Mini-Habits Are The Key To Hitting Your Goals

franc386

What I've found super helpful is focusing on building habits.

So instead of trying to get the motivation to do a lot of stuff I just ask myself okay what could I see myself being able to do and stick to? And I focus on just that even if it's small. The goal is just to do something, anything, consistently enough.

I've lost 33 pounds and I did it that way. The biggest block is just doing anything regularly that you dislike or aren't used to for a long time.

Could start by only tracking one meal a day. Or only the unhealthy stuff you eat. Or only the candy. Or like me who didn't care for taking the time to track just focus on getting to the gym and doing anything even if it's just treadmill for 5-10 mins. After a while I get used to it and it doesn't seem overwhelming or like a big deal and then I add a little more. How I gauge if I'm trying to do too much or not is by the resistance. If I feel lazy or resistance at just the thought of it then I know I'm adding too much so I make it smaller. The resistance is just like the resistance I feel lifting weights. Just cause other people are lifting 100 pounds more than me doesn't mean I should be. If I just started gotta find what I can lift and with time progressively overload. And as studies have shown THAT is what will stimulate my body to adapt and grow more muscle and so increase my strength. Same with building habits. Look how it feels to see where you're at and with time gradually add more as the weight of that action gets easier to do and manage.

Hope that helps

VeganRaptor

This strategy does work really well It's easy to make a habit out of something tiny... and building it up little by little isn't too hard either.
Before you know it you're a gym bunny

I actually read an article on this a while ago. It can be applied to a lot of things, not just weight loss! Any positive thing you want to add to your life will work. Studying, morning yoga, meditation, waking up early... the possibilities are endless

Montepulciano

The other piece for me was linking new mini-habits to things I already do. So for example I linked logging food to checking email. (Yes, I am old fashioned and check my email on my desktop rather than on tablet or phone usually.)

@franc386 Great thread topic!

juliet3455

@franc386 & @VeganRaptor

A 4 part Blog that is a good read all about Habits.

MelanieCN77

I started revamping my eating in June with one rule, that I would eat a proper serving of healthy vegetables with every meal or snack (fruit with breakfast). I was also working out but that was not a new habit. It took me a long way. I started to see weight come off right away and my clothes looked better and as I saw results I was more motivated to pass up junk food and avoid the fried and most desserts, and when the weight loss stalled it was no big leap to take a proper grip and start counting calories. I took 10lbs off between June and mid-October just making the choices I mentioned, and then another 10 to date.

kommodevaran

Easing into better habits is the way to go I remember I started out by reintroducing breakfast and lunch, and aiming to make dinner "most days", and walking for 20 minutes every day. That was a great shift from almost always sitting/lying and eating sweets and snacks all day. Then it just piled on from there. I started counting calories again, found MFP and started tracking macros instead of following "guidelines" that just made me anxious. I started to eat more balanced meals, and more varied, and trying new things, and planning meals. Lost 50 pounds in one year, and have kept them off for two - seemingly effortlessly