21 days or ∞: Making New Habits Stick

[Lost Dog]

Over in Livin' Large, I posted this thread, New Habits: The Myth of 21 Days, about developing or setting new habits.

21 days might not be enough, but it's a good, good start.

Starting Monday, let's see what 21 days can do. For me, it's eating. For you, it may be hitting the gym or the running path 3 times per week. Whatever your goal, whatever this new habit is, Monday's the day to kick it off in earnest. Of course, you start now, and you've got a running start!

No prizes, per se, but a new habit that you're sticking with (which is sorta the definition of a habit, huh?) is prize enough, right?

[L'ilJ]

I'm in! I seem to have no problem sticking to my workout plan, but I really struggle with sticking to a food plan unless I'm trying to drastically lose fat. It's when I'm in maintenance or trying to lose slowly (which is what I'm doing now) where I seem to trip up. I'm always thinking to myself, oh, one piece of chocolate will be okay. Oh, one piece of cake. Oh, just a little bit of ice cream. I have a major sweet tooth! All these little cheats have added up and I'm up about 8-10 pounds from a few months ago! I'm short...8-10 pounds makes a difference.

So, starting Monday...I will stick to my eating plan for the entire 21 days. NO CHEATS! I think if I can do that, it will kick start my clean eating plan and perhaps allow me to drop a few pounds (I'm shooting for 3 pounds over the 21 days).

[Lifty]

Well I have been doing pretty well with my diet, per se. Although that has only been for about 2 weeks. not even quit 2 weeks. So, I feel I need to STICK WITH IT. Another 'thing' I need to change is my spending habbits. SO My goals for the next 21 days will be STICK WITH FOOD PLAN, annnnd only spend X amount of dollars for 21 days.

We can do it!

[Victoria]

I'm in, too. Since eating clean isn't my problem, I think I'll work on packing food every day instead of buying it. I did well this past week, but that doesn't mean the old habit is gone yet!

[gobbla]

I must break you. In sexy Russian way.

[ohammersmith]

I'm in. I've been trying to clean up my sleep schedule. I've read Good Night and just started the 28 day program, so it's almost the right number of days (I'm five days in).

[UConnJulie]

I'm in too ... just to get back on track period ... Glad to be home ...

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Over in Livin' Large, I posted this thread, New Habits: The Myth of 21 Days, about developing or setting new habits.

21 days might not be enough, but it's a good, good start.

Starting Monday, let's see what 21 days can do. For me, it's eating. For you, it may be hitting the gym or the running path 3 times per week. Whatever your goal, whatever this new habit is, Monday's the day to kick it off in earnest. Of course, you start now, and you've got a running start!

No prizes, per se, but a new habit that you're sticking with (which is sorta the definition of a habit, huh?) is prize enough, right?

I'm in too.
My plan: get the foodie part of my life back in place. I do best with one cheat MEAL, max of two, per week. This needs to mean that I eat something I want--not just a little extra oatmeal or what have you. If I want three pieces of pizza and a cookie, cool. But that's it. No cookies later. No chinese take out the next meal. Etc, etc. I like this!

So, I'll repost this in the LL thread I guess, but my goal is 2-3# weight off my keister in 21 days, with 1-2 cheat MEALS per week, and dietary compliance otherwise.

Great timing, Roland. Thanks!

[RacerBill]

Okay, I'm in. The next 21 days I'll to limit myself to clean eats. I'll consider one cheat a week ok, depending on social circumstances (coworker birthday or some such), but no cheating while I'm alone at home, since that's when it gets out of control.

[SpacecityPaula]

I thought I posted in here too.

Primary Goal: Get my eating back down to 2000 calories and carry my food. I made significant headway today with at least getting stuff prepped for the week. Now I just have to throw it all together in the morning.

Secondary goal, spending 15-30 minutes a day cleaning up my apartment and sorting through 4 years of accumulated stuff so I can get ready to move.

[LisaS]

I'll post here too. I have 2 habits to change/kick/replace with something else.

1) break addiction to the snooze alarm. Phase 1 in a multi-phase plan to get up earlier and be more active in the AM. 21 days of getting up when the alarm goes off, whatever time that is.

2) Stop the undisciplined eating in the mid-afternoon at the office. 21 days of no eating and/or planned-only eating. (note: seeing chips in the vending machine earlier in the day does not constitute "a plan" for later)

L

[gobbla]

training sessions x 6 days
100% dietary compliance 2x Strict meals, 1x loose but within reason, 1x snack

[Alcoholiday]

i'm trying to find out how you got the infinity symbol.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

i'm trying to find out how you got the infinity symbol.

It's very complicated. I'm sure you'd ♥ to know how, huh?

[Frank.S]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

It's very complicated. I'm sure you'd ♥ to know how, huh?

Ctrl C -----> Ctrl V

∞∞

Genious

[gobbla]

Just out of curiosity, do we have some sort of tracker or something for this stuff?

[Egham]

I'm in. I've been slacking off on my fruit and vege consumption. Goal = min 9 servings of vegies + fruit (total) / day.