Organize to Lose Weight

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There are many roadblocks when attempting to lose weight. Most roadblocks we’re aware of like eating healthy and exercising. Some we may not realize are a roadblock, like disorganization. It can be near impossible to lose weight when you are disorganized. Having an organized weight loss plan can be achieved using the Major Mom Method. Although the method was developed for use in organizing your home it can also be applied to organizing the weight loss process!

Phase One: Picture It

How do you know which path to take when you don’t have a clear idea of where you’re going? The first step in the Major Mom Method is to visualize your goals. What is your weight loss going to look and feel like? Envision the outcome of your efforts.

Phase Two: Plan It

Once you have taken the time to picture your weight loss it is time to lay out your plan. What sort of meal plan you want to follow? When do you plan to exercise? How will these adjustments affect your schedule and your family?

Phase Three: Proceed with S.T.E.P.S. (Sort, Treasure, Establish, Plan, Start)

The S.T.E.P.S. phase is the action phase. Use this process throughout your weight loss for the best results possible.

S – Sort into categories
T – Treasure what counts
E – Establish homes and systems
P – Plan your strategy
S – Start new habits

S – Sort Into Categories

Divide your plan into manageable categories like food, exercise, scheduling, shopping, etc. so it becomes easier to confront each element. Devote time to give adequate attention to each category.

Categories to consider:

• Food
• Grocery shopping
• Packing lunches
• Eating out
• Planning meals
• Exercise
• Scheduling time
• Equipment
• Routines

Allow time in your calendar for:

• Grocery shopping
• Exercising
• Meal planning

Your initial instinct may be to track your weight loss plan as a whole, but tracking your successes and failures in each category will help you determine what needs to be adjusted in your plan.

T – Treasure What Counts
Once you’ve created your categories you can decide what holds the most importance for you during your weight loss. This is what we call our “treasures.” Is it time with your children? Is it being able to eat out? Some categories will need special attention and adjustment to accomplish your goals.

E – Establish Systems & Routines
In this step you will develop systems to support your plan. If you know you will be eating out at least once a week for work, accommodate for that in your meal plan. If your mornings are far too busy to exercise, build exercise into other times of the day. If your afternoons are jam-packed with kids’ activities but you find yourself with an hour to kill at every soccer practice, you may want to use that time to walk around the park or do your weekly meal planning.

P – Plan Your Strategy
What will your strategy be when faced with roadblocks? It’s inevitable that you will encounter temptations such as eating unhealthy foods or skipping exercising. Make a list of likely temptations or situations that you will encounter (eating out, late nights, tight schedules) and create a strategy (or exit plan) for each situation so you can make good choices.

S – Start New Habits
It’s time to turn all of the planning and strategizing into actual habits. A well laid plan is only a plan until you act on it. Being realistic about what healthy habits will be required is important. It takes a lot of hard work before, during, and even after weight loss to reach and then maintain your goals. If you are finding that you aren't meeting your goals on a consistent basis, your habits will be the first area to investigate.

There are hundreds of diet and exercise plans that claim to be all you need to get healthy and lose weight. The fact is that no diet or exercise plan will work properly without the organization it takes to follow the plans effectively. Follow each step of the process as described here to make the most out of whichever plan you determine works best for you.