Do you have a problem you need to solve? Grab your journal and follow these 5 steps: O.S.C.A.R. ⁠
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1. Outcome: What’s the problem? What’s your goal (short-term, long-term, and stretch)? What does success look like? Be specific.⁠
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2. Situation: Why is this an issue for you? How is this problem impacting other aspects of your life, other people, and your most important values? What emotions are associated with this problem?⁠
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3. Choices: Brainstorm on all possible solutions and options. Don’t hold back. What have you tried in the past? What has worked before? ⁠What do you need to start or stop doing?
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4. Actions: What steps are you committing to from the above list? Be specific: who, what, when, and where. ⁠
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5. Review: Try it and see if it works. If not, return to step 3. You’ll need self-monitoring, like checking weight and body fat, before and during photos, logging/tracking (food, exercise, water, sleep, mood, medication, etc). And you’ll outer accountability. It’s best to hire this out: Accountability buddies can let you down and you partner/family are too close to really provide you with the accountability you need.  ⁠

Have you heard of the Big 5 Personality Test? One of them, more than the other 4 combined, is the biggest predictor of health and weight in the future. If you score low on Conscientiousness (meaning you’re not well-organized, you’re too easy going, and you don’t persevere in the face of challenge), you’ll need more hands-on assistance when it comes to monitoring.
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Remember, you are the expert in your life.⁠

Bonus:

• Don’t forget “if-then” planning or W.O.O.P. (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan). Plan for what could/will go wrong.
• 5 Habit Cues: time, location, preceding event, emotions, other people. You need to schedule your new habits like booking a class or a training appointment. You need to go to a location that doesn’t have other associations (like going to a co-working space to work, or to the gym to workout rather than trying to do those things at home where chores, watching TV, and eating also happen). You can pair habits (for example, meditating while your coffee is brewing). Manage your emotions with daily meditation and by pausing for 10 seconds in the moment of a craving. And surround yourself with supportive, like-minded people.
• Use habit stacking/pairing, convenience vs inconvenience, and rewards and treats. Pair existing habits with new habits (like making coffee and meditating). Put the junk food away in the pantry and buy pre-cut veggies. Give yourself a healthy reward at the end of a great week. And front-load your energy by giving yourself healthy treats that you don’t have to earn.