BRIDGING THE GAP

Whenever I go grocery shopping I pay attention to the foods that people are buying in the checkout line ahead of me. It comes as no surprise that the person who has a cart full of vegetables, fresh fruits, and lean proteins tends to be someone who is in good shape. Conversely, when a cart is filled with ice cream, frozen pizza, white flour products, and soft drinks, that shopper’s physical body reflects those choices. The other day I observed such a person reading a well-known diet and fitness book, her cart filled with high-glycemic and refined foods. This person was also dressed in workout clothes, which led me to believe that she had an interest in improving her health and fitness. But why such poor food choices? Was I to accept the possibility that she had no idea that ice cream and soda pop are unhealthy food choices?

This woman, like millions of others, has not found a way of bridging the gap between knowing and doing. We all want to make positive changes, and we know to a certain degree what we should and should not be doing. Why is it that so many of us do not apply the knowledge we have learned? The answer lies in goals. Setting goals bridges the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.

Two Types of Goals

While all goals should conform to the SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timeframed) principle, there are two types of goals I want you to focus on to achieve success with the Fat-Fighter Diet:

1. Behavior goals

2. Outcome goals

Behavior goals are specific, focused activities that are required in order to achieve the larger outcome goal. You can’t have one without the other. Let’s say your outcome goal is to lose 10 pounds of body fat. In order to accomplish this, you must become serious about your nutrition program. Perhaps you have fallen into the habit of eating before bed, which is keeping your fat loss on hold. In order to achieve your outcome goal (lose 10 pounds of fat), you must identify the behavior (eating before bed) that is keeping you from  doing so. Once you have identified the problem, you can set a behavior goal of eating your last meal before eight o’clock in the evening, not right before bed.

Fat-Fighter Goal Setting

Take the time to identify and write down three outcome goals and six behavior

goals:

• My outcome goal #1______________________
• My behavior goal 1a______________________
• My behavior goal 1b______________________
• My outcome goal #2______________________
• My behavior goal 2a______________________
• My behavior goal 2b______________________
• My outcome goal #3______________________
• My behavior goal 3a______________________
• My behavior goal 3b______________________

NOTE: As you continue to read The Fat-Fighter Diet and become a fat loss expert, you will discover new information that may affect your behavior goals. Once you have finished reading this book, be sure to return to this section to review and update your behavior goals.

The Importance of Repetition

Now that you have identified your outcome and behavior goals, it is important that you read them twice per day to register them into your subconscious mind. Once registered, your subconscious mind, which is responsible for autonomic functions of your body such as breathing and heart rate, will then help guide you toward the achievement of your goals. When you read your goals, picture yourself as having already achieved them.

Read each goal with enthusiasm and passion. In addition, rewrite your goals once per week. The act of writing out your goals is an even more effective way of programming your subconscious than reading them.

Establish Accountability

Tell your friends, family, or coworkers about the goals you have just set. By telling people about your goals, you are establishing accountability for their achievement. Knowing that people close to you are aware of your intentions can be a powerful motivator when you are tempted to give up.

ACTION

Decide what you want to achieve. Identify and record your outcome and behavior goals. Read and rewrite your goals each day. Tell your friends about what you are going to accomplish. From this point on, your energy, your focus, and your life will be defined in relation to the goals you have just set.