Have you struggled to lose weight or stay fit?
Do you dream about being locked overnight in a delicatessen?
How do you sustain success?
What can you learn about goal setting when trying to stay in shape?
Finally In Shape
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Ken Blanchard, one of my favorite authors and speakers about his recent personal transformation, losing weight and getting in shape. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world. He is the cofounder and Chief Spiritual Officer of the Ken Blanchard Companies. He is also the author or coauthor of fifty books that have sold more than 20 million copies, including the iconic The One Minute Manager®.
Ken recently wrote about his weight loss in a new book, Fit At Last.
“People who produce good results feel good about themselves.” –Ken Blanchard
An Early Relationship With Food
When you were young, you describe your life as fairly centered around food. What impact did that relationship with food have on you?
Controlling my weight has always been a battle. My mother, like many other mothers, nurtured her family with food. If we were happy, we ate; if we were sad, we ate; if we were worried, we ate. When you grow up that way, it becomes second nature—that’s where “comfort food” got its name. I used to have dreams of being locked overnight inside our local Jewish delicatessen. I can smell a piece of cheesecake a mile away! And at times I’ve been my own worst enemy—I believed that if I worked hard during the day, I could eat anything I wanted at night. My wife Margie used to call that a “lousy belief.”
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” -Ken Blanchard
Everyone who has struggled with weight has experienced the ups and downs. You’ve lost weight before. What happened?
Many times when I would have some success at getting fit, there would be a point where I would get complacent—then I’d forget about my original commitment, get distracted, and shift to other priorities.
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re commited to something, you accept no excuses – only results.” –Ken Blanchard
Sustainable Goal Setting
What makes a goal sustainable?
A goal is sustainable when you have a few people in your life who help you stay committed to your commitment—they hold you accountable, praise your progress, and redirect your efforts when you get off course. In my experience, most goals are hard to sustain without a support system.
“A goal is sustainable when you have people who help you stay committed.” -Ken Blanchard
What role does individual personality or behavior style have on personal fitness?Read the rest of this post...