Hi everyone!
I am proud to announce that I have completed the first week of my life change! It was a really wonderful week . I am so glad that it's over, because it had some tough challenges but I feel great and am even more excited about my journey ahead. I am also happy to announce that I lost 5lbs this week! I want to make consistent weight loss progress and I could not be any happier with this result.
Something I always struggle with is starting out on cloud 9 with a new initiative then slowly decreasing back to my old habits when the new wears off. I don't know if I have ever truly stayed true to a change 100% in the first week. But, I did it this week!! I used to start a routine and feel so good about it that I would place a meeting on my calendar a month later to remind myself of my feelings . This meeting would say " ARE YOU STILL FOLLOWING THROUGH? YOU FELT SO GOOD!" REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT WHEN YOU WERE DOING _____?" I would then delete this and of course never tell anyone about. I would feel ashamed and for a minute or two I would say to myself...YEP I felt good, I am going to restart. But, then that took effort and I wouldn't follow through.
When I started this initiative a week ago I decided I wanted to read something that would relate to my journey and help. I didn't want it to be weight loss related but more about the overall change in behavior. The book I chose was "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. I thought that this book would help with weight, work, and personal growth. This book talks about the science of habits and successful ways to implement new habits or change old ones. I am encouraged by reading this book and I am only in chapter 3! I have learned so much and I am currently working on understanding the habit loop . The habit loop is CUE --The Routine--The Reward. So that has me thinking a lot of about what are my cue's, routine, and my rewards?
Here is what I have identified so far and ways I am adjusting :).
Cue: Wake Up
Routine: Make a coffee add cream and sugar
Reward: Sweet Caffeine Loaded Treat
Changing: one thing ! removing cream/sugar and drinking black. Cue/Routine/Reward stays the same
Cue: Finish Dinner
Routine: Think about dessert or immediately Grab Dessert Item normally cookie, brownie, ice cream, something full of empty calories
Reward: Sweet treat to relax and wind down
Changing: one thing! Removing empty calories and replacing with a healthy fruit option that I enjoy!
“It is facile to imply that smoking, alcoholism, overeating, or other ingrained patters can be upended without real effort. Genuine change requires work and self-understanding of the cravings driving behaviours.” - Charles Duhigg
So I encourage each of you to think about your many habit loops and what you would want to change if you could . I think you will find that you can identify something that you could make a change to and follow through with. This change will enable you to make a change that still provides satisfaction for your habit loop but that is healthier for your mind, body , or soul.
The picture below is me holding my 5 rocks that I got to take out of one vase of pounds to lose and put into my LB's Lost Vase! Hey Another Habit Loop!!
Thank you for reading and for all the wonderful kind words of encouragement!!! XOXO
No comments:
Post a Comment