated by “feeling appealing”, might want to measure their hips and waist and have a target goal that’s reasonable (please be sure to consult an appropriate Pritikin professional to set healthy goals!). Perhaps your goal is to be fit. Be specific in your definition of “fit”. Is fitness getting your heart rate to a certain target number or is it walking 3 miles in 45 minutes? You will be much more motivated with clear goals that you can achieve; they mark the way on your path toward health. When you’ve reached your goal, pick another. And don’t forget to take the time to celebrate your successes. Your journal is a wonderful place to track progress. Reading it reminds you of your achievements when you need encouragement and adds to your pleasure when you’re feeling proud of your accomplishments.

Have a motivated week!

Dr. Susan E. Grober Pritikin Longevity Center