Lifestyle Contract
I encourage you to take a day or two to examine your habits and activities. Sit down with pen and paper and jot some notes about the following:
- What illnesses do you have and what do you need to do to be as well as you can be?
- What areas are you interested in changing?
- What areas would your doctor like you to change?
- Are you a morning person or an evening person?
- What has NOT worked for you in the past?
The contract is broken down into a few main areas. Below I highlight those areas and give examples of “do-able” changes:
1. EXERCISE
- Start with walking up and down the stairs for 2 min/day and increase to 2 min a few times/day.
- Try taking yoga class or join a hiking group or something that has seemed interesting but you’ve never tried before.
- Dig out your old roller skates or tennis racquet; dust off your bike or treadmill.
- Walk your dog for 20 minutes.
- Do your back stretches.
2. NUTRITION
- No eating after 8pm.
- No eating after dinner.
- Add fruit to breakfast.
- No second helpings
- Add a glass of water 2 times/day
- Try a new vegetable.
- Buy organic produce.
- Say no thanks to pre-meal goodies like chips or bread and butter.
- Order fancy coffee shop drinks with non-fat milk and sugar free syrup.
- Use stevia or agave syrup or honey instead of sugar or fake sweeteners.
- Have a vegetarian dinner or fish dinner once a week.
- Eat breakfast daily.
- Drink one cup green tea daily.
3. “BAD HABITS”
- Limit coffee or black tea to 2 cups/day.
- Decrease cigarettes by 2 less/day
- Stop wasting money on energy drinks.
- Drink alcohol on weekends only.
- Turn the TV, computer or Play Station off after 1 hour.
- Get 1 hour more of sleep each night.
4. MEDICATION AND SUPPLEMENTS
- Take medication as prescribed.
- Take calcium daily.
5. HYGIENE/BODY MAINTENANCE
- Make a dentist appointment.
- Get a mammogram.
- Floss at least 2x/week
- Wear sunscreen.
- Get new sneakers and/or wear arch supports.
6. LIFE BALANCE
- Take a bath once a week.
- Meditate for 2-5 minutes a day (breathing app for phone: my calm breath, repeat mantra, read a daily meditation book like “Meditations for Women who do too Much” by Anne Wilson Schaef, etc).
- Make a nightly five item gratitude list.
- Play a game with your kids once a week.
- Read a poem.
- Do something creative (color a coloring book, make a card, arrange flowers).
- Set an intention for the day each morning.
- An easy 12-step goodie: say please each morning to the universe and thank you each evening.
- Go to church or temple.
- Send a card to a friend.
- Volunteer/service commitment (1/month cook for homeless shelter; participate in walk-a-thon such a Relay for Life, etc).
I caution you to be realistic in your choices. A favorite 12 step saying is “progress not perfection”. None of us are going to have flawless vegan diets, exercise 1 hour daily, get 8 hours of sleep, meditate for 30 minutes/day, etc. In fact one of the biggest road blocks I have experienced and see many of my friends and clients stumble with is the “all or nothing” phenomenon. i.e. I am going to go to the gym for 1 hour 3 times/week. Then when I don’t go even one time, I quit altogether and spend the rest of the time on the couch…for months until I feel crappy enough to start all over.
Start slow, take it 1 month at a time, and be compassionate for your own human nature. If you miss a day, get back to it. If you don’t have enough time, just do a few minutes.
Keep a daily calendar and give yourself a sticker or happy face for each day you maintain your contract. It is said that 30 times of doing something creates a habit. If you bring me your contract and a calendar…you will get a PRIZE! Good luck…you ARE worth it!