The Introvert's Guide to Accountability

So, summer is officially here.  Is your (spiked) lemonade glass half empty or half full?  Are you thinking, "Hurray, summer fun, relaxation, longer days, and travel!" OR "Oh crap, it's swim suit season!"  Whether it's personal or professional, I can tell you that the key to health/weight/feel good success is accountability.  The gurus out there have great tips for creating accountability, but what about those of us that are a little more private?  If you at all read these weekly emails, you know that I'm not a classically defined introvert, but I also don't need all 297 of my Facebook friends to know how much I weigh or what I ate for breakfast just for the sake of accountability.  Nor do I feel comfortable or make time for meetings, support groups, or online community forums.  

So, here it is ~ quick and easy, down and dirty:  The Introvert's Guide to Accountability

 Take 5 minutes every night to track these 5 Daily Metrics:

1. How did I feel today?  (Rate 1-10):  This means physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, everything.  Take an average of the entire day, with 1 feeling crappy, pathetic, and depressed and 10 being Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah ~ Ain't life Grand!  You may have other health goals here, like weight loss goals or medical goals but I'm telling you, the more 10 days you have, the closer you'll be to looking good and healing fast.  As you progress in your tracking, make it a priority to find out how to get 10's (or at least close to it) for yourself more days than not.  

2. How much sleep did I get in the last 24 hours?  (# in hours)  

3. How much did I move today?   (# in minutes)  Note:  This can be exercise or even chores.  Light cleaning like vacuuming, changing sheets, and taking out the trash burns 86 calories per hour.  (One hour of Zone Defense for two toddlers burns 106 calories...how ironic...the exact number present in a glass of Pinot Noir.)  

4.  How many greens did I get today?  (# in servings)  Tracking all of your food can be overwhelming, so just count your servings of greens.  (One serving is the size of the palm of your hand.)  Aim to get over 7 each day.

5.  How much water did I drink today?  (# of ounces)  Optimal amount = your weight divided in half equals the number of ounces.  

So, here it is, my privacy preferring people.  It may not seem like much, but I promise you in 30 days, you will see results.  As we say, Conveniently Natural was born out of the idea that life, especially a healthy life, just doesn't have to be that hard.