21 DAYS TO MAKE A HABIT STICK?
The locker room was a little crowded after my workout this morning so I had to get ready for work at a different counter. This little room had a bulletin board with several health related sayings so as I dried my hair I spent a few minutes taking them in.
I meant to get my phone and snap a pic, but I forgot, and now, several hours later, I forget most of the ones I thought were relatable. Story of my life...
But there were a few that mentioned how it takes 21 days to make a habit. As I let it soak in I realized I am on DAY 22. I have managed to workout 22 Days in a row (if you count the Friday I skipped the gym to shovel snow from my driveway - which I am). I do believe this is a new lifetime record for me.
BUT - this is not a quick fix, I am in it for the long run, and I am not on a timeline!!! I tell myself this every morning when I stare at the scale. Yes- I am still weighing myself daily. I know... Seriously they need to hide it from me.
oooh. I just remembered one:
Even if you only lose 1/2 a pound a week, you will lose 26 pounds by this time next year.
Food - I have done a little searching on Google and Pinterest for plans but I still think I want to see a nutritionist. I want to ask questions about when/what to eat based on my schedule, body type, goals... Ideally I check back in monthly or so to help keep me accountable. I also don't want to feel like I am on a diet. I want to make smaller changes that I can live with but still see progress. I am totally down with being the turtle on this one.
I am seeing some small changes in my eating habits already:
I meant to get my phone and snap a pic, but I forgot, and now, several hours later, I forget most of the ones I thought were relatable. Story of my life...
But there were a few that mentioned how it takes 21 days to make a habit. As I let it soak in I realized I am on DAY 22. I have managed to workout 22 Days in a row (if you count the Friday I skipped the gym to shovel snow from my driveway - which I am). I do believe this is a new lifetime record for me.
I Googled 21 days to form a habit to see if I could find a similar image to the ones on the bulletin board for this post, but instead I found quite a bit of controversy over this claim. I can't say that I am a transformed woman and this is a new normal for me but I WILL savor the achievement. This is sort of like playing ball with a friend and seeing how many hits you can go back and forth without dropping it. I don't want to drop the ball.
I found this image instead and it spoke to me:
I will say that in the 22 days the excuses have become quieter. They are still there but now I wake up before my alarm and I don't let myself think. I jump out of bed, grab my workout clothes and get dressed trying not to pause long enough for an excuse to develop. When they do creep in (and they do) I take a deep breath and force myself to carry on with the plan.
So far I have been really consistent with the elliptical trainer. I started reading The Girl on the Train and it was a great way to lose track of time. An hour flew by. I do find that I go slower when I read than when I am only listening to music as I tend to keep the beat. To compensate I turn up the resistance a few levels when I read so I can go slower but get the same sweat level.
I just finished the book, so now I may need to force myself to take one of the classes offered to mix things up.
The scale continues to be my arch nemesis. I know my body is de-mush-tacising and muscle building blah, blah, blah but I was really hoping for a more solid weight loss in 3 weeks than 4 pounds given that I have plenty to spare.
BUT - this is not a quick fix, I am in it for the long run, and I am not on a timeline!!! I tell myself this every morning when I stare at the scale. Yes- I am still weighing myself daily. I know... Seriously they need to hide it from me.
oooh. I just remembered one:
Even if you only lose 1/2 a pound a week, you will lose 26 pounds by this time next year.
Food - I have done a little searching on Google and Pinterest for plans but I still think I want to see a nutritionist. I want to ask questions about when/what to eat based on my schedule, body type, goals... Ideally I check back in monthly or so to help keep me accountable. I also don't want to feel like I am on a diet. I want to make smaller changes that I can live with but still see progress. I am totally down with being the turtle on this one.
I am seeing some small changes in my eating habits already:
- When I first started I was starving and I ate and ate. I tried to make healthy choices but still consumed far too many calories, I am sure. I don't know if I was needing to refuel from the newly added exercise or if it was anxiety from struggling to workout. Probably both.
- Really just in the last few days I have noticed I can go longer before that hunger sets in.
- I noticed that when I eat dinner, I am more tuned in to the feeling of being full so I stop eating before getting stuffed. 23 Days ago nights were the worst. I would sit on the couch and unwind from work binge watching tv and eating a big dinner. There was some level of comfort in that slightly too full feeling.
- I still crave sweets everyday but now I can either ignore it or just have a little piece of chocolate or a mint or something and move on. It doesn't control me as it used to.
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